Dusseraa, also known as Vijayaa Dashamee, falls on 20th October this year. This festival is celebrated with great pomp all over India. About its spiritual significance, Pujya Bapuji expounds below in His satsang-discourses:

‘Vijayaadashamee’ is the festival of victory – of Dharma over adharma (unrighteousness), real over unreal and good conduct over misconduct. On this very day, Bhagavaan Shri Raama killed the wicked Raavana – the ten-headed one, and thus, reducing the burden of the earth. Vijayaa Dashamee also gives you the message that no matter how powerful adharma and immorality may seem, one should not stop, fear, or despair. Such evil forces should be confronted unitedly with wisdom and strength. If you can do so, your victory is certain.

Compared to the one who does not perform rituals of yajna and yaaga, japa or penance, the one who does so is better; but mainly, these practices are performed outwardly, with vaikharee (audible level of speech). Until one undertakes the journey of madhyamaa (middle or pranic level 

of speech) to pashyantee (illumined or perceptive level of speech), and then to paraa (transcendental level of speech), the inner power does not awaken, and 

until this inner power awakens, passion continues to suppress you, and circumstances continue to crush you.

Many people wish to become strong by accumulating wealth, by gaining political power, or by having the acquaintance of influential people. But in reality, this is just a way to hide one’s weakness or to deceive oneself. Such things don’t make you strong but actually make you weaker. If one were to become strong and powerful by way of acquiring a kingdom, wealth, political power, etc., then, Raavana had all of it, yet he was spineless. Until and unless the inner power is awakened and you are determined to experience oneness with the Infinite, your strength remains limited; and limited strength can diminish at any time.

A pond may contain thousands of gallons of water, yet it remains limited. A river may not have thousands of gallons of water, yet, because it is connected to countless streams and brooks, its water keeps running ceaselessly. Similarly, whether you seem to have little strength, wealth, power, or acquaintance; yet if you are connected within to that unceasing single stream of consciousness, then even the combined forces of the world will 

fail to defeat you; and even the force of kaala (death) will fail to kill you. You have such inner power; it’s just that you are unaware of it; otherwise, there is no deity superior to you in the world; their very substratum— Consciousness—is present within you. Vijayaa Dashamee encourages you to experience oneness with that Consciousness.

Vijayaa Dashamee gives you the message that the five senses – eyes, ears, tongue, nose, and skin, and the fourfold internal organ– mind, intellect, ego, and mind-stuff– together these nine entangle you. 

If you conquer these nine and thus celebrate Navaraatri in its true sense, then the outcome of such Navaraatri is Vijayaa Dashamee in its truest sense.