Introduction
Dashain extracted from the
sanskrit word 'Vijaya Dashami' which directly means the tenth day of the moon's
calendar and the day is the mark of victory. The victory of good against bad,
victory of knowledge to the disknowledge. The victory of lord Rama and the
victory of Durga, Durga (दुर्ग) the sanskrit word
defines something which cannot be passed. Something that cannot be comprehended
with simplicity. On this day, the Lord permits us by his blessings to enter the
road leading to him. These few days of the ashwin shuklapaksha are more
peaceful, more rewarding for those who are spiritual. History And Religious
Contex
There are loads of
evidence to prove why Dashain is celebrated. What can be the myths for this
festival? Among the various reasons, here, some are to be discussed.
Durga Devi's Victory
Dashain celebrates the
victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. According to Markandeya
Purana, Mahishasura wreaked havoc in heaven and on earth, and it was Goddess
Durga who fought against him in her fierce form. It is the tenth day when Durga
finally demolishes evil and sets the world free from illness. The day marked
the victory; therefore, it is called Vijaya Vashami.
The Fifteen Days of
Dashain
Dashain is celebrated over
a period of 15 days, with each day holding its own significance. The festival
begins with Ghatasthapana and ends on the day of Kojagrat Purnima. Below is a
detailed description of the key days and rituals of the festival:
Day 1 Ghatasthapana
Ghata (घट or घडा ) means establishment of the sand filled urn.
Ghatasthapana is the commencement of Dashain, placing jamara or barley seeds in a pot filled with sand into the sacred room of the house. Entry to that room is restricted to only the family members and the priests. The planting of jamara indicates prosperity, and it grows over the course of the festival. The room where the jamara is kept is also called the Dashain Ghar, and a continuous oil-fed lamp (diya) is lit to symbolize the presence of Goddess Durga. Later, the holy jamara is used during the tika ceremony. In the incarnation, as mentioned in the Markandeya Purana, Durga took as Shailaputri (Parvati) with two hands and has a crescent moon on her forehead. She holds a trident in her right hand and a lotus flower in the left. She rides on the mount Nandi, the bull.
Day 2
Dwitiya
Day 3 Tritiya
Chandraghanta is the third navadurga avatar of goddess Mahadevi, worshipped on the third day of Navaratri which literally means 'the nine divine nights of Navadurga'.Her name Chandra-Ghanta, means "one who has a half-moon shaped like a bell".
She always opens her third eye, showing that she is always ready for battle against evil. She is also called Chandrakhanda, Vrikahvahini or Chandrika. It is believed that she rewards people with her grace, bravery and courage. All the sins, distresses, physical sufferings, mental tribulations and ghostly hurdles of the devotees are eradicated by her grace.
Day 4
chaturthi
Kushmanda is worshipped on
the fourth day of the festival of Navaratri-nine nights of Navadurga and is
believed to improve health and bestow wealth and strength. Goddess Kushmanda
has eight hands and is thus also known as Ashtabhuja Devi. It is believed that
all the power to bestow Siddhis and Niddhis are located in her Jap Mala.
Day 5 Panchami
Skandamata - Sanskrit: स्कन्दमाता -is the fifth manifestation of Mahadevi in the Navadurga
nine forms of Durga. Her name comes from the word Skanda, an alternate name for
the war god Kartikeya and Mātā that means "mother". As one of the
Navadurga, the worship of Skandamātā is on the fifth day of Navaratri.
Day 6 Sasthi - khasthi
Katyayani (कात्यायनी) is an aspect of Mahadevi and the slayer of the tyrannical
demon Mahishasura. She is the sixth among the Navadurgas, the nine forms of
Hindu goddess Durga who are worshipped during the festival of Navaratri. She is
depicted with four, ten or eighteen hands. This is the second name given to the
goddess Adi Parashakti in Amarakosha, the Sanskrit lexicon, Goddess Parvati
names, Uma, Katyayani, Gauri, Kali, Haimavati, Ishwari.
7th Day Saptami
Kalaratri is traditionally
worshipped during the nine nights of Navaratri celebrations. The seventh day of
Navaratri Puja, especially is devoted to her, and she is considered the most
fearsome form of the goddess, where its very appearance sends shivers down by
dint of an effigy. This form of the goddess is believed to destroy all entities
of the demons, ghosts, evil spirits, and negative energies, which, in turn run
away by knowing that she has arrived.
Day 8 Maha Astami
Mahagauri is the eighth
form among the Navadurga aspects of the Hindu mother goddess Mahadevi.
She is worshipped on the
eighth day of Navaratri.
Mahagauri is believed to be able to fulfill all the desires of her devotees. Mahagauri is an icon of purity usually depicted in white while riding a white bull. She is depicted with four hands: one holds a trident and another a damaru, and the other two of which are in a fear dispelling and a blessing gesture. She wears White sari with golden border.
Day 9 Maha Nawami
Siddhidhatri is the ninth and final among the Navadurga-nine forms-aspects of the Hindu mother goddess Mahadevi. The meaning of her name goes as: Siddhi- means supernatural power or meditative ability, and Dhatri- giver or awarder.She is worshipped on the ninth day of Navaratri; she fulfils all the divine aspirations.It is believed that one side of Lord Shiva's body is that of Goddess Siddhidatri. Therefore he is also known by the name of Ardhanarishwara. It is believed that according to the Vedas, Lord Shiva achieved all the siddhis by worshiping this Goddess.
Day 10 Vijaya Dashami
Vijaya Dashami is the most important day of the festival and is celebrated with great fervor and joy. On this day, elders apply tika (a mixture of rice, yogurt, and vermilion) and jamara to the foreheads of younger family members while offering blessings for health, happiness, and prosperity.Tika is a sign of victory, purity, and protection, while jamara signifies the blessings of the goddess. The family members visit their relatives to receive tika from them as a way of showing respect and seeking blessings. Family bonds are strengthened, and respect for the elders is even more accentuated in the family.
People travel to be with family and friends throughout the next five days, continuing this tradition. People visit their elders and put tika and jamara from their hands, starting from Vijay Dashami till Kojagrat Purnima.
Day 15 Kojagrat Purnima The full moon day ushers in the final day of the festival.According to belief, on this night, the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, descends to the earth to bless those who remain awake and vigilant.Families light oil lamps and pray for a prosperous and lucky coming year.Name of "Kojagrat" has derived from the phrase "Ko Jaga Re?" means "Who is awake?".In Lakshmi belief who ever stay awakened whole night bless by Goddess Lakshmi. In Hindu mythology, Dashain is closely linked to the triumph of Lord Rama, an avatar of the god Vishnu, over the demon king Ravana in the great epic of Ramayana. It portrays a theme that is very strong in the celebration of Dashain, primarily on the day of Vijaya Dashami.
Dashain from another perspective
Story of Lord Rama and
Ravana
The Ramayana is the second
of the great epics of Hindu literature and relates the life and journey of Lord
Rama, who was the prince of Ayodhya. His story, for the context of Dashain, has
mainly to do with his battle against Ravana, the powerful and evil king of
Lanka.
Although Ravana was a
great devotee of Lord Shiva and also an erudite scholar, with the immeasurable
power he had grown arrogant to lord over all three worlds: heaven, earth, and
the underworld. Then again, he kidnapped Sita, wife of Lord Rama, and confined
her in Lanka. Ravana's act of abducting Sita was driven by his ego and lust,
symbolizing the dark and evil forces within individuals.
Lord Rama was accompanied
by his most obedient brother, Lakshmana, along with an army of monkeys led by
the guidance of Hanuman, as he began the rescue for Sita. After a very long and
tortuous journey, the army of Rama met the forces of Ravana at Lanka for an
epic battle between good and evil.
Victory of Lord Rama
The epic battle between
Rama and Ravana continued for several days. Lord Rama ultimately defeated
Ravana, who had a huge army and mastery over magical powers, because Lord Rama
had the blessings of Goddess Durga and His own divine strength. The day on
which Rama defeated Ravana and restored dharma is celebrated as Vijaya Dashami.
In the Ramayana, the
victory of Lord Rama is not only a physical triumph but a spiritual and moral
one, too. The fall of Ravana signifies the destruction of ego, lust, and all
those negative propensities that rule over human beings. On the contrary, Rama
signifies truth, righteousness, and virtue. His triumph symbolizes the eternal
victory of dharma over adharma.
Vijaya Dashami: A Symbolic
Expression of Victory The word 'Vijaya' means victory, and 'Dashami' refers to
the tenth day. Thus, Vijaya Dashami is a celebration of the victory of
righteousness on the tenth day. While the festival is primarily associated with
the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura, in many parts of Nepal
and India, it is related to Lord Rama's victory over Ravana.
Mainly in Dashami, it is
customary to perform the acting of Ramayana, in which there used to be a battle
between Rama and Ravana. Such acting called Ram Lila is often seen in India,
though visible in Nepal also. Ravana effigies are built and then ritually burnt
to symbolize the destruction of evil and the victory of good. Burning effigies
of Ravana signifies in a visually dramatic way the underlying moral lesson
within the story of Ramayana.
Goddess Durga's Part in
the Victory of Rama
While in Ramayana, Lord
Rama is in the center of it all, the question of victory against Ravana could
only be possible because of the blessings accorded by Goddess Durga. According
to some sets of versions of the Ramayana, before the war began, Rama prayed to
Goddess Durga and performed a ritual to invoke her blessings. Pleased with his
devotion, Durga blessed him with the strength and will to defeat Ravana.
In this way, Dashain
weaves together the stories of Durga and Rama. While the first nine days of
Dashain (Navaratri) are given to the worship of Durga, the tenth day, Vijaya
Dashami, celebrates the victory of both Durga's triumph over Mahishasura and
Rama's victory over Ravana. Both stories echo the deeper meaning of the
festival—the triumph of good over bad.
The Larger Significance of
Rama's Victory
The victory of Lord Rama
over Ravana in the story has lots to teach, some of which remain very valid
even today:
1. Dharma: Significance of
Lord Rama is considered an incarnation of dharma. Whatever he does, even when
faced with very adversity, always conformed to the highest level of morality
and ethical values. Whereas Ravana, with all his wisdom, knowledge, and ardent
devotee of Shiva, was drowned in avarice, lust, and ego. The contradictory
nature of these two characters underlines the fact that dharma has to be
pursued at the level of thought and action.
2. Ego and Pride are
Costly to Bear: Ravana's inflated sense of self-importance brought about his
fall. Even when warned by his advisors, his ego did not allow him to release
Sita, and thereby he faced destruction. The story reminds us that Pride and Arrogance,
if harbored without check, may prove costly.
3. The Power of Devotion:
Another important aspect of the story is the devotion of Rama to the divine,
especially Goddess Durga. It was faith in and dependence upon his spiritual
strength that helped him to surmount impossible tasks put even by the mightiest
of all. This lesson impresses upon people the importance of humility and faith
in overcoming adversities in life.
4. Unity and Cooperation:
A very important factor that helps Rama gain victory over Ravana is the fact
that he is not alone. He is accompanied by Hanuman, Lakshmana, and an army of
monkeys to aid him in this holy war. This tenet of the story underlines the
role of teamwork, unity, and joint efforts toward the attainment of a righteous
cause.
5. Justice and
Retribution: The Ramayana thus preaches that justice, though delayed, would
ultimately be delivered. The actions of Ravana, especially in the matter of
abducting Sita, were unjust and immoral; and despite his trying all means of
evading punishment, he could not escape the fruits of his actions. The story
reassures believers that good would ultimately triumph over overwhelming evil.
Dashain is celebrated as a
cultural victory of Rama.
In Dashain, the victory of
Lord Rama over Ravana is thought of as one of hope, renewal, and the ultimate
triumph of righteousness. People call upon the ideas he represents-truth,
bravery, devotion, and honor-and make a conscious effort to live those ideas in
their everyday lives. Dashain turns into a time for inner reflection about
actions and behavior performed by each person and to seek blessings for the
coming year.
It also tells many that
the festival is a reminder for people of the need to overcome personal
challenges, much like Rama had to face trials and hardships before finally
attaining victory. It is a time to celebrate strength of character, the
perseverance in doing what is right, and the power of divine guidance.
The worship of Goddess
Durga merges with the memories of Lord Rama's victory in the successive fifteen
days of Dashain and shapes a festival that honors not only the gods but also
promotes moral and ethical living. The blessings sought from elders during the
tika ceremony on Vijaya Dashami confirm values of goodness, truth, and
righteousness-a representative of both Goddess Durga and Lord Rama.
Conclusion
Dashain is called the
victory of good over bad, and it is beautifully blended in the stories of
Goddess Durga and Lord Rama, both of whom symbolize the ultimate victory of
righteousness over wickedness.
In the story of Goddess
Durga, she fights with a demon named Mahishasura and defeats him in a fierce
battle, which symbolizes the destruction of all the negative forces in nature
that upset harmony.
Her strength and divine
interference serve to prove that goodness always wins over evil, even when it's
an overwhelming minority of good; that, really, is the essence of the first
nine days of Dashain, or Navaratri.
Similarly, victory in the
great Ramayana by Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana stands for the very same
lesson. Despite knowledge and strength, Ravana is vanquished by Rama, who
symbolizes truth, virtue, and the ideal human being. The battle of Rama, supported
by the blessings of Goddess Durga, depicts how divine grace and personal
righteousness result in the destruction of evil. It is on this day, therefore,
that Dashain reaches its ultimate climax, symbolic of the ultimate triumph of
the two victories. Through the defeat of Mahishasura by Durga, or through
Rama's victory over Ravana, the festival articulates the timeless message that
good always triumphs over evil, carrying with it hope, renewal, and
re-establishment of moral values in society.
·
HR Koirala
Source: DeviBhagawat,
Markandeya purana, Durgasaptasati, Ramayana (Geetapresh Gorakhpur,) Wikipedia
