Hymn to Kali, by Arthur Avalon (Sir John George Woodroffe), [1922], at sacred-texts.com
VERSE 12
O MOTHER, Thou givest birth to and protectest the world, and at the time of dissolution dost withdraw to Thyself 1 the earth and all things; therefore Thou art Brahmā, and the Lord of the three worlds, the Spouse of Śrī, 2 and Maheśa, 3 and all other beings and things. 4 Ah Me! how, then, shall I praise Thy greatness?
COMMENTARY
'Dost withdraw' (Saṁharati)
That is dost make the world lose itself in Thy Causal (Kāraṇa) body.
'Dhātā'
She is the creative Śakti of Brahmā.
'Husband of Śrī' (Śrīpatih)
She is the preservative Śakti of Viśṇu whose spouse is Śrī or Lakṣmī.
'Maheśa'
She is the dissolving Śakti of Rudra.
'All things' (Samastaṁ)
Thou art both the material and instrumental cause of the world. The Triputā-Stotra says, 'Thou art Earth, Brahmā, and Creatrix of the world. Thou art also Water, Viṣṇu, and Preserver of the world. And thou art Fire, Rudra and the Dissolver of the world. As the Air of the world thou art Aiśvarya.' Another Stotra says, 'She assumes three forms of body for the purpose of creation, maintenance
and dissolution. The world being constituted of the three Guṇas, Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra are Her Vikṛtis.'
Footnotes
72:1 It is commonly said that She destroys but not so. Devatā does not destroy (Na devo nāśakah). Man does. She takes back what She has put forth.
72:2 Viṣṇu, husband of Lakṣmi.
72:3 Śiva. The Trimūrti is, in fact, Her manifestation.
72:4 Prāyah sakalaṁ api, that is, all moving and unmoving things (Commentary, K.B.). For the Devī is Viśvarūpiṇī in the form of the whole universe. She is the objective world, 'jadātmikā' (Lalitā, verse 90), as well as its Cause.