In Chapter 8 of the Chandi Path, Kali, the Remover of Darkness, manifests to help destroy the demon Raktabija. “Rakta” means passion, desire, red, blood. “Bija” means seed, and Swamiji translates Raktabija as the Seed of Desire.

Raktabija was given the boon that whenever one drop of his blood hits the ground, a new Raktabija of equal strength and valor will spring forth from that drop.

Kali is the Goddess who drinks the blood of desire; she takes away Raktabija’s strength so that Divine Mother can finally defeat him. In this way, Kali takes away our passion and desire, our animalistic nature.

In this video, Swamiji talks about the relationship of our attitudes and behaviors to the chakras. Swamiji explains that the chakras are divided into three sections. The first three chakras (muladhara, svadhisthana, and manipura) are the source of pashu bhava, our animalistic nature: eating, sleeping, and mating.

The fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh chakras (anahata, vishuddha, ajna, and sahasrara) express virya bhava, the attitude of the hero or warrior, and divya bhava, the attitude of the Gods. Swamiji says that we do not cut away our lower nature. Rather, we learn to pay attention to the higher bhavas, and the lower desires naturally fall away.

As spiritual aspirants, we seek the bhava of the warrior – the hero who is willing to make sacrifice of egotism and attachment, willing to surrender his or her darkness to Mother Kali. By doing this, we attain divya bhava, the attitude of the Gods. We become Shining Ones.

In this video, Shree Maa and Swamiji pour their wisdom and love on us and give us the inspiration we need so that we too can become Shining Ones.

To learn more about the worship of Goddess Kali and the upcoming Ratanti Kali Puja, please visit our Ways to Worship Kali page.  Also, check out our beloved Shree Maa’s recording of the Kali Sahasranam and Swamiji’s Kali Puja book.

Om Krim Kalyai Namaha