Ever since I wrote my last post on Kali , I have been wondering about ego. Kali is said to be the destroyer of ego. But then, isn’t ego a mere tool that we are given to survive in the world? A child is made to develop his ego by parents, institutions and the world. We are constantly told to appreciate ourselves, our lives, our achievements. It is our sense of self that motivates us to achieve more, be more and do more. Then isn’t it paradoxical to ask someone to give up their ego or even annihilate their ego?

I kept thinking about this question for some time. Why would the goddess, a mother want her children to give up their sense of self. Yes, as an evolved soul, you realize that everything is a part of you and you are a part of everything; but that is a part of the spiritual journey. In the real world, everyone has an ego; induviduals, groups, countries and asking them to drop their egos is not going to work. It doesn’t seem practical at all!

So what is the ego that Kali destroys? Kali destroys the ego that believes itself to be so superior to others that it thinks it can get away with everything. The ego here is what is known as pride.

There is an old proverb which says ‘pride goes before a fall’. The pride we are talking about is being so proud of yourself that you do not consider other’s feelings, emotions or lives to be of any significance. When you start creating a world where nothing matters except your desires. But this kind of ego is actually a veiled sense of insecurity and inferiority.

When people project this kind of ego, they have actually built a fortress which does not let people see how scared or insecure they are in their own heart. They feel that they cannot afford to lose else they will appear weak.

When this kind of ego is created, it wants to survive at any cost, even by killing people or destroying lives. It does not want to die and it can only survive by growing bigger and bigger. This cancerous growth consumes everything in its path including reason, compassion and tolerance which is when Kali as Time destroys it.

So yes, Kali does destroy the ego! She destroys insecurity and falsehood and the fancy trappings that create that ego. People who think that they are so big and powerful that they can get away with anything don’t see the crescent shaped sword looming over their heads!

Having faith in yourself and being proud of your achievements is not wrong. However, thinking that there is no one greater than you or stopping others from achieving their dreams and potential is not right.

Your true sense of self is not derived from the failures or misfortunes or the torment of others. The true sense of self comes from your own achievement, a desire to be better than what you were before and constantly learn from your own mistakes. You are not here to belittle or climb over anyone. There is no race or competition you need to win.

The interesting thing is that for people with inflated egos, Kali gives plenty of time, signals and instances to realize their mistakes and rectify them. However, their egoic persona dominates their true self so much that they are blinded by the need to prove themselves right. That is when Kali assumes her avatar and strikes; when they least expect it!