In this interpretation Mahakali represents Tamas or the force of inertia. A common understanding of the Devi Mahatmya ("Greatness of the Goddess") text, a later interpolation into the Markandeya Purana, considered a core text of Shaktism (the branch of Hinduism which considers Durga to be the highest aspect of Godhead), assigns a different form of the Goddess (Mahasaraswati, Mahalakshmi, and Mahakali) to each of the three episodes therein.
In this view, Mahakali represents Tamas or the force of stagnation. A widely accepted understanding of the Devi Mahatmya ("Greatness of the Goddess") text, a later addition to the Markandeya Purana, considered a fundamental text of Shaktism (the branch of Hinduism that considers Durga as the supreme manifestation of Godhead), assigns different forms of the Goddess (Mahasaraswati, Mahalakshmi, and Mahakali) to each of the three episodes within it.