The True Spirit of Dasara Part – Seventy Two

The True Spirit of Dasara

The celebration of Dasara in the Divine Presence of Bhagavan Baba every year is unique as it is accompanied by a week-long sacred yagna (sacrifice). Even more significant is the fact Bhagavan often speaks on many occasions during this celebration revealing many salient spiritual truths. One such discourse was delivered on October 6, 1992, on the last day of the celebration, called Vijaya Dasami Day. Here is an extract from that profound message. Let us recapitulate these words of Bhagavan as we rejoice in the Dasara celebrations of this year which starts from the 3 rd of this month.

All things in the cosmos are limbs of the body of Vishnu (God). Hence, no one should have any aversion to anything in the universe. You should not hate anyone, because the same Divine is present in you and in everything in the universe.

The cosmos has three forms: the gross, the subtle and the causal. The physical universe represents the gross form. The subtle form is the mind, and subtler than the mind is the Atma.

The Five Kosas or Inner Coverings of Man

A human being has five sheaths. These five sheaths have been grouped into three. The gross sheath is the Annamaya Kosa (the food sheath). The three Kosas, Praanamaya (vital breath), Manomaya (the mental sheath) and the Vijnanamaya (the intellectual sheath) together constitute the subtle sheath.

The causal sheath is the Anandamaya Kosa (the Bliss sheath). Even the last sheath does not represent total bliss, because there is a higher entity above the Anandamaya Kosa. This is known as Mahakaarana or supracausal entity. This is the atmic principle.

Every human being has these Tripuras (three cities). The three puras (cities) are the body, the mind and the heart. Because every individual has these three, he/she is called Tripurasundari (endowed with the beauty of the three worlds). Since the Prakruthi (Nature) element, which is feminine in nature, is present in greater measure in the body, it is termed as Sundari (a beautiful lady).

The Spiritual Truth of Dasara Festival

During the Navarathri (also called as Dasara) festival, Tripurasundari (Goddess) is worshipped. Unfortunately, from ancient times people have been observing only the external forms of worship without understanding the inner significance of these festivals. The entire cosmos is a temple; the Lord pervades the cosmos.

During the Navarathri festival, there is a form of worship called Angaarpana Puja. In this form of worship, all the limbs of the body are offered to the Divine in a spirit of surrender (Sharanaagathi). Surrender means offering everything to the Divine and giving up the idea of separation between oneself and the Divine. There can be no true surrender if there is a sense of separation. There must be the conviction that it is the same Divine who dwells in all beings – Eko Vasee Sarvabhutha-antharaathma.

The True Spirit of Dasara – A sacred celebration of victory, purity, and divine grace

The True Spirit of Dasara is not limited to outer celebration, decoration, music, worship, or festive joy. Dasara is a sacred reminder that goodness must win over evil, wisdom must win over ignorance, and divine qualities must rise above the lower tendencies of the mind. The festival becomes meaningful when it inspires inner transformation and helps a person live with truth, love, discipline, humility, and devotion.

The True Spirit of Dasara teaches that the real battle is not only outside us; it is also within us. Every person carries noble qualities as well as weaknesses. Anger, pride, jealousy, greed, hatred, selfishness, and laziness are inner demons that disturb peace. Worship during Dasara should inspire us to defeat these inner enemies and awaken courage, compassion, patience, purity, and faith.

Dasara is often connected with the victory of the Divine Mother and the victory of righteousness. This victory is not just a story from the past. It is a message for daily life. Whenever we choose truth over falsehood, kindness over cruelty, patience over anger, and service over selfishness, the spirit of Dasara becomes alive within us. Real celebration begins when conduct becomes noble.

The True Spirit of Dasara also reminds us of the power of devotion. Prayer, chanting, worship, and remembrance of God purify the mind when done with sincerity. But if worship remains only external and does not change behavior, its deeper purpose is missed. The best offering to the Divine is a clean heart, gentle speech, honest action, and love for all beings.

The nine days of worship can be understood as a journey of purification. Each day gives an opportunity to remove one weakness and strengthen one virtue. A devotee can give up harsh speech, reduce anger, practice gratitude, serve someone in need, forgive an old hurt, control desires, and spend time in prayer. Small sincere efforts slowly make the heart stronger and purer.

The True Spirit of Dasara teaches that divine strength is needed to conquer the ego. Ego makes a person think, “I am great, I am the doer, I must be praised, I must control everything.” Devotion teaches humility. A humble person understands that every talent, opportunity, and blessing comes through divine grace. When ego reduces, peace grows naturally.

Service is also an important part of this sacred spirit. God is worshipped not only in temples and prayer rooms, but also through service to living beings. Feeding the hungry, helping the sick, comforting the sad, respecting elders, guiding children, and supporting the weak are all forms of worship when done with love. The hands that serve with humility become instruments of divine grace.

The True Spirit of Dasara also gives a message to families and society. A home becomes sacred when family members speak kindly, forgive quickly, pray together, and respect one another. A society becomes better when people live with honesty, compassion, and responsibility. Festivals should not only bring temporary happiness; they should create lasting goodness in thought and action.

Dasara also reminds us to honour knowledge. Ignorance is one of the greatest forms of darkness. True knowledge is not only information from books; it is wisdom that helps us live rightly. Education becomes sacred when it builds character. A person who has knowledge but no humility or compassion remains incomplete. A truly educated person uses learning for service and goodness.

The True Spirit of Dasara is also connected with self-discipline. Without discipline, spiritual inspiration fades quickly. The senses pull the mind toward comfort, taste, praise, and distraction. A devotee must learn moderation in food, speech, habits, and desires. Discipline is not punishment; it is protection. It keeps the mind steady and helps devotion grow.

This festival also teaches surrender. Life does not always move according to personal wishes. There may be delays, failures, illness, misunderstandings, and painful moments. Surrender means doing one’s duty sincerely and trusting divine wisdom. A surrendered heart does not become weak; it becomes peaceful, brave, and balanced.

The True Spirit of Dasara finally reminds us that victory over evil must happen every day. It is not enough to celebrate once a year and return to old habits. Each morning is a chance to choose goodness. Each conversation is a chance to speak with love. Each difficulty is a chance to practice patience. Each success is a chance to remain humble.

In the end, Dasara is a sacred call to awaken the divine qualities within us. It asks us to defeat inner darkness and live with truth, love, service, discipline, devotion, and surrender. When the heart becomes pure and life becomes useful to others, the festival reaches its real meaning. The true victory of Dasara is the victory of God’s light within the human heart.