The Hindus are busy celebrating two important festivals of their religious calendar - Sri Rama Navami and the Navaratra. Rama Navami celeberates the birth of Rama, the incarnation of dharma, in Ayodhya - the land of peace ruled by Dasaratha, master of senses. Rama was born to fight wickedness and to establish dharma. His life was a saga of principled personal sacrifices for higher and even higher causes. His life's mission was to kill Ravana - the ten-headed monster of violence, power and conspicuous consumption. Rama's consort the innocent Sita, a women of pristine virtues of devotional piety was abducted by lecherous Ravana and was kept in captivity amidst pomp, depravity and indulgence. But Sita stood by her principles, spurned all temptations and waited patiently, in spite of her daily travails, for Rama to kill Ravana and take her back to security, freedom and dignity. By celebrating Rama Navami, the birth anniversary of the legendary Rama, Indians rededicate themselves to the cause of dharma. Alerted against its dangers, the devotees resolve to fight, regardless of personal loss and suffering, against adharma. Ramanavami heralds the triumph of dharma over adharma.

Similarly the Navaratra is the celebration of Devi's emergence from the unified energies of Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshvara. From nowhere a giant buffalo demon, the mahishasura emerged and started troubling humans and gods. Devi manifested as a result of their prayers. Riding on her mount, the lion, Devi challenged the demon king and tore his wicked heart and squashed him under her firm foot and the lion licked his vicious blood. But that was not the end of evil! More monsters came taking their inspiration from Mahishasura - Chanda, Munda, Sumbha, Nisumbha, Raktabija, Dhumraksha. All these monsters with inhuman and devilish powers rampaged on the earth stamping their will on innocent people. Devi vanquished all of them and brought the reign of dharma and security, freedom and dignity for innocent people. On the tenth day of this epic battle, having celebrated the final victory, Devi disappeared into the crimson horizon in a burst of shouts, 'Jai Mata Di, Jai Mata Di, Jai Mata Di'.

Both Ramanvami and Navaratra are festivals of light, of hope and the final decisive victory of goodness over evil, and the promise of peace and prosperity for ordinary humans and all other living creatures.

Swami Bodhananda
4th April, 2009 Sriramanavami
New Delhi