Kali
Yuga is often described as age of darkness, because kali refers to the last and worst of the four
Yugas or ages. Kali has got many interpretations depending upon the context.
Some of the commonly understood meanings of Kali are strife, discord, quarrel,
contention, etc. There is a reference to this in detail in Śrīmad Bhāgavata
(IV.viii.3). In general, it is believed that God realization is difficult in
kali yuga, due to the predominance of adharma (unrighteousness, injustice,
wickedness) over dharma (virtue, morality). It is also interesting to note that
kali also refers to symbolical expression for the numeric 1 (probably referring
to numero uno). If we seriously investigate why adharma prevails
over dharma in the recent times, we will find huge imbalance in the three guṇa-s
- sattvic, rajas and tamas. Sattva guṇa means the quality of purity
and knowledge. The presence of other two guṇa-s is not very prominent in
sattva guṇa as this guṇa is endowed with the highest purity. Rajo guṇa is
the activity of passion. Tamo guṇa is inertia or ignorance. These two guṇa-s
have higher trace of other guṇa-s. Guṇa-s are the inherent qualities of
Prakṛti. Ego and intellect originate from guṇa-s that are present in all
the evolutes of Prakṛti at once, but distributed in unequal proportions in each
individual. The predominant guṇa that prevails in an individual is
reflected through his thoughts and actions.
Kṛṣṇa explains guṇa-s in Bhagavad Gīta (IV.6 - 9)
“Sattva, rajas and tamas - these three qualities born of Prakṛti (Nature) tie
down the imperishable soul to the body. Of these, sattva being immaculate
is illuminating and flawless; it binds through identification with joy and
wisdom. The quality of rajas is in the nature of passion, as born of
avariciousness and attachment. It binds the soul through attachment to actions
and their fruits. Tamas, the deluder of all those who look upon the body
as their own self, are born of ignorance. It binds the soul through
error, sloth and sleep. Sattva drives one to joy, and rajas to action,
while tamas clouding the wisdom incites one to err as well as sleep and
sloth.” Kṛṣṇa again says (Bhagavad Gīta XIV.20), “Having
transcended the aforesaid guṇa-s, which have caused the body, and freed from
birth, death, old age and all kinds of sorrow, this soul attains the supreme
bliss.”
This book will make an attempt to explain how to
transcend these guṇa-s to experience bliss, which is the infantile stage of our
spiritual pursuit. The entire series will be in the form imaginary conversation between
Shiva and Shakti. It would be ideal to read this series after reading the
following two series.
This book covers birth, death, transmigration of a soul
after death, its requirements after exit, Self-realization, transmigration and
finally, Liberation. The entire book will be logical, pragmatic and realistic
in its approach and may not be based on certain practices that are being
followed today.
Shiva and His Consort Shakti descend from Mount Kailāsa
to the material world and while going around the material world, Shakti seeks
various clarifications from Shiva. Hence this series is titled as SHIVA IN
CONVERSATION WITH SHAKTI.