Shiva and Shakti, Complementary to Each-Other

 Kali is shown as fearsome, ferocity, bloodthirsty, aggressive and dark. She is often depicted naked which symbolizes her being beyond the covering of Maya (illusion), since she is pure (nirguna) being-consciousness-bliss and far above Prakriti. She is shown as very dark as she is Brahman in its supreme manifest state. She will continue to exist even when the universe ends. It is therefore believed that the concepts of color, light, good, bad do not apply to her — she is the pure, un-manifested energy, the Adi-shakti. Kali is the Goddess of Time and Change. Shiva is Kala (Time, Death), thus, his consort is Kali. Kali is dark and Shiva is as white as camphor, “Karpur Gauram”. Kali is Prakriti and Shiva is Purush. Kali is inextricably linked with Shiva. The unleashed form of Kali often becomes wild and uncontrollable, and only Shiva is able to tame her just as only Kali can tame Shiva. Without Prakriti, Purusa is quite inactive. There is a colloquial saying that "Shiva without Shakti is Shava (corpse)". Both together are symbolism of creation and destruction, as death cannot exist without life, so life cannot exist without death. Shiva and Kali looks opposite, hence fit for new creation. For new creation, two opposite forces are required as to create electricity both negative and positive poles are required.

According to a legend, once Kali had destroyed all the demons in battle, she began a terrific dance out of the sheer joy of victory. All the worlds began to tremble and sway under the impact of her dance. So, at the request of all the gods, Shiva himself asked her to desist from this behavior. However, she was too intoxicated to listen. Hence, Shiva lay like a corpse among the slain demons in order to absorb the shock of the dance into Him. When Kali eventually stepped upon Shiva, she realized she was trampling and hurting her husband and bit her tongue in shame.

Let us understand the interpretation of Kali standing on top of Shiva.

The Shiv tattava (Divine Consciousness as Shiva) is inactive, while the Shakti tattava (Divine Energy as Kali) is active. Shiva and Kali represent Brahman, the Absolute pure consciousness which is beyond all names, forms and activities. Kali, on the other hand, represents the potential (and manifested) energy responsible for all names, forms and activities. She is his Shakti, or creative power, and is seen as the substance behind the entire content of all consciousness. She can never exist apart from Shiva or act independently of him, just as Shiva remains a mere corpse without Kali i.e., Shakti, all the matter/energy of the universe, is not distinct from Shiva, or Brahman, but is rather the dynamic power of Brahman.  Hence, Kali is Para Brahman in the feminine and dynamic aspect while Shiva is the male aspect and static. She stands as the absolute basis for all life, energy and beneath her feet lies, Shiva, a metaphor for mass, which cannot retain its form without energy.

Shiva absorbed Shakti (energy), hence became Shava (corpse) to Shiva. To remove darkness, light to be lit. Shiva, whose color is white, is the symbolism of absolute pure consciousness, the light of knowledge. Kali converted Shava to Shiva, from passive energy to active energy, from potential to kinetic. Shiva, then converted Kali (black, dark) to Gauri (fair complexion), symbolizing the conversion of the wild nature to civilized.  Whenever, Shiva becomes Shava and not responding Gauri. Gauri becomes Kali and dance on top of Shiva. Beneath the wild nature the possibility of civilization is hidden. Similarly, veneer the civilization, wild nature is hidden.