Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

164 Krsodarinagas, subduing the serpent KALIYA (see alsoGARUDA). He may be seen standing on Garuda.Color: black or dark blue. Attributes: flute, thehill of Govardhana on one finger, an ornament,prayer wheel and shepherd’s staff. He may, onoccasion, carry other objects.Krsodari (thin-waisted)Goddess. Hindu. An emaciated form of CAMUNDA,a personification of famine. She stands upon acorpse. Attributes: club, iron rod, skull and trident.Krttika(s)Minor goddess(es) of fortune. Hindu (Epic andPuranic). Strongly malevolent NAKSATRA(S) consistingof the six stars in the Pleiades constellationwho become nurses of the god SKANDA. (InHindu mythology there are only six Pleiades, notthe seven recognized in modern astronomy.)KshumaiFertility goddess. Kafir [Afghanistan]. A beneficentgoddess appearing in the guise of a goat.Legend has it that either she or her eldest daughteris the mother of the god MON. She is said tohave given mankind the boon of goats, grapes,other fruit and vegetation in general. She wascalled upon in times of sickness. She is depicted inwooden statues with prominent long breasts andvulva. Also Kime.Ksitigarbha (womb of the earth)Goddess. Buddhist (Mahayana). Known extensivelyfrom northern India to China and Japan.One of the group of female BODHISATTVAS orbuddha-designates. Color: yellow or green. Attributes:book, bowl, jewel, staff and water jar. InChina she is recognized as an underworld deity,Di-zang. In Japan she becomes a guardian deity ofpassage, Jizo.Ksama (patience)Minor goddess. Hindu (Epic and Puranic). Oneof the daughters of DAKSA. Attribute: trident.KsantiparamitaPhilosophical deity. Buddhist. One of the PARAMI-TAS. Spiritual offspring of RATNASAMBHAVA.Color: yellow. Attributes: jeweled banner andwhite lotus.KsetrapalaGod of passage. Hindu (Puranic). Form of thegod BHAIRAVA specifically designated as aguardian deity of doorways. Also regarded as atutelary deity in Saivite temples. Stands upona lotus and possesses a number of attributes.KuPrimordial being. Polynesian [Hawaii]. An aspectof a tripartite deity which also includes KANE, thelight, and LONO, sound. They existed in chaosand darkness, which they broke into pieces toallow the light to come in.KUAN TIORIGIN Taoist (Chinese). God of war.KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP circa AD 300 untilpresent.SYNONYMS Guan Di; Kuan Kung.CENTER(S) OF CULT throughout China.ART REFERENCES paintings and sculpture.LITERARY SOURCES various philosophical andreligious texts, mostly inadequately researchedand untranslated.