Guiding Light: Kali Kalmasha-Nashini

We are aware of the four Yugas. These are Kruta, Treta, Dwapara, and Kali. Kruta is also known as Satya yuga, satya meaning truth. The righteousness or the dharma is said to be in full form during the Satya yuga, and dharma devata represented by gomata (cow) walks on the four legs. Analogy-wise it means dharma is present in four out of four parts. The proportion comes down to three on four, and two on four as move from Satya to Treta, and then Treta to Dwapara. Once the Kaliyug appears, the dharma proportion is only one in four. The dharma devata becomes almost voiceless and goes unrepresented and unprotected. Sad is the condition.

Kali is dark, Kali is dangerous, and Kali is manipulator. Kali tempts people to follow the adharma and intentionally break the dharma or righteous conduct. The basics of the previous yugas become burdensome and people take recourse to shortcuts. When the five Pandava brothers ‘move on’ through ‘Mahaprasthanam’, the kingdom ruling was conferred on Pareekshit, the grandson of Arjuna, and the son of war deceased Abhimanyu. The new king encounters Kali and knowing the influencing trait of Kali, raja Pareekshit banishes him from his kingdom. Kali pleads that he be allowed and he shall consume only the violators of dharma who are indulging in traits like gambling, liquor, murder of animals, and illicit relations. It is said that ‘extension’ or extra-permission was given that in gold related transactions too Kali shall be present and trouble the involved stakeholders.

Kali pulls down the people in character line or righteous conduct lines. We have very few recourses. The peer pressure is so much that more and more are pulled into the ‘consumption vortex’. The slurry of tamasic combined aggrevated rajasika gunas are so strong that it shall be difficult to ‘survive’. Those who consciously embrace the dharma and adopt such a life are pulled down by the ‘Kali-infested’.

In the Lalita Sahasranama Stotram, mother Goddess is addressed as ‘Kali-Kalmasha-Nashini’, meaning one who devours the dismay/disturbance/darkness manifested by the presence of Kali. Those of us falsely accused, falsely charged, falsely suffering need to take the ‘sharan’ of the mother who shall save and protect us. Then we continue in dharmic path with faith proven, and protection given.

Prof S Ainavolu is a Mumbai-based teacher of Tradition and Management. Views are personal. https://www.linkedin.com/in/s-ainavolu-6831b724/

Published on: Wednesday, July 31, 2024, 06:00 AM IST