The nawaraatram festival culminates on wijayaadashamii विजयादशमी (colloquially dasera दसेरा) which is the 10th day of the Ashwina month. wijaya (विजय) means ‘victory’ and dashami (दशमी) means the ‘tenth day’. This is the day on which Goddess Durgaa (दुर्गा) slew the buffalo-demon mahiSaasura (महिषासुर) and declared victory in a battle.

 

Similarly, on this day itself, the historical battle between Raama (राम) and Raawana (रावण) also ended. This year, it occurs on 06th October 2011 CE. Both, Raama and Raawana utilized all their military expertise to check one another’s attacks. Raama finally used the brahmaastra (ब्रह्मास्त्र ‘weapon given by Lord Brahmaa’) which hit Raawana’s chest, killing him to death. This marked the end to the unjust rule of the demon-king Raawana and victory of Raama. It also marked the near end of the 14-year long exile faced by Raama.

As per another legend, the mahiSaasura (महिषासुर) demon had grown powerful and invincible even to the Gods. Finally, the energies of brahma (ब्रह्मा), wishnu (विष्णु) and mahaadewa (महादेव) combined together to form a single force of power named durgaa (दुर्गा). Durgaa had a ferocious battle with mahiSaasura for nine continuous days. On the 10th day, she slew him and emerged victorious in the battle assuming the title ‘mahiSaasuramardinii’ (महिषासुरमर्दिनी).

In the mahaabhaarata (महाभारत), the Paandawas had to spend a year into ajnaatawaasa (अज्ञातवास unidentified exile). Because their weapons were well known, in order to avoid identification, they hid them in a hollow of a shamii (शमी) tree. Upon completing exile on the Wijayaadashamii day, they disclosed their identities, performed a puujaa of the shamii tree and the weapons and set for a battle to protect their friend king wiraat (विराट्). Thus, it is a custom, on dasera, to worship the shamii tree and the weapons or equipments that one uses for one’s livelihood. People also worship their vehicles and other household wares. This is called Aayudhapuujaa (आयुधपूजा), aayudha meaning ‘weapon’.

Dasera is considered to be auspicious for commencing new activities like education, business, purchasing home, household goods, inaugurating shops & offices, etc. Hence, Dasera is also included among the three-and-half muhoortas (मुहूर्त auspicious moment), which means one does not need to refer to an almanac for performing any auspicious activity. The entire day in itself is auspicious.

Dasera is also believed to be the day of widyaarambhaH (विद्यारम्भः commencement of studies). Students perform puujaa of books and other educational stationary (musical instruments, in case of musicians) and teachers instruct the first lesson to them on this day. Goddess saraswatii (सरस्वती) being the presiding deity of learning, is worshipped by all students on Dasera.

In northern India, huge effigies of raawana, indrajit and kumbhakarna are set on fire commemorating raama’s historical victory over the demons.

According to another legend, Kautsa (कौत्स), a young Brahmin boy, was supposed to offer 140 million gold coins as fees to his preceptor, however he had a lot more coins with him. After paying the fees, he did not wish to retain the excess, since, for a Brahmin, knowledge was more precious than gold. He distributed the coins to residents of the city. This event is commemorated on dasera day, by people distributing the leaves of aapati आपति tree as gold coins.

The following verse is an adaption from the raamachandraashtakam (रामचन्द्राष्टकम्) set to the mandaaramaalaa मन्दारमाला meter. It offers obeisance to Lord Raama who is respectable to all beings in the world.