Bijoya Dashami marks the return of the Goddess to Mount Kailash

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Auspicious ever after
Bijoya Dashami marks the return of the Goddess to Mount Kailash and the end of an evil era, writes Subrata Chowdhury DURGA Puja is celebrated in various parts of India in different styles. But the one basic aim of this celebration is to propitiate Shakti, the Goddess, in her aspect as power, to bestow upon humankind all wealth, auspiciousness, prosperity, knowledge (both sacred and secular), and all other potent powers. The absolute prevails in its diffusible discreteness as Maya or Mahamaya, as she is more widely identified. According to the Puranas, King Suratha was the first devotee to worship Mother Durga during April in what is known as Basanti Puja. Again, Ram worshipped Durga in autumn, popularly known as Akaal Bodhan, to vanquish a transgressing Ravana and free Sita from his clutches. Durga, who was by then deified as the Shaktirupini, had killed the buffalo-demon Mahisasura. According to Hindu mythology, Mahisashura had driven the gods out of heaven and established his evil dominion there and this devil was a constant threat to the existence of the universe. Mahisashura could not be defeated by any god or man because of a boon he received after intense prayers to Brahma. Neither Indra, King of the Gods, nor Kumara, commander of the celestial armies, could stop him. In despair, the gods called on Vishnu for help and he confronted Mahisashura, first as Narasimha, the man-lion, and then as Varaha, the boar, but each time he failed to subdue the demon.Indra had obtained the consensus of all the gods who had, in turn contributed with their individual powers to attribute Maa Bhagavati with as many as 10 invincible weapons in her 10 arms in order to enable her to slay the devilish Mahisasura. On Navami, weapon after weapon was hurled at the buffalo demon but each time he managed to rise undefeated. Realising that her weapons had no effect on Mahisashura, Durga cast them aside, dismounted from her lion and with her bare hands sprang upon Mahisashura’s back. She kicked his head and the demon, immune to the weapons of all the gods, fell senseless at the touch of her feet. Durga then raised her trident and plunged it into the buffalo-demon’s heart, conquering the unconquerable.Dussehra celebrates this victory of good over evil and the end of the kingdom of Lanka. Durga gave Rama her blessings and showed the way to how he could slay Ravana.Call it occultism or science, it’s a natural process that by the end of every summer there is a natural calamity in the shape of flash floods or twisting cyclones that ravage the eastern part of the country. The advent of autumn sees it off. Rabindranath Tagore had written “... Bajitechhe Utsaber Basi, Kane Tai Positechhe Asi, Mlaan Chokhe Bhasitechhe Doorashar Sukher Swapan...” in his autumnal poem, Kangalini Meye.However, let us pray earnestly to the Almighty that peace prevails everywhere and hope that Aaschhe bochhor aabar hobey though the beat of the dhaak may sound retarded and morose on Bijoya Dashami. source: the statesman

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