Dussehara

Today on Dussehara day, I realize the importance of this day in all our lives. We celebrate Dussehara, as Vijay dasami, the return of  victorious Lord Ram & Sita back to Ayodhya. The victory of Lord Ram over the Demon lord Ravan, is well documented. But what we fail to realize is that the 10 headed demon is with in all of us. Thus Dus-hara, the 10 demons we need to defeat, to become Ram.

The 10 Demons are related to the life and actions of Ravan.

1.    Wanting what is not intrinsically his own, i.e. Sita. Sita was the wife of Ram. Greed of that which you cannot have. Most of us have to recognize this demon, when we want something which is not ours but we let this demon rule, and drive us to get/acquire that which is not intrinsically our own. This could be a post, a skill, a job, a car, a house anything which we try to acquire, when we see it with the other, and get jealous and try to get the same for ourselves.

2.     Keeping her in his kingdom against her will. Taking her choices of where and whom she wants to live with. Trying to dominate her choices, this is what many fail to see when they try to take control of others lives, especially in a responsible position in a corporate office. We see this demon showing its face very often.

3.     Forcing his will on her. Ravan wanted Sita to submit her-self to him. Freewill is given to every human being, and any who forces another’s will is using this demon. And will also have to face the consequence of it in later life, when his will, will be taken away from him, either in form of a jail sentence, or a disease which makes him depend on others.

4.    When a peace messenger in the form of Hanuman was sent then, then trying to kill the messenger. That’s where the saying comes from, ‘don’t kill the messenger’. This is the demon which we see when we encounter a Ravan- harsh negotiator. When we do not allow for even the messenger to bring in an alternative solution.

5.   Ravan tried to prove that he was right by in his act of kidnapping Sita and keeping her against her will. When you are in the wrong, then trying to prove the wrong as right is not going to make things right. This demon we are all familiar with when we know we are in the wrong but try to prove ourselves right.

6.    Challenging Ram on unequal terms. Ravan was on home ground and had a vast army and Ram was a exiled king. The demon of inequality is what we have seen in all the wars on earth. That’s why challenges should be on equal ground. Level playing field.

7.    When his brother ‘Vibhishan’ tried to mediate, Ravan exiled his own brother. This is an act of not listening to one’s own sane advice, here the demon is within, each of us knows what is the sane voice saying to us, and we all sometimes don’t listen and have to deal with the consequences later, and regret it.

8.     Waging a war where the people suffer, when Ram offered a peaceful solution by saying that he would just leave if Sita was released. The demon of not opting for a win for the other, and thus not opting one for self too, for a win-win solution. Only wanting that I should win and the other lose.

9.     Ravan used all his skill as a magician, as he created illusions to deceive Ram during the war. His own skills as a Shiv bhakt, and the shakti he obtained by means of prayer, and then to use for personal gains, which were not in the nature of things, Sita was not his, nor did she choose him. Using the most powerful forces of nature against Ram. Who is also a part of nature. When one uses nature for the good, it has a multiplying effect. Same when one uses nature for the bad of all, it too has a multiplying effect of which we have innumerable example. When the intent behind anything we do is right for the others, we always reap dividends.

10. Last but not the least, making his Ego so big that he could not see anything beyond it. He allowed the Ego demon to dominate him. He became blind to any advice and any counsel. He had no one to turn to because his Ego personality had completely taken over. We see this happening in offices very often.