How come some of the divine forms in Hinduism are depicted in such a fearsome manner? For example, Kali wears a garland of skulls. Does it mean there is divinity is such forms too?
If you can love the fearful, the fear disappears. Fear and love are not two different emotions. It is the same emotion standing upside down.
Since the last 10 years, if you see the toys, the figures and characters that children are using or are fond of, it is very different. It is fearsome. The fearsome characters either bring in valor in you or take away the fear from you. That is the reason that those days, such fearsome pictures were depicted and worshipped. When you worship that, there is no fear left inside you.
I have described the symbolism behind the garland of skulls. All that is to remove the fear. Skull is used either to create fear or remove fear. In modern days, to depict anything dangerous, there is a skull and two bones put in front of that. That is to warn you to be careful. In all the countries in the world, this is the symbol that is used to depict danger. In ancient days, people used that same depiction to get over fear. There is much deeper meaning to it. We will take that up some other time. Symbolism should be taken only as symbolism.
Shiva again is a symbolism of the inexpressible. It is not someone with a snake hanging around his neck as some people are propagating, "Oh, Adi Yogi lived some 10,000 years ago", This is all rubbish and has no scientific evidence. Nobody lived 10,000 years ago in the Himalayas like Shiva with a snake around his neck and water flowing from his head. Absolutely not! Shiva is a principle. Shiva is the fourth state of consciousness, which is neither waking, nor sleeping, nor dreaming. The fourth state of consciousness which is benevolent, which is absolute peace is Shiva.
Vedanta is the real essence of Indian philosophy. There you understand all these symbolisms and it comes to you as an experience. Meditating on it brings that experience.