Counts explained
1008 Names of Kali: 1,072 vs 1,008 vs 1,000
Search results mix together "1,000 names of Kali", "1,008 names of Kali", and "Kali Sahasranama" lists. They are not a contradiction: different recensions, stotras, and devotional editions preserve different counts. This site's edition of the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama contains 1,072 names with English meanings, Devanagari, and transliteration — and you can read every one of them here.
The three counts, side by side
- 1,000 names: "Sahasranama" literally means "a thousand names." 1,000 is the traditional title and a round devotional count, not always the exact number of verses in an edition.
- 1,008 names: 1,008 is a sacred number in Hindu practice and appears in many stotras and Kali name lists. When a page says "1008 names of Kali", it usually refers to a specific stotra edition with that count.
- 1,072 names: this is the number of entries in the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama presented on this site. It is the text that powers the reader, the range pages, and every individual name page.
If you arrived looking for a 1,008-name list: the full 1072-name text here includes all the devotional material you are looking for, and you can take the first 108 names as a compact daily practice set.
Where the 1,072 names sit
The full Sahasranama is organized into 11 ranges of roughly one hundred names each. This makes the text easy to navigate both for reading and for search engines:
| # | Names | Start → end | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1–100 | SHHMASHHANA KALIKA → CHANDA | Read range |
| 2 | 101–200 | CHANDA MUND'ATI-VEGINI → TANDRA CHA | Read range |
| 3 | 201–300 | PARVATI → HARTRI | Read range |
| 4 | 301–400 | PALAYITRI → VYAGHRA-TVAG AMBARA | Read range |
| 5 | 401–500 | CHINA CHELINI → MANTRINI | Read range |
| 6 | 501–600 | DHURNA → MAHIM'ANIMA | Read range |
| 7 | 601–700 | ICHCHA SIDDHIH → VAJRESHHWARI CHA | Read range |
| 8 | 701–800 | JANANI → PADMA-RAG'ANGGADA DYOTAD-DOSHH CHATUSHHKA PRAKASHHINI | Read range |
| 9 | 801–900 | KARPUR'AGURU KASTURI-KUNGKUMA DRAVA LEPITA → SWAYAM-BHU PUSHHPA-YAGNY'ANGGA | Read range |
| 10 | 901–1000 | SWAYAM-BHU KUSUM'ATMIKA → SHHUKRA VRIISHHTI VIDHAYINI | Read range |
| 11 | 1001–1072 | SHHUKR'ABHI-DHEYA → VARNA JAPA MALA VIDHAYINI | Read range |
Prefer one page per name? The names hub links every range, and each entry links to its own page with the Devanagari spelling, alternate romanizations, and a longer meaning note.
Why the counts differ
A Sahasranama is a living devotional text, not a single fixed file. Manuscripts, regional editions, and modern compilations include different numbers of names, and devotional publishers sometimes round the count. A list sold or shared as "1,008 names of Kali" may be a shorter stotra, while a full Kali Sahasranama recension can run past a thousand entries. This site is explicit about its own count: 1072 names, each with a meaning and elaboration.
If you are comparing lists, compare the actual names rather than the headline number. The same Goddess is invoked through many overlapping epithets, and a shorter practice set is often drawn from a longer Sahasranama exactly as the 108-name page here is.
Questions about the counts
How many names of Kali are there?
Hindu tradition preserves several Kali Sahasranama recensions and shorter stotra sets, so counts differ. You will see 1,000-name lists, 1,008-name lists, and this site's 1,072-name Adya Mahakali Sahasranama. All are devotional compilations rather than one fixed canonical count.
Are there 1,008 names of Kali?
Yes. One thousand and eight is a traditional and auspicious count used in stotras and in some Kali Sahasranama editions. This site's edition uses a longer 1,072-name sequence, which contains the full names-and-meanings set.
What is the difference between 1,000, 1,008 and 1,072 names?
"Sahasranama" literally means a thousand names, and 1,000 is used as a round title. 1,008 is a sacred count that appears in many stotras. 1,072 is the number of entries in this project's Adya Mahakali Sahasranama, which is the text behind every page on this site.
Where can I read all 1,072 names?
The complete list is available in the names hub, by 100-name ranges, on individual name pages, and as a free printable PDF from the download page.
Continue reading
- 108 names of Maa Kali with meanings
- Kali Sahasranama lyrics and chant order
- Kali Sahasranama benefits in the tradition
- Free PDF downloads
- All 1072 names by range
1039 individual name pages are available in total.