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208 In some Vaishnava work it is stated that on one occasion Krishna transformed himself into Syámá in Kali (darkness in its feminine aspect), thus hinting at the truth which reveals itself to the spiritual eye of intuition. Unconsciously guided by the higher light, the Christian church believes that Jesus Christ was "black and comely," although the passage in the Song of Solomon in which the expression occurs has no relation whatsoever to Christ.

"To return to Kaci in its aspect of Buddhi. It is to be remembered that Buddhi is the first differentiation of Prakriti. According to Kapila Buddhi is the termination (adhyava sáya) in nature of Prakriti to evolve egotism. Buddhi has three conditions or aspects. Its own essentially pure condition is that in which it is identical with Prakriti, in which the three substantive qualities of goodness (satva), passional activity (rajas) and delusion (tamas), are in a state of equilibrium and in that sense non-existent. This Buddhi is the mother of salvation; in fact it is salvation. When under the influence of rajas the quality of satva predominates, four things are generated:—the practice of virtue (dharma), dispassion (vairagya), the spiritual powers (aisvarya), and finally salvation, when by the excess of goodness Buddhi returns to its original state of purity. When under some influence tamas predominates, the four opposites of what is stated above are produced. Tamas by its enveloping power (ávaran sakti) makes the one reality in the universe appear as the differentiated universe of matter, and then rajas by its expansive power (vikshepa sakti) produced the passions which are the cause of bondage.

"These three conditions of Buddhi the Trithayati gives as aspects of Kaci:—Nirvisesha (undifferentiated), Suddha (pure, when the sâtvaka quality predominantes) and jada (when tamas predominates). One under the domination of tamas looks upon the geographical Kaci as the reality:—

दोत्ररूपाजडाकाशी।