NHSF (UK) Learning Team
14th October 2013 (10th Aashwin in the Hindu calendar)
Vijaya Dashami, also known as Dussehra, is celebrated on the 10th day of Aashwin. The festival is celebrated all over India as a symbol of the victory of good over evil.
Origin
There are many different origins to the Vijaya Dashami:
- On this day the Goddess Durga defeated the demon Mahishasur after a nine day battle. This nine day period is known as Navratri.
- The day marks the victory of Lord Rama over the evil king, Ravana. Ravana had abducted Lord Rama’s wife, Sita, and kept her imprisoned in Lanka where she was eventually rescued by Lord Rama.
Melas and gatherings are set up where Rama Leela is performed, and the account of Lord Rama’s triumph over Ravana is read and enacted over the nine days of Navratri. Effigies of Ravana with 10 heads, his brother Kumbhakarana and son Indrajit (Meghanada) are created by devotees and shot with arrows of fire. Many chant ‘Shri Ramachandraji Ki Jai’ as the effigies burn. - Arjuna picked up his weapons on this day, which were hidden in the Shami tree and went to battle. He fought Duryodhan to retrieve Virat Raja’s cows. All instruments; pens, pencils, knives are worshipped on this day as they can be used to fight against injustice, ignorance and evil. Objects such as cars and machinery are also worshipped as they represent progress and prosperity. The leaves of the Shami tree are distributed as a symbol of God and goodwill.
Significance & Scriptures
Vijaya Dashami is victory of good over evil and of one’s self over one’s mundane indriyas (five sense faculties).
One forever wishes to be victorious over others and over creation. This triumph of victory leads one to luxury and extravagance, to one’s detriment. Hence, scriptures advise us to attain victory over the mind. ‘One who has not conquered the mind has not conquered anything.’
- Shankaracharya has described this succinctly in the ‘Maniratnamala’:
‘Jitam jagat kena, mano hi yena.’
‘One who has conquered his mind has conquered the world. For this, one needs to imbibe Dharma.’ - Ved Vyas muni espouses the following words on an a number of occasions throughout the Mahabharata:
‘Yato Dharmastato jayaha’
‘Where there is Dharma, there is victory.’
The true Vijaya Dashami is in consolidating this sentiment in our lives!
