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 Date : AASHWAYUJA SHUKLA DASHAMI
(12th to 21st October
2007)
Dusserah, also known as Vijayadashmi, is celebrated on
the tenth day, which follows nine days of Durga Pooja, some
time in September / October.
The
Tenth day of the bright half of the lunar month of
Aashwayuja.
This
is among the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar and
comes as the finale of the nine-day festival, Navaraatri. This
festival of victory is preceded by worship of Saraswati the
Goddess of Learning and of Durgaa the Goddess of Strength.
Grand processions of all Gods and goddesses are taken out in
every town and village on this day, signifying the victory of
the forces of righteousness over those of wickedness. Various
have been the names of the Goddess of Strength - Durgaa, Mahaa
Kaali, Mahishasura Mardini etc., under which that supreme
protectress of the good and the holy put to rout, time and
again, the demoniac forces and established the supremacy of
the righteous.
The
story of how Mahishaasura Mardini took birth is striking for
its unique message. At one stage the Gods felt powerless
against the onslaughts of the demoniac forces headed by
Mahishaasura. In answer to their prayers for protection, they
were ordered to part with a portion of their divine powers to
form into a new Goddess. It was thus that Mahishaasura Mardini
took on a physical form as the combined might of 33 crores of
Gods. The dreaded demon Mahishaasura was slain by
Chaamundeshwari after a ceaseless fight of nine days and
nights.
The
lesson of this legend is so beautifully clear. Even the good
and the righteous can succeed against the evil forces only
when they come together in an organized endeavour. Could there
be a more telling message to the present-day disorganized
Hindu people - many of them individually good and pious but
who have remained incapable of overcoming the forces inimical
to them and their culture? Truly has it been said, 'Sanghe
shaktih kalau yuge' - Organization holds the key to strength
in Kaliyuga. And this is the one single, most important lesson
which the Hindu people have to learn today.
Every
page of our past history bears testimony to the shocking
phenomenon of how the Hindus, though immensely superior in
culture, wealth, armies, territory and sheer numbers to the
foreign aggressors, were defeated and enslaved. And all this
tragedy because of their fatal drawback of disorganization.
Now, it is high time the Hindus learnt the bitter lesson of
the past and realize that "Organization is life and
disorganization is death".
The
unique concept of worship of strength in the Hindu tradition
is far, far removed from that of accumulation of aggressive
power. This strength is termed nigrahaanugraha shakti, i.e.,
while on the one hand it destroys the wicked, on the other it
protects the good and the holy. That is how we find that the
rise of Hindu power was never attended by aggression and
exploitation of other countries. Probably the only nation on
the face of the earth to display this rate restraint has been
the Hindu Nation. The world history is replete with the blood
curdling stories of nation after nation, whenever they became
powerful, embarking upon barbaric invasions of other countries
and liquidating whole native races. It was given to the Hindu
Nation alone to live up to the famous saying of Jesus Christ,
"I have come to fulfil, and not to destroy".
Vijaya Dashami is resplendent with many an inspiring
episode reflecting the victorious culmination of deeds of
valour of our illustrious ancestors. The tradition in southern
parts depicts Sri Rama's triumphant return to Ayodhya after
fourteen years of banishment entailing endless hardships,
dangers and mental anguish like separation from Sita and
finally the slaying of Raavana, as coinciding with this day.
Symbolic of the victorious occasion, Raama-Leela is observed
with great enthusiasm and eclat in the northern parts.
Shree
Raama, it is said, worshipped Shami tree before proceeding to
Ayodhya. On the same day, the Paandavas too, took out their
arms hidden in the Shami tree and revealed their identity
after their one year of Ajnaatavaasa (living incognito) after
twelve years of exile to a forest. That marked their
preparation for the victorious war of Kurukshetra. Invoking
these inspiring memories the Shami is worshipped on this day
and the holy leaves are distributed by one another as an
auspicious omen for the coming year. The following couplet is
repeated on the occasion:
Shamee shamayate paapam shamee
shatruvinaashinee|
Arjunasya dhanurdhaaree Raamasya
priyadarshinee||
(Shami, the remover of all sins, the destroyer of all
enemies bore witness to Arjuna taking his bow and Shree Raama
coming back to his near and dear ones.)
The
Hindu kings and chieftains in the medieval period like
Vijayanagar kings and Maratha Peshwas continued this tradition
of worshipping the Shami tree and marching in royal
procession. Many a time they would sally forth against their
foes - Seemollanghana - on this day. Even to this day, amidst
the heartrending ruins of Hampi in Karnataka - the site of the
once worldfamed Vijayanagar stands the Vijaya Dashami pedestal
on which Krishna Devaraya, the celebrated monarch, used to
stand and receive the salute of his half-a-million strong
army. | 
