The Ultimate Victory of Knowledge! Happy Dussehra and Vijayadashami!

October 24, 2012

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया |
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ||४-३४||
tadviddhi praNipaatena pariprashnena sevayaa .
upadekShyanti te GYaanaM GYaaninastattvadarshinaH .. 4-34..
Know that (the Supreme Truth) by prostration (to a Guru), through questioning, and service, the "wise" (i.e. the Guru) who have realised the Truth will instruct you in (that) Knowledge

Today is Dussehra or Vijayadashami. This is the perfect day to recommit ourselves to the study of the Bhagavad Geeta. In India, traditionally, students offered दक्षिण (dakshiNa - gifts) to their teachers as a token of their gratitude. For students of the Geeta, my personal recommendation would be to head to the e-course conducted by the Chinmaya International Foundation.

As the course brochure says:

This course indeed offers the crystallised, experiential wisdom and insightfulness of Swamiji, with great depth and clarity, delivered with simplicity and accessibility. It bears the same mark of understated elegance and excellence of which Swamiji is a living embodiment.

And Śrī Kṛṣṇa's opinion?
न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते |४-३८||
na hi GYaanena sadR^ishaM pavitramiha vidyate . 4-38
Certainly, nothing is a greater purifier in this world than 'Knowledge.

The symbolic victory of Śrī Rāma over Rāvana is outwardly the victory of good over evil, and really the victory of knowledge over ignorance in the inner world.

Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

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