Message on Vijayadashami

Destroying the Buffalo

Today is Vijaya Dashami festival. Today Goddess Durga got victory over Mahishasura. Durga represents the highest power that is knowledge. Mahisha represents the foolish rigidity of blind tradition. On the Mahisha Yama Dharma Raja is sitting. Yama means the rules and regulations imparted by the tradition. Dharma means the age-old practice. Raja means the strictness and egoism. Therefore, Mahisha represents ignorant, foolish, rigid person who is completely controlled by the traditional egoism, with rules and regulations in the name of Dharma.

You cannot change such a person. Only the divine Guru can change him. No other deity could kill Mahisha. Goddess Durga is the single deity present in all three deities, i.e., Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. These three deities are the powers of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Datta is the single deity present in these three Gods. Therefore, Durga is the power of Datta. Datta is called Guru. The power of Guru is knowledge. Datta is the only God who creates, maintains and destroys this Universe. Therefore, Datta is Parabrahman according to Vedic definition (Yato vā). Veda says that Parabrahma is the true knowledge (Satyam, Jñānam). So Datta means true knowledge. Since Durga is the power of Datta, Durga also should mean true knowledge. Mahisha fought with Durga using various weapons. Similarly, the traditional rigid person quotes several scriptures with diverted meanings. The weapons of Durga condemn all the weapons of Mahisha. The weapons of Durga represent the correct interpretations of scriptures. As Durga killed Mahisha, Shiva (Datta) also killed Yama Dharma Raja who is on the Mahisha. Yama violated his duty and gave life to Satyavan because his wife Savitri praised him. But when Markandeya was praising Shiva, Yama wanted to kill Markandeya. What does this mean? The tradition was violated and exploited by Gurus for their selfishness. They preach rules for others only. Therefore, Shiva punished Yama. Yama controls the Mahisha. This means the ordinary public has become rigid followers of tradition without analysis and is under the control of their Gurus. Mahisha (He-buffalo) does not move even if the rain falls from the sky. This indicates that however much even the highest Guru may shower knowledge the rigid people do not change. Durga, the power of Datta, killed this Mahisha today. Similarly, the traditional rigid ignorance present in the brains of the people is killed by the powerful message of Guru Datta.

Abhisheka

People are doing abhisheka (bath) to a stone, which is in the form of a wave (Shivalingam). This stone represents the wave nature of energy. Consciousness or life energy is the best energy. So, the Shivalingam represents the life energy that is in all the living beings. Among all the living beings, man is the highest form. Therefore, Shivalingam represents the human being. Among all the human beings the human incarnation of the God is the best. Therefore, Shivalingam represents the human incarnation of the God. Since God is coming in human form in every generation, a particular human incarnation cannot be represented. The worship to Shivalingam thus represents the worship or service to the human incarnation of God. If such human incarnation is not available, you have to go to the next best. A devotee is the next best among the human beings. Therefore, one can serve the devotee if human incarnation is not available.

The human incarnation of God represents knowledge (Jnana). Jnana is highest. The human incarnation of God always preaches the divine knowledge. The next best alternative is devotion (bhakti). If Jnana (human incarnation of God) is not available, bhakti (devotee) should be given next higher value. You should not serve a person who is not a devotee. You can serve and turn him as a devotee. Under any circumstances the atheist should not be served or helped. Every living being is indebted to God. If you do not express the gratefulness to God that is the highest sin. God created everything and everybody. Thus, worshipping inert matter i.e., statues and photos is a very low form of worship. A statue represents matter. Energy is greater than matter. Worshipping sun, fire etc., which is the inert energy is better than worshipping the statue. Life energy (living beings) is more precious than the inert energy. Thus, Shivalingam represents the highest and the best life energy i.e., the human incarnation of God which preaches the divine knowledge. Participation in His mission of propagating the knowledge is the best worship.

Unless you take the internal meaning, you are not benefited in your spiritual effort. If you take the external meaning it only gives entertainment. Today Rama got victory over Ravana. Rama represents Sattvam quality. Sattvam represents knowledge. Ravana, the demon represents ignorance i.e., Tamas quality. Today Arjuna defeated Kauuravas and cows were liberated. Arjuna means white (in Sanskrit) representing the bright knowledge. Kauravas are the sons of blind king who represent the Gurus of blind tradition. The cows represent the innocent public. Therefore, today is the day of victory of Guru Datta over the blind ignorance.

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