Is it the quality of a soul or the influence of Kali responsible for the actions done by the souls?

[Pādanamaskāraṃ Swāmi, it is often said that the present injustice is due to the influence of Kali (or Satan). Is it the quality of a soul or the influence of Kali responsible for the actions done by the souls? Does God not control the Satan? At Your lotus feet, Durgaprasad]

Swāmi replied: Kali is the personification of the sinful nature of the fallen souls in course of time. There is no external personality like Kali to influence the souls to increase the sinful nature of the souls. The sinful nature of the souls is influenced by the external atmosphere also. Drinking wine is more provoked in clubs where the cabaret dances take place. This dance is the external atmosphere that influences the sin to grow. Now, if you create a separate personality called Kali as representative of external atmosphere, your psychology is that you are committing the sin provoked by the Satan or Kali and not by yourself or by the external atmosphere, which can’t be resisted by you. The cabaret dancer also throws the blame on Kali. The drinker and the dancer want to drink and dance and simultaneously throw the blame on Kali. By this the sinner wants to escape the punishment of the sin. The sinner wants to pacify his/her disturbed mind through the Kali blaming Kali as totally responsible factor.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★