Något slags ironi från Tobias Hübinette här...
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
The tamasic Kali
A somewhat esoteric conversation I had with ChatGPT. Note that it polemicizes against the Hare Krishna!
What about the claim that some gods are mostly tamasic. The Hare Krishna claim that Kali is tamasic and only fit for tamasic people.
Yes—but the Hare Krishna claim is a stronger and more sectarian formulation than what the Bhagavad Gītā itself actually says.
The key distinction is between:
- a deity having a particular guṇic association, and
- a particular kind of person being naturally attracted to that deity.
Those aren't quite the same thing.
What the Gītā actually says
Bhagavad Gītā 17.4 says:
yajante sāttvikā devān … pretān bhūta-gaṇāṃś ca … tāmasā janāḥ
Very roughly: sāttvic people worship the devas; rajasic people worship yakṣas and rākṣasas; tamasic people worship pretas and bhūtas. Śaṅkara's commentary, for example, follows this basic classification.
Notice something important:
Kālī isn't mentioned.
Nor is Śiva, Viṣṇu, Durgā, Lakṣmī, etc. The verse is classifying types of objects of faith, especially devas versus yakṣas/rākṣasas versus ghosts/spirits.
So you cannot simply derive from Gītā 17.4:
“Kālī is a tamasic deity.”
That is a later theological interpretation, not what the verse itself says.
Where the Hare Krishna interpretation comes from
Gaudiya Vaiṣṇava/ISKCON theology has a very strong Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa-centered hierarchy.
Within that framework, worship of Kṛṣṇa is the highest form of devotion, while various other forms of religious worship can be classified according to the guṇa or according to the devotee's spiritual qualification.
So you may encounter statements along the lines of:
Kālī is associated with tamo-guṇa, and people predominantly influenced by tamo-guṇa are naturally drawn to her.
There is a theological logic behind that position. Kālī is associated with destruction, time, death, darkness, cremation grounds, etc., all of which can readily be interpreted through the symbolism of tamas.
But there is a major leap between:
Kālī has tamasic associations
and:
Kālī is a tamasic goddess and is only appropriate for tamasic people.
The latter is not a universally Hindu position.
In fact, Śākta theology can reverse the whole interpretation
A Śākta could say:
“Yes, Kālī governs death, dissolution and the darkest aspects of manifestation—but that is precisely because she is the Supreme Śakti who transcends the guṇas.”
In that interpretation, Kālī isn't a goddess who belongs to tamas.
Rather:
Kālī → governs tamas → transcends tamas → liberates the devotee from tamas.
This is analogous to the distinction we were making with Bhairava.
A doctor can work with disease without being diseased.
A deity can govern death without being spiritually “dead.”
A deity can preside over tamas without being limited by tamas.
And Śiva makes the problem particularly obvious
If the proposition were simply:
“Deity associated with tamas = deity suitable only for tamasic people,”
then what do we do with Śiva/Rudra?
Śiva has extraordinarily strong associations with:
- cremation grounds
- ashes
- corpses
- ghosts and bhūtas
- destruction
- dissolution
- darkness
- asceticism
- frightening forms
Yet Śaiva traditions can simultaneously regard Śiva as:
- Parabrahman
- pure consciousness
- supreme Lord
- guru
- liberator
- source of knowledge
- the transcendent reality beyond the guṇas.
So a Śaiva would strongly resist the inference:
“Śiva has tamasic imagery → Śiva is a tamasic god → Śiva is for tamasic people.”
The same reasoning can be applied to Kālī.
There is nevertheless a genuine point behind the Hare Krishna claim
I wouldn't dismiss it entirely.
If someone is attracted to Kālī specifically because they want to indulge hatred, revenge, violence, intoxication, death-fascination, domination, or magical power, then yes, their approach may be predominantly tāmasic.
But another person might approach Kālī because:
“I am terrified of death. Mother, take away my fear.”
That's a very different spiritual orientation.
Or:
“Destroy my ignorance and ego.”
Again, the external deity is the same, but the guṇa of the worship has changed.
And a highly advanced Śākta might approach Kālī as:
“She is the Absolute appearing as the power of time and dissolution.”
At that point, calling the worship “tāmasic” becomes rather misleading.
This brings us back to Tripura Sundarī
This is actually why your earlier question about whether Tripura Sundarī can be approached through all three guṇas was important.
A simplistic system might say:
Kālī → tamas
Tripura Sundarī → sattva
But Tantric theology can operate on a much deeper level:
Kālī, Tripura Sundarī, Bhairava, etc. → manifestations of Śakti/Śiva → source and master of the guṇas.
Then the relevant question becomes:
What is the devotee doing with the deity?
rather than:
Which guṇa is permanently assigned to the deity?
And there is a particularly interesting irony
The Gītā's classification actually makes your previous concern about black magic easier to understand.
The Gītā associates tamasic faith with worship of pretas and bhūta-gaṇas.
That is much closer to what we'd call spirit/ghost-oriented magic than simply worshipping a fierce Goddess.
So:
Kālī worship ≠ automatically tamasic.
Whereas:
obsessive spirit manipulation, performed in ignorance or for destructive purposes = much more plausibly tamasic under the Gītā's framework.
That distinction is quite important.
In fact, if I were to formulate the difference between a Gaudiya Vaiṣṇava and a Śākta reading in one sentence, it would be:
The Gaudiya Vaiṣṇava tends to classify Kālī according to her association with the guṇa of tamas; the Śākta tends to understand Kālī as the Divine who governs and ultimately transcends tamas.
Both are coherent theological systems—but they are not simply two translations of one universally accepted Hindu doctrine.
Universums mittpunkt
Jag, Jag, Jag...hela universum kretsar kring detta Jag. Tydligen. Eftersom vänstern enligt vanligtvis felunderrättade källor inte längre är Woke, så antar jag att de kraftigt tar avstånd från denne tröttsamme kulturkrigare? Jag menar, artikeln är faktiskt publicerad i Expressen!
Eller nej?
Rus var inte Ryssland
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| Var Sovjet Ryssland? |
Nej, alla vet väl att Rus betyder "Roslagen"? Eller? Allvarligt talat, den här intressanta artikeln är låst på en av mina enheter, men öppen på en annan?! Hoppas den är öppen på alla edra enheter...
Guru stuff...again
For once, ChatGPT and Gemini agree. Hinduism 101. Or religion 101, frankly.
What is the difference in Hinduism between sattvic, rajasic and tamasic worship?
In Hindu philosophy—particularly as detailed in the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 17) and various Puranic and Tantric texts—all actions, including religious worship (Yajna, Puja, Sadhana), are governed by the Three Gunas (qualities or modes of nature): Sattva (purity/harmony), Rajas (passion/desire), and Tamas (darkness/ignorance).
The key differences lie in the motive, the attitude of the practitioner, and the methods employed during worship:
1. Sattvic Worship (Sāttvika Yajna / Puja)
Sattvic worship is performed purely for spiritual upliftment, devotion, and the welfare of all beings, without any desire for personal gain or material reward.
Motivation: Selfless devotion (Nishkama Bhakti), duty, inner peace, and divine union (Moksha).
Attitude: Calm, humble, meditative, and executed strictly according to scriptural injunctions without ostentation.
Offerings: Pure, simple, and non-violent items such as fresh water, fruits, flowers, milk, incense, ghee lamps, and silent or focused mantra repetition (Japa).
Mindset: The worshiper expects nothing in return, viewing the act of worship itself as its own reward and offering the fruits of the action to the Divine.
2. Rajasic Worship (Rājasika Yajna / Puja)
Rajasic worship is driven by personal ambition, ego, and the desire for material or social outcomes.
Motivation: Wealth, fame, prestige, power, success, or political influence (Sakama Bhakti).
Attitude: Ostentatious, prideful, and competitive. The focus is often on showing off the scale of the ritual to impress others.
Offerings: Expensive decorations, lavish displays, grand feasts, loud music, and elaborate public rituals designed to project power or social standing.
Mindset: Transactional. The practitioner views the deity as a partner in a business deal: "I offer this grand ritual so that you will grant me success, prosperity, or high status."
3. Tamasic Worship (Tāmasika Yajna / Puja)
Tamasic worship is performed in ignorance, often defying scriptural guidelines, and is driven by fear, malice, or delusion.
Motivation: Harming enemies, gaining coercive power (Siddhi for selfish ends), escaping fear, or fulfilling obsessive, destructive desires.
Attitude: Disregard for sacred protocols, lack of faith (Ashraddha), sloth, or malice. It can involve extreme self-torture without understanding or practices performed out of blind delusion.
Offerings: Impure or improper substances, rituals conducted without proper chants/mantras, no sharing of food or charity (Dakshina), or rituals performed while intoxicated or in an unwashed state.
Mindset: Deluded and harmful. The worshiper seeks to manipulate cosmic forces or deities through fear, force, or ignorance, often bringing spiritual degeneration rather than growth.
Comparison Summary
| Aspect | Sattvic Worship | Rajasic Worship | Tamasic Worship |
| Primary Goal | Liberation, purity, devotion | Material gain, fame, status | Harming others, control, delusion |
| Core Emotion | Peace, humility, love | Ambition, pride, anxiety | Anger, fear, ignorance |
| Expectation | No reward expected | Specific material rewards | Selfish or destructive outcomes |
| Style | Quiet, inward, simple | Grand, lavish, public | Impure, chaotic, improper |
What is the lowest form of tamasic worship?
In Tantric and Puranic literature, the absolute lowest form of tamasic worship is categorized under Abhicāra (malicious sorcery/black magic) driven by Kāma (obsessive lust/desire) or Dveṣa (hatred and malice).
While standard tamasic worship might simply stem from ignorance, sloth, or fear, its most degenerate expression actively seeks to manipulate lower astral entities to harm or enslave others.
Key Characteristics of the Lowest Tamasic Worship
1. The Six Malicious Acts (Ṣaṭ-Karma in their corrupt forms)
The lowest level of tamasic rites is performed strictly to execute dark magic against fellow human beings, known in Tantric texts as the negative applications of the Ṣaṭ-Karmas:
Māraṇa: Rituals performed to cause the death or physical destruction of an enemy.
Uccāṭana: Rituals performed to drive someone insane, induce unbearable anxiety, or force them out of their home/land.
Vaśīkaraṇa: Rituals performed to obsessively mind-control or sexually enslave another person against their will.
Vidveṣaṇa: Rituals performed to create violent hatred and division between friends, partners, or families.
2. Evocation of Lower Astral Entities (Kṣudra-Devatās)
Rather than invoking supreme deities (Ishta-Devata) for liberation or spiritual wisdom, the practitioner makes pacts with or summons low-level, earth-bound astral entities:
Yakṣiṇīs, Piśācas, and Bhootas: Calling upon unevolved spirits, hungry ghosts, or demonic entities (Kṣudra-devatā) that require blood, raw meat, or vile offerings in exchange for temporary, worldly powers.
Contractual Enslavement: This form of worship is entirely transactional and binding; the practitioner often ends up spiritually parasitized or mentally destroyed by the very entities they attempt to control.
3. Total Absence of Faith (Aśraddhā) and Purity
Defying Cosmic Order (Adharma): The worship is done with complete disregard for scriptural integrity, moral boundaries, or the law of Karma.
Impure State: Performed while intentionally degraded, highly intoxicated, or driven by blind, uncontrolled rage.
The Karmic Consequence
Texts like the Bhagavad Gita (17.19) describe this form of worship as performing austerities "foolishly through self-torture or for the purpose of destroying others."
Because it operates on pure malice and ego, it is considered the most spiritually degrading path in Hindu metaphysics. It traps the practitioner in severe karmic bondages (Karma-bandhana), ultimately leading to psychological breakdown, intense suffering, and spiritual degeneration.
Look who´s serving Roko´s basilisk
Look who´s serving Roko´s basilisk. Yes, it´s the former Workers League, now the Socialist Equality Party, still headed by Comrade North. Rather than dismantling AI, they want to nationalize it for the benefit of "the working class" or something to that effect. They have even launched a "Socialist AI" all their own (yes, really) which they promote in a very culty manner. Apparently, it has world historic significance, being a weapon of the Party or whatever.
Am I surprised? Nupe. Next question!
Some guru stuff (part 2)
Some entry level (?) stuff you should have learned from your guru.
What would be the lowest form of tamasic worship?
If by “lowest” you mean the most deeply tāmasic form of worship in the guṇa framework, rather than simply “the most frightening ritual,” I would put the emphasis on ignorance, cruelty, and deliberate misuse of religion.
The Bhagavad Gītā gives us a useful starting point. It describes tāmasic sacrifice as something performed without proper understanding, faith, or regard for the proper purpose of sacrifice. It also describes austerities performed from delusion or to harm oneself or others as tāmasic.
From that perspective, a rough hierarchy would be:
-
Tāmasic through ignorance
Worship performed mechanically, superstitiously, or compulsively, with no real understanding of what one is doing. -
Tāmasic through fear and obsession
“I must perform this or something terrible will happen,” combined with fixation, paranoia, or irrational dependence on the ritual. -
Tāmasic through selfish destructive intent
Seeking to use a deity or ritual primarily for revenge, domination, hatred, or harm. -
Extremely tāmasic
Deliberately cultivating cruelty, hatred, degradation, or violence while regarding these things as spiritually desirable.
So I would actually put malicious intention lower than merely practicing a frightening or impure-looking ritual.
This is important for Tantra
A cremation-ground practice involving Bhairava, skull symbolism, darkness and fear might look extraordinarily tāmasic from the outside, but it isn't necessarily "low" worship at all.
Suppose the practitioner enters the cremation ground to confront:
- fear of death
- attachment to the body
- disgust
- aversion
- ego
- unconsciousness
and ultimately seeks liberation.
The materials and environment may be associated with tamas, but the purpose can be profoundly spiritual.
By contrast, a perfectly respectable-looking temple ritual performed with:
“May this deity destroy my enemy because I hate him”
could be considerably more tāmasic in its inner motivation.
The real bottom is probably instrumentalizing the Divine for evil
At the extreme end, the problem isn't simply that someone wants something for themselves. Even ordinary worldly requests can be rājasic.
The deeper descent is something like:
ignorance → selfishness → hatred → deliberate harm → identification of that harm with the sacred.
That is quite different from simply saying:
“I am frightened and I need protection.”
The latter may be rājasic or even sāttvic depending on the person's relationship with the deity.
There is also a subtle point relevant to your earlier question about seeking a compassionate deity for your own sake.
Self-interest by itself is not the bottom of the scale. A person praying, “Mother, please help me; I am suffering,” is not necessarily deeply tāmasic. That's much closer to the Gītā's category of the ārta, the distressed person who turns toward God.
The much darker case would be:
“I don't care about truth, dharma, or other beings; I want divine power precisely so that I can harm, dominate, or indulge destructive impulses.”
That is where “tāmasic worship” becomes a genuinely strong description.
And this helps explain why Tantric traditions can sometimes work deliberately with tamas without endorsing tāmasic consciousness: the darkness itself can be used as the material of transformation.
Some guru stuff (part 1)
Some entry level guru stuff, just for your edification. From our new guru ChatGPT.
Välkommen tillbaka
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| Credit: El Golli Mohamed |
Har tydligen inte setts till på 84 år...i Sverige. Väldigt vanlig i Nordafrika?
Monday, October 5, 2026
Fear of a Queer planet
OK, wait a sec here. So dinosaurs looked like oversized peafowl, primordial humans grew bigger brains by honey-maxxing, and the art of Graeco-Roman antiquity was multi-colored rather than austerly white???
It´s almost as if Earth history is...I don´t know...gay or something?!
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