DUSSEHRA IN INDIA - THE FESTIVAL OF VICTORY OF GOOD OVER EVIL
================================================
Today the entire country of India is in a festive mood. All schools and colleges and offices are enjoying a holiday.
================================================
Today the entire country of India is in a festive mood. All schools and colleges and offices are enjoying a holiday.
Today is the day when thousands of years ago, Lord Rama, God Incarnate of Hinduism, destroyed the evil King Ravana.
It is a day when grass or cardboard effigies of an over-sized Ravana are burnt all over India in a glorious bonfire, and people rejoice even as the effigy of Ravana in an inferno, falls down, EXEMPLIFYING THE VICTORY OF GOOD OVER EVIL.
Lord Rama was the personification of Love and Righteousness, and all that is noble in Man and God. He was the Avatar of God upon earth, the descent of God upon earth in human form.
But what is overlooked in the struggle between Lord Rama and the Evil KIng Ravana, is the kindness and love of Rama in a battle, which he knew he was going to win.
On the eve of the battle with the Evil Ravana, Lord Rama said:
" If Ravana repents even now, I shall not only give him back his own kingdom of Lanka, but I shall also hand over my own kingdom of Ayodhya to him, and stand at his doorway as his watchman!"
This was the height of forgiveness, wherein the worth of REPENTANCE was shown by Lord Rama. Indeed this has been the trait of all the Avatars of God who have come down upon earth in all the faiths of the world.
Another much forgotten event is the RESURRECTION of Lord Rama after his work upon earth was over. He simply walked down into a river and disappeared, and, in a short while, rose again in the full Glory of His Real Self as Lord Vishnu, God, the Preserver of the Universe.
As some ancient texts say, the love of Lord Rama was so great that the people of Ayodhya could not bear to part from him, and became so distraught at the thought of Lord Rama leaving them, that they wished to go with Him-- and the entire populace of the city was resurrected and transported to Heaven along with Lord Rama!
While enjoying the battle scenes of Dussehra and the war between Lord Rama and the evil King Ravana, we are apt to lose sight of the great Love of Lord Rama, and the worth of repentance and forgiveness.
While it is true that Evil has to be fought at all levels, it is equally true that this must be done as a moral and spiritual duty, without malice or hatred, and that, if the enemy repents genuinely, he should be forgiven, in the true spirit of Lord Rama.
It is a day when grass or cardboard effigies of an over-sized Ravana are burnt all over India in a glorious bonfire, and people rejoice even as the effigy of Ravana in an inferno, falls down, EXEMPLIFYING THE VICTORY OF GOOD OVER EVIL.
Lord Rama was the personification of Love and Righteousness, and all that is noble in Man and God. He was the Avatar of God upon earth, the descent of God upon earth in human form.
But what is overlooked in the struggle between Lord Rama and the Evil KIng Ravana, is the kindness and love of Rama in a battle, which he knew he was going to win.
On the eve of the battle with the Evil Ravana, Lord Rama said:
" If Ravana repents even now, I shall not only give him back his own kingdom of Lanka, but I shall also hand over my own kingdom of Ayodhya to him, and stand at his doorway as his watchman!"
This was the height of forgiveness, wherein the worth of REPENTANCE was shown by Lord Rama. Indeed this has been the trait of all the Avatars of God who have come down upon earth in all the faiths of the world.
Another much forgotten event is the RESURRECTION of Lord Rama after his work upon earth was over. He simply walked down into a river and disappeared, and, in a short while, rose again in the full Glory of His Real Self as Lord Vishnu, God, the Preserver of the Universe.
As some ancient texts say, the love of Lord Rama was so great that the people of Ayodhya could not bear to part from him, and became so distraught at the thought of Lord Rama leaving them, that they wished to go with Him-- and the entire populace of the city was resurrected and transported to Heaven along with Lord Rama!
While enjoying the battle scenes of Dussehra and the war between Lord Rama and the evil King Ravana, we are apt to lose sight of the great Love of Lord Rama, and the worth of repentance and forgiveness.
While it is true that Evil has to be fought at all levels, it is equally true that this must be done as a moral and spiritual duty, without malice or hatred, and that, if the enemy repents genuinely, he should be forgiven, in the true spirit of Lord Rama.
No comments:
Post a Comment