Dussehra & Diwali: Kill demonic qualities


  
VIEWPOINT
AMITABH SHUKLA


This column primarily focuses on political issues and this is what I have been doing for the last three years when this began in The Pioneer. This time too with Assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra barely a few days away, the temptation of writing on politics was natural.

But I curbed my natural instinct to analyse political issues as my attention was diverted by the festive spirit gripping the nation, particularly north, the part of India I live in. We have already celebrated Dussehra, Durga Puja and Vijaya Dashami in the way we want. Now, we are preparing to celebrate Diwali. The basic premise of celebrating of all these festivals is the victory of good over evil. The demons die every year reminding us continuously how to guard ourselves against the demonic qualities which are ever ready to influence and affect us.

As I sat with the keyboard to write this column after visiting the Durga Puja pandal where goddess Durga kills the demon Mahisasur and after watching Ravan go down in flames amid bursting of crackers like every year, I was forced to introspect and think afresh. Three decades ago, when I was a kid, I had asked a learned person, my grandfather, “Why do we burn Ravan every year?” His reply was simple, which still remains the standard answer to the query. “Ravan symbolises evil”. Since time immemorial, every year, the day is celebrated as the triumph of good over evil.

Evil… he indeed was. Ravan kidnapped Lord Rama’s wife Sita by deceit and forcibly took her to Lanka. But there are different interpretations why he did so. A section of the scholars say that Sita was kidnapped to take revenge from Rama’s brother Laxman who sliced his sister Surpanakha’s nose. Ravan kept the kidnapped Sita in forceful confinement in Ashok Vatika but never ever touched her.

There is another interpretation that the king of Lanka wanted to win Sita over and had kidnapped her. Whatever, the interpretation and reasons, obviously no kidnapping is acceptable in any society. But the point is whether the offence is so despicable and unheard of in Indian society to be termed as an evil. There are people roaming around with much more serious crime. Why don’t we burn their effigies as well along with Ravan? As compared to these modern days “Ravans”, the actual Ravan of Ramayana looks like a saint. Kidnapping of course is a serious offence. But what about the incidents of gang-rapes and murders taking place with alarming regularity? Isn’t it time we burnt the effigies of the rapists to take the message across that this is more heinous act that what Ravan did?

The demon king of Lanka whose effigy is burnt with much fanfare was also accused of being arrogant. Well, if that is the criteria of terming someone evil, then I am afraid there is an evil lurking in most of the human beings and we need to cleanse ourselves from arrogance and anger. Then, Ravan was extremely egoist. Again, don’t we all suffer from this? Most of us are unable to let go of ego even if it remains a stumbling block for personal development. Ravan usurped the kingdom of his brother Kuber. But don’t we see politicians out of power plotting to dethrone those in power all the time by all means under their command — fair or foul? Isn’t it common to find brothers plotting against each other to get a larger slice of the family property?

Watching a popular television serial recently, I learnt a lesson — a lesson which is now deeply ingrained in me. The protagonist in the serial donates a hefty amount as donation for the local Ramleela management committee and gets the honour of shooting the arrows which would eventually burn the demon king of Lanka. The protagonist is in a joyful mood and waiting for the D-day as he had emerged as the hero of his colony, given the opportunity to shoot arrows at the effigy of Ravan. But he had a sleepless night a day before Dussehra. Ravan appears in his dream and asks him bluntly, why was he so excited to shoot arrows on the effigy the next day? “Because you have evil qualities,” replies the protagonist. “But do you have qualities like Lord Rama to shoot arrows at me?” asks Ravan in the dream of the protagonist. The poor fellow has no answers and awakens in sweat as he himself is trying to overcome anger, aggression, ego, possessiveness, etc.

As I watched so called VIPs and politicians firing symbolic arrows at the effigy of Ravan on television, the protagonist of the serial comes in mind. In Delhi, one finds politicians of all hues trying to be the chief guest at the final day of Ramleela when the effigy of the demon king is burnt.

This is not limited to Delhi alone but even in Chandigarh, Dehradun, Shimla and smaller districts. In the bigger events, you find the big politicians and at the colony level, you find local and aspiring politicians. People should now ask them bluntly, “You are welcome to shoot the arrows, but first answer one question honestly. Can you tell us if you do not have the evil qualities which Ravan had — anger, aggression, ego, possessiveness, lust for power and authority?” A majority of them would go away if they are honest to themselves.

The story of the protagonist on TV serial was taken from the life of Jesus Christ. A woman, caught committing adultery, was brought before Christ. Those who brought her to the Christ said the punishment was stoning till death. “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her,” was the reply of Jesus. When the crowd heard this, they all left, one by one, the older ones first.

Lord Rama had more qualities than Ravan and that entitled him to slay the demonic qualities of the Lankan king. Obviously the slaying is of demonic qualities of a person and not the person himself.

As a person, Ravan had a great lineage, performed intense tapasya to please Brahma and Lord Shiva, was an exemplary scholar, a very good ruler, an accomplished Veena player said to have composed the hymn known as Shiva Tandava Stotra. Above all, he was one of the greatest devotees of Lord Shiva.

Some scholars even say that his description as a ten-headed person is a reference to him possessing a very thorough knowledge over the four Vedas and six Upanishads, which made him as powerful as 10 scholars. But his evil qualities did him in. Though his skills far outweighed his negative qualities, still the message is that if you possess even a single quality which is evil in nature, this would lead to your downfall. If this could happen to a person of tremendous qualities like Ravan, it could happen to anyone else. According to my understanding, this is perhaps the greatest lesson from the Lanka Kand of Ramayana.

The lesson indeed is one of introspection. Forget the epic Ramayana for a moment. Just look within and tell yourself that you have none of the evil qualities which Ravan had. If you tell yourself honestly and convincingly that you do not have any nor do you intend to acquire those, you would have learnt the true lessons which Ramayana intends to impart. (October 6, 2014)

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