" HAPPY DUSSEHRA"

Celebrate the victory of the forces of good over Evil and celebrate an auspicious day to begin new things in life. " HAPPY DUSSEHRA" Nirmal Gupta

What is the relevance of Dussehra? Does the story of Lord Ram’s and Mahishasuramardini’s victory make any sense in today's time and world? Further, we wonder what our life is all about, sandwiched, between frightening reality and outdated mythology.

To me, Dussehra celebration brings a sense of hope and resurgence. Although, Dussehra rituals, celebrations and mythological stories serve as entertainment to most of us but the message to be conveyed through them, is far more intense. Vijaya Dasami is a day of learning. Right knowledge can erase suffering, and that is how every beginning should be made with learning. I think that is why we worship Lord Ganesha (the God of God's and God of Learning) before any new begining is made. On this day we worship books and writing material in our home. I have seen this taking place in my home, since my childhood. My forefathers came from Rajasthan, we therefore also have a tradition of worshiping, weapons that we have at home. I presume it is also symbolic of worshiping the "weapon of knowledge" to destroy the "evil of ignorance".

The legend of Mahishasuramardini forms the basis for all Kali Puja. There was once a wicked demon called Mahishasura, no one could vanquish him, even the gods failed. Then they looked towards goddess Durga and lent her their prowess in addition to her own, to succeed in her task. The legend says that when goddess Mahishasuramardini was trying to vanquish the demon, each time a drop of blood spilt on to the ground; a thousand new demons were created. Therefore the challenge the goddess faced was to kill without shedding blood. Does it go to warn that each drop of blood shed is only going to thirst for more, like the multiplier effect? The message here is; violence to destroy the evil is not the solution" because violence begets violence which ultimately brings destruction. What we seeing toady around the world and in India is the testimony of this fact. We must try to destroy the evil with knowledge and wisdom and not by shedding blood.

The story of Ram’s victory and Ravan’s defeat in the epic “Ramayan” also carries a message. it is worth recollecting a telling passage where Sita warns Ravan that posterity would jeer at him as a man who had lost his senses, ‘‘when the king lacks discipline, the kingdoms come to ruin, for the fault of a single man like you, this city of grandeur will perish’’. In Ram’s victory, there is the victory of good. Nothing survives against good.

An interesting story is told about the beginning of creation. Vishnu is said to have assumed the form of a child and as he lay on a fig-leaf he wondered who he was, what he had to do now.

A voice said, ‘‘sarvam khalvidamevaham, nanyadasti sanatanam’’ meaning “all that is, I am. There is nothing eternal but me”.

Meditating upon this, Lord Vishnu saw Devi. She was attended upon by powers like Buddhi (intelligence), Mati (mind), Kirti (reputation), Dhrti (capacity to understand), Smrti (memory), Sraddha (dedication), Medha (prowess), Rati (sensuousness), Bhuti (riches), Daya (compassion), Gati (momentum), Tusti (satisfaction), Pust (growth) and Ksama (Forgiveness). These are the qualities that one worships these nine days.

Today is the day of affirmation. A day of re-energizing these qualities and testifying to the victory of good over evil. Such dedication can defeat the most dangerous of enemy and evil force.