The Sword And the Flute: Kali and Krsna

In tracing the specifically religious dimensions of the mythologies of two of the most popular Hindu deities, Krsna and Kali, Mr. Kinsley grasps those qualities that have both stunned and blessed generations of Hindus and have, according to their many devotees, transported men to the "other shore" of spiritual fulfillment. He demonstrates that, whether the divine reveals itself (or is apprehended by man) in terrible or sublime form, it is ultimately redemptive. In identifying the transcendent dimensions of Krsna and Kali, he explains how both deities dramatically express central truths of the Hindu religious tradition. He concludes that, despite the dramatic differences in the mythologies and symbolisms of Krsna and Kali, they share essential characteristics of the divine as perceived in the Hindu religious tradition.