Dessehra- the festival

Shakti in three manifestations - DUSSEHRA

Dussehra is the festival of devout devotees who indulge in purity observed during ‘nine days’ of penance practicing abstinence and renunciation from the materialistic pleasures of life.

Wealth, wisdom and valour are the driving forces of humanity where wealth provides you with status, wisdom the prominence and valour the power. The legend refers to the domain of these powers if resting with one ‘supreme power’, that is the goddess of ‘shakti’ in her three manifestations - Lakshmi, Saraswati and Durga, each representing the respective sphere of action.

‘Navarathri’ is synonym with nine days of darkness but in reality the conceptual relevance is the ‘nine days of purity’ The ‘nine days of darkness ‘symbolizing nine evils of humanity pointing out to :
Lust, Anger, and greed
Ego, jealousy and Sarcasm
Ignorance, Irreverance and Irresponsibility
Which engulf man, influence him, incite him and make him indulge into committing crimes and sins. The festivities on these days presumed to be relieving the performers of the bad effects of these evils on them and purifying them for a fresh start with virtuous deliberations.

‘Dussehra’ is ritual to thousands, realizations to more thousands, repenting on past sins to many more thousands and fulfillment to lakhs – the fulfillment of being divested of the stains of the past perversions. Clarity and purity are the ruling forces of humanity which gives it the vision and mission for a sinless life.

‘Dussehra’ is penance for many. It encourages them to observe abstinence and renunciation from the pleasures of the ‘five prime organs’ (‘panchendriya’) of the body. The performers are drawn to spirituality away from the materialistic burdens and clear the path to help attain peace and solace to the mind. It impounds into them the message:
for the eyes to the right
for the ears to hear the right
for the mouth to say the right
for the hands to do the right and
for the legs to conquer the right
and ultimately the head to judge sensibly.

Let ‘Dussehra’ bring us peace and prosperity to life with enlightment and knowledge.



M.S.KUMARAN