A deity common to Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism, whose name is composed of the Sanskrit maha, meaning “great,” and kala meaning “time” or death,” thus denoting “the one who is beyond time or death.” In Hinduism, he is considered to be a manifestation of the deities Shiva and Vishnu, as well as consort to the goddess Mahakali. Within Vajrayana Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism, he is a protector deity and is also known as dharmapala, while in Sikhism, he is known by the name Kala.