Sahasranama position 299 of the 1,072 names

Kartri

कर्त्री

Kartrī

What Kartri means

Kartri is name 299 in the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama, the 1,072-name devotional text to Maa Kali. The Creator of all beings and the universe.

Also spelled

  • Source transliteration: KARTRI

Sanskrit names travel into English in several romanizations. This page keeps the common spelling, the IAST form, and the source transliteration together so the same name is discoverable under each spelling readers use.

Meaning and elaboration

Meaning: The Creator of all beings and the universe.

Elaboration

Kartri means "the creator, the maker, the doer." This name assigns the cosmic work of creation to Goddess Kali and links her with the creative function associated with Brahma within the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

The Source of Manifestation As Kartri, Kali is not only the power of dissolution; she is also the primordial force from which all things arise. She is the fertile void, the unmanifest potential beyond form, from which universes, beings, and every phenomenon come forth. This shows that dissolution is not a final ending, but the ground from which creation appears again. In her, both movements remain one.

The Divine Architect This name also presents her as the divine architect of the cosmos. Every pattern in nature, every law that governs existence, and every living being, from the smallest microbe to the farthest galaxy, unfolds through her will and power. She is both the intelligence behind creation and the very substance through which existence takes shape.

Universal Motherhood In this aspect, she embodies the supreme maternal principle, the Mother who brings forth life. As Kartri, Kali is the source of all life in the universe. Her act of creation is also an act of love and sustenance, for she provides the field in which all souls dwell and pass through their experiences. For the devotee, recognizing her as Kartri deepens the sense of belonging, because she is the compassionate origin of one's very existence.

Text and sources

The name list follows the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama as compiled for this project. The English meaning and elaboration are interpretive notes for devotional study, not a translation of a single critical edition.

Read the editorial method and source notes →

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