Dussehra Celebrates Victory Over Evil
The festival of Dussehra or Vijayadashami celebrates the victory of good over evil, symbolised in Indian nologyby the slaying of the demon king na by Rama, and by the killing of the sterMahishasura by Goddess Durga. very year, effigies of Ravana are burnt users, which falls on the 10th day of nonth of Ashwin in the Hindu lunar dare. Ravana is the personification of -a learned scholar who gave in to anger, greed and ego. Rama is the unification of virtue, the Marayada ash. Vijayadashami marks the victory rtue over vice. Ve celebrate Dussehra every year, but we really becoming free of vices, or he celebrations just another empty al ritual? When we look at the world, nd that farfrom overcoming vices, le are becoming slaves to them. easing corruption, immorality and realism indicate a growing void is being sought to be filled with possessions and physical pleasures. The increasing influence of vice in our lives is unwittingly reflected in the size of the Ravana effigies built for Dussehra, which grow taller each year. Simplyburning wood and strawW effigies is not going to bring us victory over evil. That can be achieved only by spiritual effort. The story of the Ramayana is a parable of how God, personified by Rama, and humans represented by monkeys, together can rid the world of negative tendencies. The battle described in the Ramayana is an allegory for the struggle that goes on in the mind between our higher Self and our weaknesses. God helps us in this struggle by giving us the strength to resist evil and the wisdom to avoid deceptions created by ignorance of our true identity Whence forget that we are spiritual beings, or souls, we begin to define ourselves in terms of our body and the labels that come with it-of race, religion, nationality and gender, for example. We also measure our worth, and that of others, in terms of personal and professional roles, responsibilities, possessions, appearance and social and financial status. Such identification with the physical not only begets attachment but also brings sorrow when our gross identity suffers due to ageing, declining social, financial or professional positions. It also makes us vulne rable to vice, the cause of suffering. Weneed to remove veils of ignorance from the intellect, by becoming aware of our truе identity as souls innately possessing divine qualities of peace, love and cooperation. This awareness needs to be awakened to dissipate and sublimate aсquired demonic traits, through the subtlefire of Raja Yoga meditation. With the collective practice of spiritual knowledge and meditation, not only our negative proclivities but even the polluted elements of nature can be purifiedRaja Yoga conneets us to Divinity a empowers the soul to resist negative influences, sorrows and sufferings. It isthe ultimate stage of a yogi as describein the Gita-one who remains unmoveсby victory or defeat, fameor notoriety,loss or gain. Such self-mastery is not only the prerogative of saints and sage but can be easily attained by any householder with a little awareness and efforTo make our celebration of Vijayadashami meaningful, we must resolve othis occasion to take at least one step towards conquering ourweaknesses, so that each year we move closer to attainivictory over them. This is the only way we can sublimate the negative propensities of Ravana living in gourmands(BK Brijmohan is chief spokesperscof Brahma Kumaris Organisation.)
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are BK Brijmohan kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy : BK Brijmohan Speaking Tree,Times of India
Dussehra Celebrates Victory Over Evil
The festival of Dussehra or Vijayadashami celebrates the victory of good over evil, symbolised in Indian nologyby the slaying of the demon king na by Rama, and by the killing of the sterMahishasura by Goddess Durga. very year, effigies of Ravana are burnt users, which falls on the 10th day of nonth of Ashwin in the Hindu lunar dare. Ravana is the personification of -a learned scholar who gave in to anger, greed and ego. Rama is the unification of virtue, the Marayada ash. Vijayadashami marks the victory rtue over vice. Ve celebrate Dussehra every year, but we really becoming free of vices, or he celebrations just another empty al ritual? When we look at the world, nd that farfrom overcoming vices, le are becoming slaves to them. easing corruption, immorality and realism indicate a growing void is being sought to be filled with possessions and physical pleasures. The increasing influence of vice in our lives is unwittingly reflected in the size of the Ravana effigies built for Dussehra, which grow taller each year. Simplyburning wood and strawW effigies is not going to bring us victory over evil. That can be achieved only by spiritual effort. The story of the Ramayana is a parable of how God, personified by Rama, and humans represented by monkeys, together can rid the world of negative tendencies. The battle described in the Ramayana is an allegory for the struggle that goes on in the mind between our higher Self and our weaknesses. God helps us in this struggle by giving us the strength to resist evil and the wisdom to avoid deceptions created by ignorance of our true identity Whence forget that we are spiritual beings, or souls, we begin to define ourselves in terms of our body and the labels that come with it-of race, religion, nationality and gender, for example. We also measure our worth, and that of others, in terms of personal and professional roles, responsibilities, possessions, appearance and social and financial status. Such identification with the physical not only begets attachment but also brings sorrow when our gross identity suffers due to ageing, declining social, financial or professional positions. It also makes us vulne rable to vice, the cause of suffering. Weneed to remove veils of ignorance from the intellect, by becoming aware of our truе identity as souls innately possessing divine qualities of peace, love and cooperation. This awareness needs to be awakened to dissipate and sublimate aсquired demonic traits, through the subtlefire of Raja Yoga meditation. With the collective practice of spiritual knowledge and meditation, not only our negative proclivities but even the polluted elements of nature can be purifiedRaja Yoga conneets us to Divinity a empowers the soul to resist negative influences, sorrows and sufferings. It isthe ultimate stage of a yogi as describein the Gita-one who remains unmoveсby victory or defeat, fameor notoriety,loss or gain. Such self-mastery is not only the prerogative of saints and sage but can be easily attained by any householder with a little awareness and efforTo make our celebration of Vijayadashami meaningful, we must resolve othis occasion to take at least one step towards conquering ourweaknesses, so that each year we move closer to attainivictory over them. This is the only way we can sublimate the negative propensities of Ravana living in gourmands(BK Brijmohan is chief spokesperscof Brahma Kumaris Organisation.)
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are BK Brijmohan kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy : BK Brijmohan Speaking Tree,Times of India