Dussehra 2020

“The mighty Rama, who possessed extraordinary strength, consecrating in accordance with the mantras prescribed in the Vedas, taking that great arrow – which was capable of removing the fears of the entire world and the Ikshvaku dynasty, capable of taking away the glory of His enemies, and conducive to His own happiness – fixed it on His bow.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kand, 108.13-14)

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तमुत्तमेषुम् लोकानामिक्ष्वाकुभयनाशनम् |
द्विषतां कीर्तिहरणम् प्रहर्षकरमात्मनः ||
अभिमन्त्र्य ततो रामस्तं महेषुं महाबलः |
वेदप्रोक्तेन विधिना संदधे कार्मुके बली ||

tamuttameṣum lokānāmikṣvākubhayanāśanam |
dviṣatāṃ kīrtiharaṇam praharṣakaramātmanaḥ ||
abhimantrya tato rāmastaṃ maheṣuṃ mahābalaḥ |
vedaproktena vidhinā saṃdadhe kārmuke balī ||

It’s your birthday. A significant occasion on the annual calendar, at least until you reach adulthood and have to worry about dependents. You always look forward to this day since your parents rarely purchase anything meaningful for you; at least in your eyes.

A toy once a year. No getting spoiled. While the neighborhood children clean up on Christmas, with a giant wish-list guaranteed to be fulfilled, you are not afforded the same luxury. Whatever you receive on this particular day has to last the entire year. Make it count.

Imagine, then, that after opening the gift box inside you find a gun. A weapon to be used in combat. The initial reaction is shock. What in the world are you going to do with this? Is it even legal for someone so young to possess one of these? You have no desire whatsoever to go out into the wild and shoot at innocent animals. Maybe it could be used in self-defense at home, but that was never a primary interest to you. You would rather call the police in times of disturbance.

On the occasion of Dussehra, we celebrate the prince of Ayodhya, the sun of the solar dynasty, receiving a most powerful weapon as a gift. This was an arrow, but not ordinary in the least. It somehow had every element of the creation inside of it. Wind certainly helped, as it could course swiftly through the sky.

Fire, for sure. Reach the target and cause ultimate devastation. The comparison in the Ramayana is to a hissing snake. One of the ogres living in Lanka made a similar observation in a previous encounter with the recipient of this new arrow.

नैव देवा महात्मानो नात्र कार्या विचारणा।
शरा रामेण तूत्सृष्टा रुक्मपुङ्खाः पतत्रिणः।।
सर्पाः पञ्चानना भूत्वा भक्षयन्ति स्म राक्षसान्।
येन येन च गच्छन्ति राक्षसा भयकर्शिताः।
तेन तेन स्म पश्यन्ति राममेवाग्रतः स्थितम्।
इत्थं विनाशितं तेन जनस्थानं तवानघ।।

naiva devā mahātmāno nātra kāryā vicāraṇā।
śarā rāmeṇa tūtsṛṣṭā rukmapuṅkhāḥ patatriṇaḥ।।
sarpāḥ pañcānanā bhūtvā bhakṣayanti sma rākṣasān।
yena yena ca gacchanti rākṣasā bhayakarśitāḥ।
tena tena sma paśyanti rāmamevāgrataḥ sthitam।
itthaṃ vināśitaṃ tena janasthānaṃ tavānagha।।

“Neither the demigods nor any exalted personalities were there helping Rama, for He acted alone. You should not entertain any doubt on this matter. Indeed, Rama shot feathered arrows, plated with gold, which turned into five-headed serpents that devoured all the Rakshasas. The Rakshasas were oppressed with fear, and wherever they went and wherever they turned, they saw Rama in front of them. In this way, O spotless one, have your Rakshasas been destroyed in the forest of Janasthana by Rama.” (Akampana speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 31.18-19)

The same Rama who had thwarted the fourteen thousand Rakshasas attacking simultaneously was now ready to deliver the final blow of justice to Ravana, the leader of the man-eaters in Lanka. The weapon of choice would be this arrow received as a gift from Brahma, the creator, with Agastya Rishi as the conduit.

Shri Rama is an avatara of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who otherwise has nothing to do. The Supreme Lord rests in a peaceful state in the spiritual realm, breathing in and out, which in turn creates and destroys innumerable universes.

The population of souls, which are eternally existing, come and go from the various realms, given their specific temporary residences through the work of Brahma, the creator. There is the system of action and reaction, karma, which operates on the material nature, prakriti, with the changes delivered by time, kala.

Bhagavan, which is another name for the personal God, is an overseer, but He generally does not interfere. Not unless specifically requested, like so with the Rama avatara. This time the Supreme descended as a handsome warrior prince, ready to defend the innocent against attack.

While as a child there is the potential to receive gifts incompatible to your nature, the Supreme Lord can take any gift offered in love and devotion and make proper use. He is more than pleased, though He requires no assistance to carry out tasks.

यत् करोषि यद् अश्नासि
यज् जुहोषि ददासि यत्
यत् तपस्यसि कौन्तेय
तत् कुरुष्व मद्-अर्पणम्

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi
yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam

“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

Shri Rama placed the arrow given by Brahma and was ready to fire. The arrow wouldn’t work so easily. It had to be activated, using special mantras. Rama was expert in that field, externally receiving training from spiritual teachers.

Upon release, the arrow destroyed Ravana and his reign of terror. Brahma and Agastya received some of the credit; they shared in the triumph of the Almighty, who is never defeated. He is known as Ajita because the asura class is always measuring themselves against Him, and they always come up short.

In Closing:

Arrow as gift to receive,
From Brahma’s work to conceive.

When towards enemy to send,
Their reign of terror to end.

Shri Rama happily accepting,
Through mantras projecting.

So that world celebrating still,
Work of demigods to fulfill.

Dussehra 2019

“The mighty Rama, who possessed extraordinary strength, consecrating in accordance with the mantras prescribed in the Vedas, taking that great arrow – which was capable of removing the fears of the entire world and the Ikshvaku dynasty, capable of taking away the glory of His enemies, and conducive to His own happiness – fixed it on His bow.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kand, 108.13-14)

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It is not just a religious holiday to be observed as part of tradition or what others in the community pressure you into. It is not merely for paying respect, as one look at this vast creation is enough to be spellbound at the artistic ability of the creator.

Like other notable occasions in the annual Vaishnava calendar, Dussehra is meant for giving pleasure. The soul is naturally blissful. The property is known as ananda, and it descends from the Supreme Lord, who is always full of bliss and knowledge.

Events relating to the triumph of Vishnu over the asura elements of society give pleasure to the fallen souls who are struggling through the myriad births in various species. The elevated, important personalities also take great joy in both witnessing the original event and commemorating on the subsequent anniversary days.

1. Agastya

The jar-born one is an important rishi of the Vedic tradition. Shri Rama, who is the incarnation of Vishnu central to the Dussehra celebration, offers Agastya the highest praise. Rama tells His younger brother Lakshmana that Agastya’s piety is at such a high level that the wrongdoers cannot even approach the rishi’s ashrama.

Agastya takes pleasure in the event of Rama slaying the Rakshasa leader named Ravana. Though God does not require help in accomplishing a task, He allows others to participate, giving opportunities for the active tendency in service to manifest. Prior to finally defeating Ravana in a long, drawn-out battle, Rama receives assistance from Agastya on how to proceed.

2. The sun-god

The help is in the form of a mantra. Agastya advises Rama to worship the sun-god. This is appropriate for many reasons. The sun dissipates darkness. The sun is light, or the mode of goodness, and darkness is the mode of ignorance. Rama is the original effulgence of this universe, as hinted at by Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita.

न तद् भासयते सूर्यो
न शशाङ्को न पावकः
यद् गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते
तद् धाम परमं मम

na tad bhāsayate sūryo
na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante
tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

“That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.6)

Rama also appears in a dynasty of kings that originates with the sun-god, Vivasvan. Therefore, it is something like the family tradition to be blessed by the maker of the day. The sun-god is a distinct personality, and he takes great pleasure in playing a role in the defeat of the dread of the saintly class, Ravana.

3. Lord Brahma

He is the creator. Also known as Svayambhu, he is the first living entity. Not knowing what to do at first, he meditates. He hears the sound of tapa, which means “austerity.” Through that practice he receives further guidance from the Supreme Lord on how to proceed in life.

स चिन्तयन् द्व्य्-अक्षरम् एकदाम्भस्य्
उपाशृणोद् द्विर्-गदितं वचो विभुः
स्पर्शेषु यत् षोडशम् एकविंशं
निष्किञ्चनानां नृप यद् धनं विदुः

sa cintayan dvy-akṣaram ekadāmbhasy
upāśṛṇod dvir-gaditaṁ vaco vibhuḥ
sparśeṣu yat ṣoḍaśam ekaviṁśaṁ
niṣkiñcanānāṁ nṛpa yad dhanaṁ viduḥ

“While thus engaged in thinking, in the water, Brahmaji heard twice from nearby two syllables joined together. One of the syllables was taken from the sixteenth and the other from the twenty-first of the sparsha alphabets, and both joined to become the wealth of the renounced order of life.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.9.6)

It is Brahma’s arrow which gets released to deal the final blow to Ravana. Thus Brahma is an integral part of the origin of the Dussehra event. Though he helps both saints and sinners alike, Brahma’s actual interest is on the side of good. Whatever boons Ravana may have received previously were nullified through another blessing from Brahma, but this time offered to Rama.

4. Durga Devi

Dussehra occurs at the end of a series of days dedicated to worshiping the wife of Lord Shiva. One of her names is Durga, and she is something like the manager of the fort that is the material world. That fort is difficult to cross over; hence her name.

Rama killing Ravana gives her great pleasure, as she is always on the side of good, like her husband. She is associated with the event, as well, for the Supreme Lord includes others in festive occasions. Just as the Vanaras from Kishkindha helped in defeating the Rakshasa army in Lanka, so Durga Devi was there to offer assistance.

5. Mahadeva

This is interesting for the reason that it is well-known that Ravana was a devotee of Shiva. In truth, the relationship started out differently. As he was towards practically any powerful person, Ravana tried to compete with Lord Shiva. After being defeated and releasing a loud scream of pain, he finally surrendered.

Mahadeva is a great devotee of Rama, though. The relationship with Ravana was something like business associates, though there was no real interest for Shiva to meet. The husband of Durga Devi rejoices in Rama’s victory. He is also associated in a way, since Rama prays to Mahadeva for a successful outcome just prior to the battle. During the return trip home to Ayodhya, Rama points out the location of the puja to His wife Sita Devi. He specifically says Shiva gave his prasada, or mercy.

The victory is more than just the triumph of good over evil. The suras and the asuras have been at odds since the beginning of time. Like the changing of seasons, sometimes the influence of good rises, and sometimes the most sinful ascend to the top.

The uniqueness of Ravana’s fall is that it took place directly at the hands of the Supreme Lord. Thus there is added significance, which can be studied, remembered, and discussed for years and years, with further enlightenment taking place throughout the process.

In Closing:

On further enlightened ground,

When topics of Dussehra to sound.

Annual occasion worth celebrating,

Where God His power demonstrating.

Brahma and others included too,

When Rama that arrow drew.

For the benefit of mankind released,

After too much asuras increased.

Dussehra 2018

“The mighty Rama, who possessed extraordinary strength, consecrating in accordance with the mantras prescribed in the Vedas, taking that great arrow – which was capable of removing the fears of the entire world and the Ikshvaku dynasty, capable of taking away the glory of His enemies, and conducive to His own happiness – fixed it on His bow.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kand, 108.13-14)

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The newborn continues to reach important milestones. While one day they are content playing on the floor mattress, jumping up and down and rolling over countless times, suddenly they realize that crawling can get them to wherever they want to go.

They venture out into unchartered territories, sometimes taking a quick peek back to see if the parents are watching. Maybe they know deep down that they shouldn’t be entering the kitchen. Those curtains in front of the patio door – perhaps they shouldn’t be pulled upon.

As they get older, the children see what the parents do on a daily basis. It is basic imitation. If a particular activity is sanctioned for the parents, why not also the child? Growing up in a house that follows traditions of the Vedas, one day the young one sees the parents celebrating something called Dussehra. They then pose several questions to the father, wanting further details. The visuals are enough to capture their interest, but there must be something behind the tradition.

1. What is it?

Also going by names such as Vijaya-dashami and Rama-vijayotsava, Dussehra is for commemorating the moment when Shri Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, defeated the ten-headed king of Lanka, Ravana, once and for all. Victory is always a certainty for the Supreme Lord, who is known as Ajita, or unconquerable. The details are simply a matter of time; they will manifest when appropriate.

Dussehra marks such a moment, when after days of intense battling the conflict finally came to an end. The ten-headed one crashed to the ground, both literally and symbolically. The reign was over, and now Lanka would be ruled by a pious leader, Ravana’s younger brother Vibhishana.

2. Why celebrate this particular victory of good over evil?

In the more secular analysis, the celebration is for the triumph of good over evil. Rama represents good and Ravana evil. Rama abided by principles of dharma, which is righteousness, religiosity, duty, etc. Ravana was committed to adharma, which essentially represents the opposite. Though he expected others to respect his own property, Ravana did not extend the same courtesy to others. This is the foundation of adharma – act only in your self-interest, in duplicity, and never consider the impact on others.

Good triumphs over evil all the time. What is known as justice arrives at the appropriate moment and in the proper magnitude. This was taught by Shri Rama Himself, when one time battling an aggressor sent by Ravana to cause trouble.

“Just as a tree starts to blossom during the proper season, so the doer of sinful deeds inevitably reaps the horrible fruit of their actions at the appropriate time.” (Lord Rama speaking to Khara, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 29.8)

Therefore Dussehra must be about more. It is the pure good, shuddha-sattva, gaining victory against maya and everything she is able to do. Her greatest accomplishment is to fool an otherwise intelligence species, the human being, into thinking that material comforts and the fruits of personal accomplishments will last forever. Time is the great devouring force, and in Ravana’s case the Supreme Lord decided to show the world that He is time itself.

3. Why invoke a weapon that came from Brahma?

The culminating yuddha, or military conflict, described in the Ramayana is between two large armies. Rama’s side consists of monkeys and bears, and Ravana’s of black-magic enhanced Rakshasas, who are like man-eating ogres. There are terrific and capable fighters on both sides, and they each get to show their worth.

At the end it is Rama and Ravana fighting against each other. This conflict is difficult, but only because the Supreme Lord allows it to be. In the end He summons a weapon handed to Him by Agastya Rishi. This arrow is originally from Lord Brahma, the creator. Rama empowers the weapon by using a mantra, and once released it is the end for Ravana.

Rama does not require the use of such a weapon. Nor does He need mantras to empower anything. His actions in the manifest world illustrate key principles that mankind should follow. Using Brahma’s arrow pays respect to the creator, who is a spiritual master in his own right. The same Brahma was worshiped by Ravana to rise to power, and now the benefactor has shown that his benedictions paired with Divine strength are no match for material rewards used in the mindset of adharma.

4. Why worship the sun-god?

Rama received the weapon from Agastya, who had urged Rama to first worship the sun-god. The Supreme Lord in that incarnation appeared in the solar dynasty, a family of rulers who started with Vivasvan. The act thus paid honor to the people who previously appeared in the family.

Many spiritual traditions show a similar level of respect to the sun. Without the heat and light it provides man would not be able to survive on earth. An empowered being, everyone benefits from its presence – both good and bad alike.

5. Why so many celebrations for Shri Rama?

There is Rama Navami, which is like Rama’s birthday. There is Diwali, which celebrates the Supreme Lord’s return home to Ayodhya after the defeat of Ravana. There is Dussehra, also, and so the child is sure to wonder why there are several celebrations on the calendar for a single person.

God the person does not require our service. The celebrations in His honor are not necessary for His happiness and wellbeing. Every tradition passed on from authority is for our benefit, for purifying our consciousness. Rama is so kind that He allows for every day to be an utsava, a celebration in His honor. This is most easily accomplished through harinama-sankirtana, chanting the holy names of God together with others.

In Closing:

Father showing lamp of ghee,

Celebration small child to see.

Naturally to wonder the reason,

Why Dussehra in this season?

To good winning over evil more,

About Rama and His victory to ensure.

How sun-god and Brahma respecting,

To help us, worship never expecting.

Dussehra 2017

“Ravana was killed by Lord Ramachandra and was destined for hellish life, but by Lord Ramachandra's advice, Vibhishana, Ravana's brother, performed all the duties prescribed in relation to the dead. Thus Lord Ramachandra was kind to Ravana even after Ravana's death.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 9.10.29 Purport)

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The ten-headed one had a rather lengthy rap sheet. As leader of a kingdom, he would host visitors every now and then. Operating in that capacity he one time indeed “shot the messenger,” devouring the flesh afterwards. He was a Rakshasa, which is a kind of man-eater. Ravana would send his men to kill innocent sages living in the forest, attacking right at the time of yajna [sacrifice]. To take over Lanka he scared away his non-threatening brother Kuvera.

He had a reign of terror. Ravana’s kingdom was filled with gold, beautiful women, wine, and animal flesh. It looked like things were going well. That is until he committed a crime for which he would surely get punished. Justice would be served with the ultimate force possible, and it would attach to everything from the past for which Ravana was responsible. The occasion of Dussehra commemorates the delivery of that justice.

It arrived via the aerial route. The implementation was through arrows released from a bow. The bow hung on the shoulder of the all-attractive, ever dedicated to dharma prince of Ayodhya. Since He was like a moon to give light to dissipate the darkness, He was known as Ramachandra. He was the protector of Koshala, which had a long history of pious rulers.

Ramachandra is a direct incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Essentially, Ramachandra is God Himself. Ravana was a special case, since ordinarily the fruits of karma, either good or bad, arrive at the appropriate time. It is something like waiting for the spring season to see flowers and plant life.

“Just as a tree starts to blossom during the proper season, so the doer of sinful deeds inevitably reaps the horrible fruit of their actions at the appropriate time.” (Lord Rama speaking to Khara, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 29.8)

Kala, or time, destroys everything and everyone eventually. The complete clearing of the slate is known as death, though that applies only to the present body. There can still be residual effects that have to manifest at a later time. The individual within is imperishable. The soul is never born, nor does it ever die, but the individual that is the soul travels from body to body, life after life.

Ravana was killed after a long struggle. It looked like the leader of the Rakshasas was getting away with his greatest crime, that of stealing the princess of Videha, Sita Devi. She also happened to be Ramachandra’s wife. Ravana did not fight for her fairly. He did not win her in a struggle. Instead, he took her away in a cowardly manner, sneaking around and hiding his true form.

Ravana certainly deserved the punishment he later received, but there was no lasting enmity from the Supreme Lord’s side. This was evident in the direction given to Vibhishana immediately after Ravana’s death. Vibhishana was Ravana’s brother who happened to turn sides. Vibhishana went to Ramachandra’s camp after failing to set Ravana straight. The leader of Lanka would not listen to sound advice, even if it came from his well-wishing brother.

After Ramachandra won the battle against Ravana, He directed Vibhishana to perform the funeral rites. This would help Ravana in the afterlife, as he had a long list of sinful deeds. The idea is that a person’s next destination is not guaranteed. Family members perform the funeral rites to prevent ghostly life as the next destination for the departed.

“My husband Rama is famous throughout the world. He is pure, truthful, and very gentle. He is mighty-armed, has wide eyes, and is always busy working for the welfare of all living beings [sarva-bhuta-hite-ratah].” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 47.11)

None of this was necessary, since Ravana died directly at the hands of God. Liberation, release from the cycle of birth and death, was guaranteed. Still, Rama directed Vibhishana as such for setting the proper example. The Supreme Lord does not hold a grudge. He does not maintain enmity, even with the worst people in the world. That is one way to define good. It is benevolence extended to the entire population of creatures. Kind or mean, tall or small, rich or poor, Shri Ramachandra is eternally a well-wisher.

In Closing:

Over Lanka carrying hold strong,

Ravana with rap-sheet long.

Since so many sins committed,

Even stealing a wife himself permitted.

That last to break the trend,

Ramachandra fiery arrows to send.

Enmity gone with brother’s deeds shown,

Pious Vibhishana next to take the throne.

Dussehra 2016

“Striking their breasts in affliction because their husbands had been killed by the arrows of Lakshmana, the women embraced their respective husbands and cried piteously in voices appealing to everyone.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 9.10.25)

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The celebration of the triumph of good over evil. The righteous finally ending the reign of terror of the unrighteous. Perseverance, dedication, and pious behavior eventually winning out over sin, succumbing to the sense urges, and ignoring wise counsel. These are different ways to describe the occasion of Dussehra, which is the anniversary day of the victory of Shri Rama over the wicked king of Lanka, Ravana.

Rama is a special incarnation of the Supreme Lord. The avatara is sometimes described as the saguna version of Brahman, which is the spiritual energy. In fact, the Supreme is Parabrahman, which distinguishes Him from the spotless spirit souls inhabiting this and many other universes. There is the energy and there is the energetic. There is the power in the form of electricity and the powerhouse in the form of the place that generates the electricity.

God is the powerful and we are the power. We are similar to Him in qualitative makeup, but vastly inferior in terms of quantitative ability. Even if we amass great material strength while living in a temporary body, that potency is nothing compared to what belongs to God. The occasion of Dussehra is a vivid reminder. That potency is there not only in Rama, but in His expansions as well.

Ravana followed the unrighteous path. It looked like he was winning. Judging by only a snapshot in time, Ravana had everything and Rama had nothing. Ravana had an opulent kingdom, with gold everywhere. There was so much meat to enjoy, and wine flowed like water. The citizens lived in fear of him, but they were happy for the moment.

Meanwhile, Rama was living in the forest, a member of the warrior class though looking like an ascetic. He had His younger brother Lakshmana, who was also a warrior. Rama’s wife Sita accompanied the group as well. That was it. They lived in a hut built by Lakshmana. It was built with unending love, and so Rama and Sita were pleased living there.

“Oh Rama, for as long as You shall stand before me, even if it be for one hundred years, I will always remain Your servant. Therefore You should be the one to choose a beautiful and appropriate place for the cottage. After You have selected a spot, please then command me to start building.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 15.7)

Taking another snapshot in time, things got even worse. Ravana now had Sita, after he took her away in secret, using a ruse. Rama was without His beloved, and she without Him. Does this mean that evil triumphs over good? Is it better to simply enjoy as much as possible, before inevitable death destroys everything?

Actually, the work in karma is like planting a seed that develops fruit. Not all those fruits are tasty and conducive to good health. Some of them are poisonous, depending on the nature of activity. Ravana and his men had done some horrible things. Just as the trees produce flowers during the appropriate season, these Rakshasas, or man-eaters, were slated to get their punishment at the appropriate time.

“Just as a tree starts to blossom during the proper season, so the doer of sinful deeds inevitably reaps the horrible fruit of their actions at the appropriate time.” (Lord Rama speaking to Khara, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 29.8)

Destruction came for Ravana, and it was massive. There was a long battle between the two sides. The result was death for the people in Ravana’s army. Dussehra celebrates the culminating stage of the conflict, the victory of Rama over Ravana.

But there were other victories as well. As the Shrimad Bhagavatam notes, Lakshmana’s arrows also did great damage. After the war was over, the women who lost their husbands came to the battlefield and bewailed their plight. Lakshmana had killed their husbands, and the tragedy could be traced to sinful behavior. If Ravana and his men had not offended the Supreme Lord so greatly, they would have continued to live safely. The women would not have been made widows.

Lakshmana is God’s number one protector. He comes in other forms as well, most notably as the original guru. The representative that is the spiritual master is empowered by Lakshmana to destroy the sinful desires lying within. The same arrows fly and strike at the heart of ignorance, laziness, despair, and foolishness related to association with the temporary body. Just as Lakshmana helped Rama to reclaim the beloved Sita, the representative helps the Supreme Lord to bring back the lost souls into the eternal engagement that is devotional service. On the occasion of Dussehra, we remember that amazing snapshot in time, when dharma triumphed over adharma in a big way.

In Closing:

Dussehra celebrated today,

How Rama’s arrows made their way.

 

To king of Lanka’s chest,

Destroyed by fighter the best.

 

From Lakshmana also arrows sailed,

Husbands dead, wives of demons bewailed.

 

For the cause of brother the hero fighting,

Same spark in representatives igniting.

Dussehra 2015

“Somehow or other, Ravana was raised to an exalted position as the king of a great kingdom with all material opulences, but because of his sinful act of kidnapping mother Sita, all the results of his pious activities were destroyed.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 9.10.23 Purport)

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If you are good, then when you die you go to heaven. This is the popularly held belief. And why wouldn’t it be true? If there is a God, why would He punish people for behaving piously? From Vedic philosophy we get a clearer picture of the actual situation. Heaven and hell do exist, and they are part of the temporary realm. One certainly does ascend the more piously they behave, but just like the body itself, that ascension does not last forever. On the occasion of Dussehra we remember a notable king who rapidly ascended to the highest position in the world, only to have it all crash down in an instant.

The Vedic view on heaven is that it exists and that it is the destination in the afterlife for the pious. What exactly is pious? Think of good behavior. Be kind to others. Tell the truth. Don’t be selfish. Follow the religious traditions you inherited from your parents. More specifically, this kind of behavior falls into the mode of goodness. There are three modes of material nature, and the activities of this world fall into those three modes.

The default mode is passion. Think of the child who wants to play all day. In the National Hockey League there is a marquee game held annually that is played outside. Known as the Winter Classic, the event draws a lot of attention because it reminds the adult-aged players of their youth. When they were young, they would sometimes spend the entire day on the rink. They would only come home after repeated attempts were made by the parents.

Both children and adults play, and if the aim is only sense gratification the activities fall into the mode of passion. The mode of ignorance is useless, damaging behavior; think overindulgence in intoxicants and excessive sleeping. The mode of goodness is where intelligence increases. The general idea we have of religiosity matches up with the mode of goodness.

Interestingly, heavenly and hellish conditions already exist in the world we currently inhabit. We don’t have to wait for the afterlife to experience heavenly delights. Case in point Ravana, who was the king of Lanka many thousands of years ago. He had every material enjoyment available to him. Though modern airplanes were not yet invented, he could still fly through the air. He had an aerial car called the Pushpaka. This car belonged to Kuvera, Ravana’s brother. Kuvera abandoned it when Ravana went to take over Lanka from him.

Ravana had tremendous wealth in Lanka. Some of the buildings were made of gold. There were crystals in the floors. The beauty of the city would easily defeat the most amazing sites found in the modern world. Ravana also had plenty of sensual enjoyment. There was loads of meat and wine to consume. There were many wives with whom to enjoy. It would be difficult to imagine the heaven of the afterlife surpassing the opulence of Ravana’s kingdom.

Residence in heaven is not permanent; at least with the heaven of the material world. The reason is that the merits accumulated through good behavior eventually expire. Just as the inmate eventually gets released from jail through their sentence expiring, the same applies to the benediction of going to heaven. Since heaven is in the upward direction, the person who has their pious credits run out is described as falling back to earth. Falling back to earth from heaven is one example of how reincarnation works.

evaṁ kṣipan dhanuṣi sandhitam utsasarja

bāṇaṁ sa vajram iva tad-dhṛdayaṁ bibheda

so ’sṛg vaman daśa-mukhair nyapatad vimānād

dhāheti jalpati jane sukṛtīva riktaḥ

“After thus rebuking Ravana, Lord Ramachandra fixed an arrow to His bow, aimed at Ravana, and released the arrow, which pierced Ravana's heart like a thunderbolt. Upon seeing this, Ravana's followers raised a tumultuous sound, crying, ‘Alas! Alas! What has happened? What has happened?’ as Ravana, vomiting blood from his ten mouths, fell from his airplane, just as a pious man falls to earth from the heavenly planets when the results of his pious activities are exhausted.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 9.10.23)

When Ravana received the fatal arrow from Shri Rama, his fall to the earth was compared to a person falling from heaven. The comparison is accurate in so many ways. For starters, there was the material opulence in Ravana’s kingdom. He was the most feared king in the world. He took full advantage of that post. Yet it all vanished in a second.

The return to earth from heaven can ultimately be attributed to an underlying desire. The pious credits expire because they are earned with material motivations. Basically, if a person wants to enjoy separately from God the person, they have to go through reincarnation. The person within the cycle of reincarnation can take birth anywhere, in any species. They don’t have to necessarily live on earth.

“There are an infinite number of living beings, both moving and nonmoving, who have many different abodes, with some residing in the earth, some in the sky, and some in the water. But O helpless Tulsi, for you Shri Rama’s holy name is your only home.” (Dohavali, 37)

Goswami Tulsidas references this truth in his Dohavali. He says that he knows he can take birth in any species, in any of the three worlds. He doesn’t mind the physical location of his birth, for his real home is Rama’s holy name. This is an example of pure devotion. With that desire, there is no expiry. If you love Rama, you never have to lose His association.

Devoid of devotional service, any gain is only temporary. On the occasion of Dussehra, we remember how Shri Rama personally came to the scene to bring Ravana back down, to where he belonged. Ravana’s sinful desire manifest in his stealing of Rama’s wife Sita in secret. Ordinary sinful desire is automatically punished through the laws of nature. But when there is harm done to someone who loves Rama, the Lord Himself intervenes. He protects the devotion of the devotee.

In Closing:

When obstruction for devotee seen,

Rama personally to intervene.

 

Like when to Lanka went,

And arrows to Ravana sent.

 

Despite towards heaven to ascend,

At expiry again to earth to descend.

 

On Dussehra famous Ravana to recall,

Who despite opulence had to fall.

Dussehra 2014

“When remembering Shri Rama, while fighting in a war, while paying obeisance to the guru’s feet - those who on these occasions do not feel a thrill in the body are essentially lifeless, though living in this world, says Tulsi.” (Dohavali, 42)

rāmahi sumirata rana bhirata deta parata guru pāya' |
tulasī jinhahi na pulaka tanu te jaga jīvata jāya' ||

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It all came down to Him. Everyone else had done their part. They were valiant. They were not afraid. They took their strength from Him. They knew that in the worst case He would defend them. He was their back up, though He was their leader too. He had been fighting the whole time, but now at the end He was needed to finish the job. On the occasion of Dussehra we celebrate that hero’s march towards the frontlines, where He fulfilled the destiny that was set into motion many years prior.

Imagine this situation. Your favorite player in a particular sport has reached the semifinals of a tournament. You are happy because they are only two rounds away from victory. Sports is your escape from real life. Playing it is fun, but you seem to get even more enjoyment from watching it. Naturally you have your favorites and those whom you don’t like. You invest total emotion in sports and you only get hurt when your favorites lose. Even then, after a few days you forget about it.

With this particular player, there is a lot to defend. He is the best in the world. He is on pace to be labeled the greatest of all time. There is only one problem. There is another player he can’t seem to beat. Otherwise, this other player isn’t as good. They don’t have as much to defend. This rival player has also made the semifinals. You’re afraid of his winning and meeting your favorite in the final. You don’t want that to happen. You would rather your favorite lose in the semifinals than have to play against their rival in the final.

Yet in interviews your favorite player says that he is not afraid. He is actually looking forward to such a match up, because that would allow him revenge. Indeed, this is the mentality of the warrior. In his Dohavali, Goswami Tulsidas says that the warrior is supposed to feel a thrill in their body when they step onto the battlefield. If this thrill is missing, they are essentially lifeless.

The same thrill is there in the disciple who pays obeisance to the guru. The bona fide guru is the guide on spiritual matters. The spiritual is more important than the material. We don’t really need a guide for the material. Sure, we can pay lots of money for people to prepare us for the entrance exam for college or medical school, but in the broader perspective we’re just finding different ways to eat, sleep, mate and defend. Worst case we could grab the fruits that fall from trees and take shelter in a cave. We don’t need a guide to figure out how to do this.

The spiritual is more important because it is who we really are. We are spirit at the core, but we can’t see spirit, at least not with the eyes conditioned by a material existence. Therefore the guru provides instruction of the most value. There is only one price to pay: humility. This involves relinquishing our false ego, acknowledging with sincerity that someone else is superior to us.

Just like the warrior on the battlefield, the disciple who humbly submits before the guru’s feet is not afraid to lose. They are not afraid of missing out on material enjoyment because they know that the human being has a higher purpose. They know that the guru can reveal this purpose, and so they feel a thrill when approaching him. They are going after victory in the human life, and that victory will feel much better than the safety of not trying at all and remaining bound to the cycle of birth and death.

The guru gives information about the spiritual in various ways. He instructs that we are not our body, that we are spirit soul at the foundational level. Then he teaches us about the Supreme Spirit. This personality is like us, but different as well. He has a body too, but it is transcendental. His body also takes to actions, but the results are a little different.

Dussehra is one instance where we can see the difference. The Supreme Lord came to this earth in His incarnation of Shri Rama many thousands of years ago. In this beautiful form He accepts the role of defender of the innocent. You can be a defender but never be called into action. This could have been the case with Rama, but as mentioned before a warrior feels a thrill when rushing onto the battlefield. As God, Rama too sometimes enjoys a good fight. Conflict is not possible in the spiritual realm, so from time to time the Lord descends to this earth and brings His closest associates with Him to play the antagonists.

The associates are like God, but they are not Him completely. The evil Ravana is originally one of the doorkeepers in the Vaikuntha realm, the spiritual land free of anxieties. Ravana was a tremendous fighter. No one could defeat him. Thinking he was invincible, he once stole Rama’s wife Sita from the forest of Dandaka. Rama and an army of forest-dwellers, who were monkey-like, marched towards Ravana’s home in Lanka to rescue Sita.

Rama’s army fought valiantly, but in the end it was up to Rama to defeat Ravana. As God, Rama does not lose. His fighting ability is unlike anyone else’s. Though looking like a mere mortal, a beautiful one at that, He can fight effortlessly and defeat those who are thought to be invincible. The day that Rama finally killed Ravana on the battlefield has since been celebrated annually as the holiday known as Dussehra.

Remembering that incident also brings a thrill to the body. Those who are missing this thrill are essentially lifeless, says Tulsidas. This human life is meant for the ultimate victory of merging into the eternal occupation of devotional service, bhakti-yoga. The warrior is not afraid to lose, and so they feel a thrill on the battlefield. The disciple takes all risk in surrendering before the guru, and so they too feel a thrill. The ultimate thrill comes from remembering Rama in full surrender. That is the real purpose to having a life. Dussehra reminds us of this.

In Closing:

To enter final battle to choose,

Shri Rama never afraid to lose.

 

On battlefield feeling a thrill,

Victory’s sounds soon the air to fill.

 

Thrill when remembering should be,

Like when disciple guru’s feet to see.

 

Dussehra of life’s meaning reminding,

Highest bliss in bhakti-yoga finding.

Dussehra 2013

“Then a shower of flowers fell from the sky, covering Rama’s chariot, something difficult to accomplish and fascinating to see.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kand, 108.28)

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nipapātāntarikṣācca puṣpavṛṣṭistadā bhuvi |
kirantī raghavarathaṃ duravāpā manoharā ||

Ravana’s many men couldn’t do it. Though they were expert in black magic and thus capable of appearing on the scene one second and then disappearing the next, in this endeavor they were dismal failures. Ravana’s gigantic brother, who slept for the majority of the year, couldn’t do it, either. He had a tremendous mass, so much so that his accumulated food in the belly allowed him to hibernate for a long time. And then Ravana himself proved a failure. Despite his ten heads, twenty arms, famous fighting prowess, and boons granted from celestials, he was not able to accomplish this one task that was done very easily by the celestials. Though Ravana and his men used many arrows that were hard and swift, it was a shower of flowers that managed to finally cover Rama’s chariot. We celebrate that feat on the occasion of Dussehra.

In Sanskrit the material energy is known as maya. Its literal meaning is “that which is not,” though it is often paired with other words to give a more specific relation to an energy. In discussions pertaining to truth and reality, maya takes the side opposing God. Not exactly a devil, maya is that which is not directly God. Maya still comes from God, so she works at His behest. She acts through illusion, tricking others into thinking they are progressing along the proper path, when they actually aren’t.

Maya is very difficult to overcome. She pervades a land ruled over by the feminine expansion of God known as Durga, whose very name means “a fort that is difficult to cross over.” Without God’s help, maya cannot be overcome. Think of wanting that toy when you were younger. You wanted it very much. You cried and cried in the store so that your parents would buy it for you. Maybe you were a good kid so this didn’t happen to you, but surely the same was seen in another child.

The child can’t get the toy because the parents won’t buy it for them. This is a limiting factor. It is a barrier. The parents’ consent is absent, so the child is stymied in their desire. Another option is to take the toy from the store. Again, there is a barrier, this time in the form of the store managers, who keep an eye out for shoplifters. Even if the child successfully takes one toy that they want, they can’t continue the pattern of behavior forever. They can’t steal everything in life and get away with it.

Maya is so powerful that there is no conquering over her without sanction from a higher authority. That sanction only comes when the nature of the individual’s desire changes. When one no longer hankers after supremacy in the areas of beauty, wealth, strength, fame, wisdom and renunciation, they have a chance of living within maya peacefully. In that surrendered state, if they then desire to glorify the controller of maya, the origin of matter and spirit, the situation completely reverses. Instead of the individual being stymied in their efforts, it is the Supreme Lord Himself who can do nothing to stop the success of the determined individual.

The occasion celebrated on Dussehra is a wonderful example of this. Ravana was the fiendish king of Lanka during a specific time period within the Treta Yuga, the second age of creation. He wanted world supremacy. He was close to having it. He got a wonderful kingdom of Lanka, full of real riches. Not just a bank balance that showed he had a lot of a paper currency stashed away somewhere, Ravana had possession of physical commodities such as gold and jewels. Wealth attracts women, and Ravana had a lot of them as well. He had so many beautiful princesses as wives. He had so much enjoyment on a regular basis, and the world feared him, not daring to take him on in battle.

Maya’s spell is illusion, so when one thinks they have overcome her, they sink even further. In this sense it is more auspicious to be a constant failure with respect to material desires. If you get too much success, you might start to think that you are God and that you can conquer everything, including death. In the Bible there is the proverb about how difficult it is for the rich person to reach the kingdom of God. The obvious meaning is that the wealthy person thinks they have succeeded in life without God’s help, and so they will have no desire to advance to the higher destination in the next life. Lord Krishna gives the more complete definition of the same concept in a verse in the Shrimad Bhagavatam, where He mentions how the wealth of misers causes them misery in the present life and brings them to hell after death.

“Generally, the wealth of misers never allows them any happiness. In this life it causes their self-torment, and when they die it sends them to hell.” (Lord Krishna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 11.23.15)

Despite so much success, Ravana wanted more. He finally crossed the line when he stole a beautiful princess in secret while she was living in the wilderness with her husband and His younger brother. He had to steal her because she refused his advances. He also did the mission incognito because he was warned that the woman’s husband would destroy him in battle.

Though he carried out the act successfully, he would not get away with it. Ravana would eventually meet death at the hands of the beautiful princess’ husband, who was named Rama. From the Vedas we learn that Rama is God, an incarnation of the original Personality of Godhead. He is the controller of maya. Maya belongs to Him, so He is never under her influence. His physically manifest body is never composed of maya, either.

The controller of maya easily defeated the man most controlled by her in a fierce firefight, featuring swiftly-coursing arrows released from majestic bows. Each man fought from a chariot. Ravana’s goal was to cover Rama’s chariot. He did not succeed in this, but interestingly after Ravana’s defeat, the celestials from above were able to without a problem. They didn’t use arrows. Instead, they dropped a shower of flowers, and it completely covered Rama’s chariot.

Flowers are considered part of the material energy. If we want to cover our house with flowers, it might be a little difficult. We may succeed once, but only after great effort. At some point in trying to replicate the success we will meet with failure. When the same desire is applied to glorifying the Supreme Lord, there is never failure. Not even He can stop the success of the devotees, for it is in His nature to help the surrendered souls. He cannot act otherwise. If He did, He wouldn’t be God.

On the occasion of Dussehra we celebrate the defeat of Ravana at the hands of Rama, who was thus able to regain His beautiful wife Sita. We also celebrate the defeat of Rama’s chariot, which was covered by the flowers of devotion dropped by the celestials, who were ecstatic over His victory. That enchanting vision proves that there is only one way to overcome maya, and it is through pure and unmotivated love for the controller of maya.

In Closing:

Despite black magic, here and there to hover,

With arrows Rama’s chariot fiends not to cover,

 

Celestials did amazing feat with flowers,

From the sky came covering shower.

 

Maya’s illusion difficult to overcome,

Through God’s sanction only victory to come.

 

In devotion even Supreme Lord to conquer,

Ready on His devotees any gift to confer.

Dussehra 2012

“The Vanaras, who fought using trees, attacked the demons from all sides. Seeing the ten-necked leader killed, the Vanaras assumed a triumphant attitude.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kand, 108.24)

sarvataścābhipetustān vānarā drumayodhinaḥ |
daśagrīvavadhaṃ dṛṣṭvā vānarā jitakāśinaḥ ||

If your enemy fights with state of the art weaponry that they are skilled in maneuvering, and you are using basic objects found in nature like trees and rocks, how on earth will you win? You’re basically kidding yourself, as you may fight the gallant fight for a while, but eventually the sheer force of the opposition’s weaponry will defeat you. Ah, but when you have the Supreme Lord as your leader, you don’t need any outside help. You don’t even have to be very strong or capable. Just the desire to serve Him is enough, and on the occasion of Dussehra we remember the service of some of the most valiant warriors in history.

Lord Ramachandra is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as a warrior prince. There have been many famous princes in history, but none has been more talked about and celebrated than the eldest son of King Dasharatha of the Ikshvaku dynasty. His glories are sung in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in existence. The ancient Vedic texts like the Ramayana and Shrimad Bhagavatam describe God’s qualities in both His incarnations such as Rama and His personal form, and to this day the glorification continues through the saints who have inherited the spiritual tradition of bhakti-yoga from their spiritual masters, who belong to an instructional lineage that originates with the Supreme Lord Himself.

“The Lord descends on this earth and acts like others in connection with the activities of the world just to create subject matters for hearing about Him; otherwise the Lord has nothing to do in this world, nor has He any obligation to do anything.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.7.15 Purport)

From Shri Rama’s life so many lessons can be taken away, including on topics such as administration, defense, pious principles, deference to one’s preceptors and parents, and brotherly love. But a higher purpose for coming to earth and gracing the population with His vision is to give the saints something to talk about, something to relish. The mind works all the time, even while we are asleep. Think about that for a second. From the time of your birth up until this very moment your mind has never stopped. It will keep going in the future as well, which means that you’ll always have to think about something. It stands to reason then that if the quality of the subject matter of that thought increases, the pleasure from the thinking will increase as well.

God’s qualities are inconceivably wonderful, so He is described as nirguna, or without qualities. The nirguna tag is also sometimes used to describe the Lord’s unmanifest feature, His presence which is not perceptible to the eye. Conversely, the saguna form is the personal incarnation, but nirguna in a different context means that the gunas, or qualities, belonging to the Lord are all spiritual. They are not binding to the cycle of birth and death as they are with ordinary living entities.

A major act of the real-life play directed by Lord Rama took place in Lanka, an island ruled over by a wicked king named Ravana at the time. Rama didn’t just come to earth to go on a killing spree. In fact, His demeanor was the opposite of aggressive. He was very kind and polite and didn’t speak much. He followed the direction of His parents and His spiritual guides, which is humorous in a sense, as God doesn’t need instruction from anyone. Yet just to set a good example He followed the wishes of the father Dasharatha and the gurus Vishvamitra and Vashishtha. Rama also couldn’t help but listen to His wife Sita and His younger brother Lakshmana, who insisted on accompanying Him wherever He went.

When Rama had to live in the forest for fourteen years, they both came along as well, and later on Sita was taken away to Lanka behind Rama’s back. Ravana perpetrated this deed, and for this he was worthy of punishment. A mentality opposite of that of Sita and Lakshmana, Ravana had no desire to serve God or even acknowledge His supremacy. Rather, Ravana would amass wealth using his strength and then enjoy his lofty position. But all his hard-earned gains would come crashing down as soon as he decided to try to enjoy the person who is always off-limits. Sita is Lakshmi Devi, the goddess of fortune, and she serves her husband, Narayana, all the time. Narayana is another name for God, and Rama is the same Narayana.

Ravana wasn’t alone in Lanka. He had fellow ogres there with him. They were expert in black magic, similar to witches. They looked ghoulish, and they fought dirty. Previous to Sita’s abduction, Ravana’s friends had harassed many a sage in the forest. They would attack at night when it was difficult to see, and they would first assume an innocent guise. Just when they got close, they would reveal their true forms and then kill the sages and eat their flesh. These vile creatures were man-eaters who preyed on the most innocent members of society.

Rama one time singlehandedly defeated 14,000 of Ravana’s cohorts that were sent towards Him. When the time came for Sita’s rescue, Rama teamed up with Vanaras, who are like an advanced race of monkeys. Rama had a more conventional army back home, but due to the stipulations of the exile set by His father’s youngest wife Kaikeyi, Rama wouldn’t return to Ayodhya for help. No matter, as the Vanaras were sufficiently capable for the job; they possessed the one attribute necessary for victory: devotion.

In the final battle, the Rakshasas used every trick they had, but the monkeys, who were led by Hanuman, held their own. Finally, there was the battle between Rama and Ravana, and when the Lord released the arrow bestowed by Lord Brahma, Ravana was killed. Seeing this, the Vanaras, who were fighting with trees, swarmed the enemy Rakshasas. Rama’s army assumed the triumphant attitude because their spirits were uplifted by the Lord’s victory. With such high spirits there was nothing the Rakshasas could do.

When you know you are on the side of good and you have the leader of that goodness there to support you, there is no chance of defeat, no matter what the external conditions portend. In the present day and age the enemies live both within and without. Lust, anger and greed attack us on the inside, and the forces intent on denying God’s existence ruin society on the outside. Yet weapons of the same potency as the arrows shot by Rama are available to us in the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. This mantra is the battle hymn of the bhakti army, and chanting it regularly gives the troops the same confidence that the Vanaras had back on that first Dussehra.

In Closing:

Shri Rama, Supreme Lord, has won,

Ravana’s reign of terror now done.

 

Vanaras in victory shout,

Enemy forces they begin to route.

 

Relying on black magic the demons fought,

Mind-bending illusions to battle they brought.

 

Rama’s army used only rocks and trees,

But on opportunity for service they seized.

 

From devotion to Rama assured was their victory,

On Dussehra day with smiles we remember their story.

Dussehra 2011

“That Rama, the delight of the king of the Raghu dynasty, who had just slayed his enemy and was thus steady in His vow, possessing tremendous might, shone brightly while standing on the battlefield encircled by His army and friends, like Lord Indra surrounded by the demigods.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kand, 108.34)

sa tu nihataripuh sthirapratijñaḥ |
svajanabalābhivṛto raṇe rarāja |
raghukulanṛpanandano mahujā |
stridaśagaṇairabhisaṃvṛto yathendraḥ ||

Goswami Tulsidas knows it. Shri Hanuman is firmly aware of it as well, as he remains alive in the manifested realm just so that he can regularly remember it, finding the most wonderful pleasure simply by bringing it to the forefront of his consciousness. Agastya Rishi, the jar-born Vedic seer, whose piety is so strong that the vilest rogues and thieves cannot even approach his hermitage, knows it as well. Sita Devi, the daughter of King Janaka, is the most intimately familiar with it, and the three youngest sons of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya are so in knowledge of it that their very lives revolve around it. Shrila Narada Muni sings about it wherever He goes, and the Vedas have celebrated it in their countless hymns and prayers since time immemorial. On the day that gave Dussehra its real meaning, close friends, allies, and even direct enemies got to witness it personally. As He did that day, the lord of creatures, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, protects His devotees, no matter what size or shape they come in and no matter what their plight may be. Whoever should be harassing them and whatever condition the Lord personally finds Himself in, His promise to protect the saints from danger, to deliver them from the calamities caused by the influence of miscreant characters like Ravana, never breaks. On Dussehra, we remember the time when Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord in His form as a warrior prince, was honored and worshiped for His dedication, when His friends rejoiced in His victory, the one that didn’t seem possible.

Was the victorious outcome ever in jeopardy? Shouldn’t God be capable of handling any situation? How can God’s strengths ever be doubted? Does not the sun rise and set every day? Is not the earth humbled by earthquakes, the moon by eclipses, and the living entities by the threefold miseries of life? Knowing that these occurrences are regular, how can anyone think that another person could be inferior or supremely feared? Forgetfulness is one of the defects borne of the propensity to commit mistakes that is found within every human being. Couple this tendency with the influence of time, material nature’s most powerful agent for change, and it’s not surprising that man would forget about his own fallibility. Moreover, man even forgets that the defects and pains he encounters in his own life apply to everyone else as well. For these reasons, a powerful Rakshasa during the Treta Yuga was feared to be the most powerful ruler in the world, someone who could never be stopped.

Lost in the immediate aftermath of this fiend’s reign of terror was the fact that none of his abilities were acquired through his own effort. Ravana was the product of the union between a Rakshasa mother and a brahmana father. A brahmana by quality and work is a person with saintly qualities, someone who is nonviolent, cool-headed, kind and extremely knowledgeable. The brahmana is considered intelligent because he uses whatever information is fed into the computer that is the mind to further the highest aim of life, that of becoming God conscious. A smart person isn’t necessarily someone with a high IQ or someone who knows a lot of facts. True intelligence is marked by the ability to utilize whatever information is gathered to further a specific desire. As everyone is born ignorant, all knowledge comes through acquisition. In this sense it’s difficult to make comparative assessments of knowledge gathering abilities, for we don’t say that one person is better at eating than another person. Whether it takes us a long time to acquire information or a short time, the fact that we have to accept information from external sources shows that every one of us is flawed.

Intelligence is determined by how the information absorbed is used. Brahmanas possess the most valuable knowledge, because they know that the living beings are Brahman, or pure spirit. Therefore not only is every human being equal in their constitution, but so is every living entity, from the tiny ant all the way up to the denizens of heaven, the celestial figures that are in charge of the various departments of the material creation. The correct Sanskrit term is dehinam, or embodied, to describe the condition of the sparks of Brahman that roam the material land in different body types.

“That knowledge by which one undivided spiritual nature is seen in all existences, undivided in the divided, is knowledge in the mode of goodness.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.20)

A brahmana surveys everything with an equal vision acquired through austerity, penance and sacrifice. These activities are taken up with a purpose; to remain tied to the Supreme Lord, the origin of Brahman. A Rakshasa, on the other hand, is not very intelligent. They delight in eating animal flesh, including human carcasses, and drinking wine incessantly. Both the spiritualist and the drug addict are looking to escape the influence of the senses that is concomitant with an embodied existence, but the addict finds an illusory escape, one which only sharpens the fangs of the dangerous material senses. The spiritualist, on the other hand, follows authorized methods passed down in the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, to remove the teeth from the serpent-like senses. Thus both persons can appear to be exactly the same on the outside, with one feeling perpetual misery from being constantly bitten, while the other lives peacefully in full knowledge of their constitutional position and the spirit soul’s superiority over the material energy.

How did a Rakshasa and a brahmana produce a son then? The sage Vishrava was engaged in meditation when he was interrupted by a Rakshasa woman who wanted to bear a child with him. She was sent to Vishrava by her father for this very purpose, as the Rakshasa clan had just been routed out of the beautiful island of Lanka. Vishrava was angered over having his meditation broken, so he cursed the woman to get her wish. She would get a son through him, but that child would be the vilest creature around. When the time of birth came, this son emerged with a ghastly visage having ten heads. He was thus known by names such as Dashanana and Dashagriva.

His influential powers came later on when he propitiated the first created living entity, Lord Brahma. Dashagriva’s mother saw that Kuvera, her husband’s son begotten through a different woman, was living very opulently due to benedictions he received from the demigods. Therefore she wanted her sons to have the same abilities. She instructed her sons Dashanana, Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana to perform austerities to please Lord Brahma. Kumbhakarna had a slip of the tongue and mistakenly asked for the benediction to be able to sleep for months at a time, while Vibhishana asked to be devoted to piety. Dashanana received amazing strength, invincibility in battle against seemingly every type of creature. He made the mistake of not asking for immunity from human beings. This would cost him later on.

Using his powers for evil, Dashanana went on a reign of terror. After pleasing Lord Shiva, the Rakshasa received the name Ravana, which means one who has a terrorizing roar. Things got so bad because of Ravana’s work that the saintly class started worrying that maybe the world had been turned over to evil for good. The rishis residing in the forests not bothering anyone would have their sacrifices interrupted by Ravana and his Rakshasas congregated in Lanka. They would do more than just disrupt the religious practices of the saints. They would kill the saints and then eat their flesh. In this way Ravana proved to be the vilest of creatures, the worst of the worst. The demigods finally petitioned Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Lord in His personal form, to come to earth and deal with the situation. He would descend as a human being so that Ravana would be killed while the boons granted to him by Brahma would stay protected.

God would appear on earth as Lord Rama, the noble, handsome, pious, kind, and dedicated eldest son of the King of Ayodhya, Maharaja Dasharatha. True to his nature, Ravana would find a way to bother even Rama, though the Lord never bothered anyone. Lakshmana, Rama’s younger brother, once remarked that even the people punished by Rama could not find fault in Him. This was because they knew that Rama did not play favorites when administering justice, that He never unjustly punished any person. This fact made Ravana’s act of taking away Rama’s wife Sita all the more vile.

Rama couldn’t be defeated by Ravana’s 14,000 attacking Rakshasa warriors sent to the forest of Dandaka, and neither would the Lord remain on the sidelines when His wife went missing. Ravana took Sita away through a backhanded plot, which ironically sealed his doom at the same time. Sita’s kidnap gave Rama the excuse needed to take on Ravana and thus satisfy the desire of the saintly class. Even with Rama’s amazing mastery of archery, His ability to shoot arrows that were like nuclear weapons in strength, there was still some doubt as to the final outcome; such is the nature of embodied living. We know that life will go on after a particular sporting event takes place, but we still get nervous during the critical moments when watching. The air of uncertainty is always there in a land where birth and death take place in repeating cycles.

The uncertainty in the minds of the nervous onlookers was strengthened by the fact that during the final battle between Rama and Ravana, the demon king seemed to be unbeatable. Rama kept lopping off his many arms and heads, and yet Ravana just kept growing new ones. Such amazing creatures aren’t seen today, so the historical accounts found in the Ramayana may seem like mythology, but as the saints so nicely point out, the wonderful displays of strength and ability from beings in this world are nothing compared to what God can do. Even the Supreme Lord’s personal exhibition of strength represents but a tiny fragment of what He is truly capable of. Therefore it was not that surprising to see Ravana continually regenerate new heads and arms.

Rama’s army consisted of monkeys fighting with rocks and uprooted trees, while Ravana’s army was full of Rakshasas expert in black magic. It didn’t seem like a fair fight, but Rama’s side was winning nonetheless. In the final battle, when it seemed like there was no way that Ravana would be killed, that even Rama couldn’t defeat him, the Lord took out His most powerful arrow, one passed down from Lord Brahma, a weapon that previously belonged to Agastya Rishi. Chanting the proper mantras as He drew the arrow to His bow, Rama released the powerful weapon, which marked the culmination of the intense struggle with Ravana, an arrow that allayed the fears of the fighting monkeys, the saintly class of men and the celestials watching from above. Penetrating Ravana’s body, that arrow ended the demon’s life and any chances the Rakshasas had of victory.

After Ravana was slain, Rama’s friends and well-wishers fighting for His side congregated around Him and praised His achievement. The scene was reminiscent of Lord Indra, the king of heaven, being surrounded by the celestial fighters after a victory over the asuras, or demons. Up until this point in time Rama had endured so much for others. He went to the forest for fourteen years to maintain the good name of His father, who had promised two boons to his youngest wife Kaikeyi. Rama took Sita and Lakshmana with Him because they insisted on coming along. The Lord fought 14,000 Rakshasas all by Himself to protect the saints in the forests. The Lord killed the monkey-king Vali so that His friend Sugriva would no longer live in fear. He accepted an estranged Vibhishana into His camp and installed him on the throne of Lanka even before Ravana’s death. He worshiped the sun-god at the behest of Agastya just prior to the final battle with Ravana, and He even took out His most potent arrow only after His charioteer suggested it.

Dussehra is Rama’s day. On that battlefield many thousands of years ago the Lord did away with the most nefarious creature ever to have roamed the sacred earth, and He proved once again that the songs of the Vedas and the words of the saints are not empty, that God does protect those who surrender unto Him in earnest. On Dussehra we remember, honor and cherish Shri Rama in His beautiful form, smiling and holding His bow and arrow. Rama never asks anything from anyone, but if someone is devoted to Him, He promises to stand by them. Because He removes the fears of the devotees, He is known as Hari. Because His name is as powerful as the arrows that fly from His bow, the devotees craving His association regularly chant the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.

In Closing:

See Rama’s face that is always smiling,

In His hands bow and arrow He is holding.

The saints and the innocent He is protecting,

Their honor and fame always worth defending.

Ravana, he of scream that is terrorizing,

Sacrifices of saints he given to destroying.

Received boons from Brahma, lord of creating,

So that none in battle him would be defeating.

Immunity from all creatures he got from asking,

Would pay the price for human beings forgetting.

In the form of Shri Rama, of beauty logic defying,

Would come Ravana’s doom, end of life approaching.

Through a fierce fight, after many arrows went flying,

Rama released Brahma’s weapon, Ravana’s chest penetrating.

Dussehra is day for Rama’s glories to be celebrating,

Remember the Lord and His entourage through His names chanting.