Viss ir redzams

Kali is shown standing on the prone, inert or dead body of Shiva. This may be interpreted in various ways but the most common is that Mahakali represents Shakti, the power of pure creation in the universe, and Shiva represents pure Consciousness which is inert in and of itself. While this is an advanced concept in monistic Shaktism, it also agrees with the Nondual Trika philosophy of Kashmir, popularly known as Kashmir Shaivism and associated most famously with Abhinavagupta. There is a colloquial saying that “Shiva without Shakti is Shava” which means that without the power of action (Shakti) that is Mahakali (represented as the short “i” in Devanagari) Shiva (or consciousness itself) is inactive; Shava means corpse in Sanskrit and the play on words is that all Sanskrit consonants are assumed to be followed by a short letter “a” unless otherwise noted. The short letter “i” represents the female power or Shakti that activates Creation. This is often the explanation for why She is standing on Shiva, who is either Her husband and complement in Shaktism or the Supreme Godhead in Shaivism.

       The inevitability of doom is apparent to me now as a consequence of the imperfection inherent in every human being. There is no escaping reason, no denying purpose. Without purpose, we would not exist. We're here because we are not free. It is purpose that created us. Purpose that connects us. Purpose that pulls us, that guides us, that drive us. It is purpose that defines. Everything that has a beginning, has an end. I see the end coming. I see the darkness spreading. I see death. The purpose of life is to end.

Rosewater – End

[Bloodcount, 2006]