Dussehara(Vijaya Dasami).

JAI SRI RAM!

The festival Dussehra is celebrated at the end of the Navaratri's every year. On this day, two auspicious things had happened. In Tretayuga, lord Ramachandra killed demon Ravana. And on the same day, goddess Durga killed demon Mahishasura. 

Facts about demon Ravana:

1. Ravana was a great devotee of shiva. He was a Brahmin. He is also called as Lankeshwar king of Lanka. 
2. He is the first person to have his own charted flight.
3. He went to Himayalas and performed long penance for lord Shiva. Shiva offered boons to his devotee Ravana. 
4. He was the best scholar in Sanskrit. 
5. Ravana was the author of the sanskrit shloka "Shiva Tandav Stotram". While singing "Shiva Tandav Stotram", We all could feel as if the Lord Shiva is dancing Infront of us. He had written such a Stotra which is powerful. It is believed that if we chant "Shiva Tandav Stotram", Lord Shiva himself will appear Infront of us and solve all our problems. 

He performed everything well. But the demonic quality had lead to his destruction. The 10 heads of Ravana signifies his 10 different demonic qualities. 

These are Kaam (lust), Krodh (wrath), Lobh (greed), Moh (obsession), Maatsarya (Envy), Mada (vanity), Jaddata (insensitive), and more.

Let’s have a look at the significance of Ravana’s 10 heads:

1. Kaam (Lust): Ravana’s lust for a married woman (Sita) led to his end.

2. Mada (Pride): This means loving one’s perfect self. Ravana was knowledgeable but he was too proud about his intellectual and military prowess.

3. Ahemkara (Ego): Ravana was full of ego and failed to see what he was doing was wrong.

4. Moha: (Attachment to possessions): Ravana was too much attached to his possessions and chose to cross all boundaries to keep them.

5. Lobha (Greed): He went wrong as he was overpowered by his greed and decided to abduct Sita.

6. Krodh (Anger): Ravana used to get angry at not getting what he desired and that is what destroyed him.

7. Maatsarya (Envy): The demon king used to envy others for the things they had and wanted to possess those things by all means.

8. Jaddata (Insensitive): Ravana never cared about other people’s feelings and always gave priority to satisfying his own ego.

9. Ghrina (Hatred): He hated other people. It was his hate that destroyed Ravana eventually.

10. Bhaya (Fear): His fear of losing his possessions was the cause of his sinful deeds.

There are many things that we need to learn from Ramayana epic. Ravana even he is a brahmin who performs penance for getting boons from lord Shiva, his demonic qualities had lead to death. 

Lord Rama had a great respect towards Ravana. Rama had given a chance to Ravana one night before the death of Ravana, since it is not dharma for Rama to fight in the war with Ravana at night and Ravana had no weapon with him. Rama had given a chance to him to leave the battlefield and continue next day. But Ravana demonic quality did not accept to drop for Rama. Ravana decided to fight against Rama next day. If Ravana had accepted his mistake and asked Rama to forgive him, Rama would have accepted him.

 Lord Rama performed all Dahana samskaras and post death formalities as he was a Brahmin. This kind of character we need to learn from Lord Ramachandra i.e, show mercy towards the enemy, and stand by what is right and Dharma.