Reminder for Friday, 25 Sep 2009 Durga Puja - Dassera

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*Durga Puja*

 

 

 

Dussehra (Dassera) is one of the significant Hindu festivals, celebrated

with much joy in the entire country. The occasion marks the occassion of

Lord Rama and brother Lakshman approaching Mother Durga to ask her for her

blessings in His planned attack on the demon Ravana. It is therefore

considered that the Supreme Personality of Godhead's approaching her for

blessings to remove material impediments to His spiritual goals should be

the approach of the humble devotee of the Lord to clinche the important

triumph of Lord Rama over the demon king, Ravana, the victory of good over

evil.

Brilliantly decorated tableaux and processions depicting various facets of

Rama's life are taken out. On the tenth day, the Vijayadasmi day, colossal

effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghnath are placed in

vast open spaces. Rama, accompanied by his consort Sita and his brother

Lakshman, arrive and shoot arrows of fire at these effigies, which are

stuffed with explosive material. The result is a deafening blast, enhanced

by the shouts of merriment and triumph from the spectators.

 

It is significant that the Lord invoked the blessings of the divine mother,

Goddess Durga, before actually going out to battle. In burning the effigies

of the demon Ravan who was slain by Lord Rama it is also symbolic for us

that we, the people are asked to burn the evil within them, and thus follow

the path of virtue and goodness, bearing in mind the instance of Ravana, who

despite all his might and majesty was destroyed for his evil ways.

It must be remembered that Ravana was a great scholar and an ardent devotee

of Lord Shiva, but the very powers that were bestowed on him for his

steadfast devotion proved to be his undoing, due to his gross misuse of the

same. Furthermore although empowered by his austerities performed to Lord

Shiva, his powers were ineffective over the powers of Rama.

 

 

 

*Note:::* Special thanks to Jaya Tirtha Caran prabhu from NZ for allowing us

to use some of the content from his site to compile these pages -

http://www.hknet.org.nz <http://www.hknet.org.nz/Newsletter.html>

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At the present moment our minds are polluted with the dirt accumulated over

millions and millions of lifetimes of sense gratification. Even though our

original pure nature is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss, due

to our mental contamination we are presently suffering in the realm of

temporality, ignorance, and misery. By the purificatory process of chanting

the holy names of God we can revive our original, pure nature and thus

relish the sweetest happiness at every minute.

Chant:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

 

http://www.vaisnavacalendar.info/i/durga-puja.html