Meaning and elaboration
Meaning: She whose entire body bears the color of the letter Ka, signifying Time and Ultimate Reality.
Elaboration
Kakara Varna Sarv'anggi literally means "She whose entire body (Sarv'āṅgī) is the color (Varṇa) of the letter Ka (Kakāra)." The name is deeply symbolic and points to foundational philosophical ideas within the Shakta tradition.
The Significance of the Letter 'Ka' In Sanskrit, the letter 'Ka' carries deep significance. It is often associated with Kāla (Time), and by extension with Kali herself as the embodiment of Time. It also appears as the opening syllable of many potent mantras and of Kāma (desire), but in this context its primary force lies in its connection with Time and with the ultimate reality that transcends yet pervades all.
Symbolism of the Color The "color of Ka" does not refer to a literal physical hue. It points instead to the primordial, unmanifest state: the transcendent dark or ultimate void that precedes and contains all creation. In this sense, it refers to Kali as the ultimate reality (Parabrahman), beyond all attributes, forms, and colors. Just as the void appears colorless while holding the potential for every color, Kali's "color of Ka" reveals her as the source and the end of all existence.
All-Pervading Reality When her "entire body" (Sarv'āṅgī) is said to be of this "color," the meaning is that her presence is total and all-pervading. She is not merely a localized deity, but the very fabric of reality itself. From the subtlest thought to the most colossal galaxy, everything is imbued with her essence, her "color of Ka." The name also suggests that ultimate reality is not separate from the phenomenal world, but fully pervades it.
The Mother of All Sounds Her association with a letter (Akshara) also connects her to the concept of Śabda Brahman, the ultimate reality as sound. As the essential sound 'Ka', she is intrinsically linked to the creative power of speech and mantras, as the source of all phonemes, and therefore of all knowledge and creation.