Vijayadaśamī विजयादशमी
Artwork: Goddess Durgā Slaying Mahiṣāsura, ca 1870. Bengal, India.
The Inner Victory
With the culmination of Navarātri, nine nights dedicated to honoring the divine feminine, today marks the sacred festival more commonly known as Daśaharā दशहरा, which represents the victory of good over evil. Oberserved on daśamī (the tenth day) of Shukla Paksha (waxing moon) in the month of Aśvin (September/October), vijaya (विजय) in Sanskrit means victory and daśamī (दशमी), the tenth day.
Multifaceted Significance
In various regions of India, this festival commemorates the triumph of Goddess Durgā over Mahiṣāsura, the buffalo demon, symbolizing the restoration and protection of dhárma (cosmic order and righteousness). Concurrently, in other parts of the country, Vijayadaśamī marks the culmination of Rāmalīlā, celebrating Rāma's victory over Rāvaṇa as chronicled in the ancient epic, the Rāmāyaṇa. Additionally, the day resonates with the Mahābhārata tradition, marking when Arjuna retrieved his divine weapons from the Śamī tree, presaging the Pāṇḍavas' eventual triumph. These intertwining narratives collectively emphasize the festival's core essence: the victory of light over darkness and the restoration of cosmic order.
The Inner Battle: Transcending the Guṇas
In the Devīmāhātmyam Mahiṣāsura represents the accumulated tamas (darkness, heaviness, inertia, illusion, ignorance) in our mind and body, which obstructs our spiritual progress. Śakti is the one who is invoked to slay this tamas. By walking this path of inner transformation we begin to awaken, churn and refine our guṇas (subtle qualities), which leads to the purification of the channels in our body — this is the aim of the tapas engaged in during these nine nights of Mā Durgā. This churning culminates with Cāmuṇḍā’s (awakening energy) triumph over Mahiṣāsura (our lower tendencies) and the restablishment of dhárma (life supporting action).
The real victory is the triumph of an inner battle — ultimately transcending the veils of tamas that keep us in darkness to who we really are, the veils of Rajas (desire, ambition, momentum) that keep us locked into this dream and bound by the endless cycle of desire, action and fulfillment and ultimately sattva (light, purity, our true nature) guṇa, which still holds an even more sublte desire that too can be transcended — identifying with the ego (identification with being the doer) and being attached (to the fruits of our actions) — bound within the paris of opposites — good and bad, adversion and attraction, happiness and sadness.
The Promise of Śakti
The Devīmāhātmyam ends with Śakti offering her promise to humanity to appear whenever she is called upon, to destroy evil and restablish harmony. As we continue to tend to śakti, and begin to establish a firm foundation in Her, we awaken our power to focus, to cultivate our dhāraṇā, and draw all our energies inside — ultimately transcended the guṇas (the fabric of this material world). This continued focus is the active meditation requesting our attention — calling us to become completely absorbed in Her.
Artwork: Pinterest
Auspicous New Beginnings
In the Vedic tradition, Vijayadaśamī stands as one of the most auspicious days in the lunisolar calendar. Revered as one of the most favorable muhūrtas (auspicious time periods) for new beginnings, alongside Gudhi Pāḍavā (the lunisolar New Year), Akṣaya Tṛtīyā (the day of lasting achievements), and Divālī (the festival of lights and New Year), this day carries a unique spiritual potency. Its significance transcends individual astrological charts, making it universally propitious for initiating new ventures, especially in learning and creative pursuits. This auspiciousness aligns perfectly with the day's themes of victory and transcendence, providing a foundation for personal and spiritual growth.
The Path of Transformation
Just as Vijayadaśamī symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness in the cosmic realm, our personal journey calls us to confront and overcome our inner obstacles. One could say that the root of all evil is to separate - from source, oneself, and all our relations. I recall those moments where the invitation comes sweeping in and I find myself standing at the edge of that threshold.
To die in each moment to the false stories, beliefs and perceptions I’ve created or accepted about myself and this waking dream. To illumine the places untouched and hidden from view. That process which evokes one’s former limited identity to transform - returning incoherency to coherency.
Harmonizing mind, body and emotions through that courageous experience of grounding into something higher. A crucifixion and resurrection which awakens that Holy lamp within the center of the heart.
I believe this is perhaps what the Sufis and many other traditions are speaking of — that victory of good over evil — to die before you die. That inner directed shift and right of passage that takes you over the threshold of irreversible change.
With that, I ask you my beloved brothers and sisters - when will you exchange your small life of separation, so that you can fulfill your greater part?
You may never feel ready to step completely into the Unknown and what awaits you is immeasurable love. The choice is yours. Love all ways
All my Relations
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ॐ दुं दुर्गायै नमः | जय श्री रा
(Om Dum Durgayai Namah | Jai Shri Ram - Salutations to Goddess Durga | Victory to Lord Rama)