Today, 12^th October 2024 is Dussehra, which celebrates the victory of good over evil. The festivities include burning effigies of the ten-headed demon king – Ravana every year, with hundreds collecting the still-smoldering remnants of the burnt effigy, believing this souvenir will protect them from various evils and misfortune. Though Ravana was very knowledgeable and powerful, because of his anger and arrogance he failed to think rationally, speak with temperance or act with wisdom. As a consequence, he lost his kingdom, his loved ones and also his own life. Ravana’s knowledge made him arrogant. When defeated, he was not only humbled but attained wisdom, albeit while breathing his last.

Knowledge And Wisdom

Knowledge and wisdom are two distinct concepts that go hand in hand. Knowledge involves acquiring information, facts, and skills through education, experience and deep study and understanding of various subjects. Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge in a mindful and judicious manner, using one’s experience, intuition, and judgment to make right decisions and navigate life’s challenges with prudence and sensitivity.

While knowledge is about knowing facts, wisdom is about understanding their significance and using them wisely. In essence, knowledge is the foundation, and wisdom is the application of that knowledge in a meaningful and beneficial way.

Significance of Dussehra

The Navratri (nine nights) festivity culminates in commemorating Dussehra on the tenth day. Dussehra – also known as Dashahara, Dashain (in Nepal), Durgotsav (in East India), Navratri (in Western India), or Vijayadashmi (literally meaning victory on the tenth day) – is one of the great Hindu festivals observed in the month of Ashwin and is celebrated across India and countries where Hinduism is followed. ‘Dussehra’ is derived from the words ‘Dus’, meaning ten and ‘Hara’ meaning defeat, symbolizing the slaying of Ravana by Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is symbolically the annihilation of ten vices common to human beings.

In Bengal, Dussehra is also celebrated to commemorate the victory of Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Like Ravana, Mahishasura was knowledgeable and powerful, but arrogant and destructive. In an epic, ten-day battle between Goddess Durga and Mahishasur, Goddess Durga kills Mahishasur on the last day, celebrated as Vijay Dashami. Goddess Durga was named Mahishasuramardini as she was The Killer of Mahishasura.

Historically, the Dussehra festivities were initiated by the kings of Vijayanagar in the fifteenth Century and after the fall of Vijayanagar Kingdom, the Wodeyars of Mysore continued the Festival in the year 1610 at Srirangapatna. It is now over four centuries since the first Dussehra was celebrated by Raja Wodeyar.

Ravana And Zohak

Dussehra celebrates the victory of good over evil, a concept that every Zoroastrian resonates with. Ravana’s defeat by Sri Ram also finds a similar echo in the story of the defeat of Zohak or Azi dahak – the demon epitomizing ten evils of this world, by Shah Faredoon. There is much in common between Zohak (Azi dahak) and Ravana. Both were initially good and very intelligent and knowledgeable, but ego, greed, pride and vanity led to their downfall.

According to the Shahnameh (the Book of Kings written in poetic form by Firdousi Toosi) it was Iblis (Satan) who came to Zohak in the form of a chef and started feeding flesh food to Zohak. Delighted with the daily culinary delights, Zohak wished to reward the chef, who asked to simply kiss Zohak on both his shoulders, as a reward. Zohak agreed and the moment the chef kissed him on both shoulders, two serpent-like creatures sprung up and tormented Zohak day and night. Soon, Iblis returned in the form of a Hakim or doctor and told Zohak that the only way to pacify these creatures would be by offering them the brain of a young man every day. And, thus began the daily slaughter of innocent, young men.

Ultimately, like Sri Ram, Shah Faridoon was successful in overthrowing Zohak. Under the guidance of Sarosh Yazata, Faridoon did not kill Zohak (since the time had not come in Nature to do that). Instead, he tied the evil one on Mount Damavand, on the day marking Roj Meher of Mah Meher. Thus, was laid the foundation of the festival of Mehergan or the day when good triumphed over evil and the pious Faridoon liberated people from Zohak’s tyranny.

Good And Evil

As per legend, Zohak, who is the living embodiment of evil, is still chained to that great spiritual mountain, Damavand. It is believed that every night, when the forces of evil gain strength, the chains weaken. However, at the crack of dawn when the rooster crows heralding sunrise, the chains are again secured and the evil one is rendered powerless. This is a truth of Nature wrapped in an easy-to-understand legend. Darkness is absence of light and darkness can only be combated with light. In like manner, evil is the absence of good and evil can only be combated with good. The effigy of Ravana is burnt once a year by devotees to symbolize the defeat of evil. However, Nature, through the sun’s light and energy, symbolically defeats Zohak and the forces of darkness and evil, every single day.

Devotion To God Is Not Enough

Ravana was an ardent devotee of Shiva and highly learned. But, his story is a reminder to all that merely being a devotee of God and acquiring knowledge is no guarantee of being good. Even today, our community worldwide has religious zealots who are knowledgeable and devoted to God. But, they are often arrogant, self-righteous and lacking in wisdom. Clearly, the link between religion and morality is not inherent. In fact, scientific research suggests that morality is rooted in universal principles of understanding, cooperation and compassion and not necessarily tied to religious beliefs. Goodness should not be considered as good because it is loved or desired by the Divine. One should be good for the sake of goodness and this is the very essence of our simple but powerful Ashem Vohu prayer. If we really want to improve our increasingly polarized, broken, and too often uncivil and corrupt world, then we should place more emphasis on goodness as an important virtue to nurture in ourselves and in others.

Ten Vices

Ravan was tutored by Brahma (the creator) and Mahabali – the same king for whom Vishnu’s Vaman Avatar was necessitated. As part of his education, Ravana was asked to get rid of ten vices in order to be a good king. These ten vices were: Anger, Pride, Jealousy, Gluttony, Negativity, Fear, Selfishness, Lust, Ambition and Vanity. However, Ravana argued that as a Rakshasha King, he had the right to be angry at times, be arrogant about his stupendous achievements, jealousy was a natural emotion and thus justified all ten vices. Ravana’s response infuriated Mahabali who felt he had committed a grave blunder in tutoring a demon king with ten heads of vice. Interestingly, the ten vices of Ravana find an almost mirror reflection in the ten vices that Zohak epitomized.

Wisdom Of The Dying Ravana

The highly knowledgeable Ravana had studied the Veda and was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Even Lord Rama asked his brother Laxmana to seek learning from him during his last moments. This is why devotees keep charred remnants of Ravana’s effigy as a charm at home. In defeat and death, Ravana attained wisdom and humility. Darkness of anger and arrogance within Ravana was driven away by the light of wisdom and humility. It is said when Laxmana stood near the dying Ravana’s head, the latter refused to say anything. When Laxmana told Ram that Ravana was refusing to speak, Rama suggested that Laxmana should sit near the dying Ravana’s feet. Here, Rama was instructing his brother on a lesson in humility – once vanquished even a dying demon is treated with honour and dignity. Such is India’s culture!

The wisdom that the dying Ravana imparted to Laxmana was simple. He said, “I was planning to build a bridge between earth and heaven, but, instead I strayed and chose to take the wrong path driven by my passion and vengeance, fueled by my anger and arrogance, only to feed my own vanity and ego”. This wisdom so relevant for all times. All of us are potentially good and have the power to bring heaven on earth. However, we often stray from the path of truth and righteousness, frequently driven by vengeance, fueled by anger and arrogance to feed our ego, and in the process we destroy our own selves and so much that we have and could build on!