Ravana’s ten heads

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On the occasion of Dussehra, I watched burning Ravana's effigy. The kids were excited and the crowd was enthralled. The entire celebration was construed as a fair. We even joked around that Ravana could never wear a round neck t-shirt or didn't need any one for chorus! Great enjoyment, but then the questions arose. Is there a man with ten heads? How would a man with ten heads look like? What are those ten heads? How would they behave? Do the ten heads speak on their turn or all at the same time?

Ravana's heads are best described in Anand Neelkantan's "Asura: Tale of the vanquished". He goes on to explain the ten heads as embodiment of the ten base emotions –

  1. Anger
  2. Pride
  3. Jealousy
  4. Happiness
  5. Sadness
  6. Fear
  7. Selfishness
  8. Love
  9. Ambition
  10. Mind (Devoid of all the above factors)

Ravana was educated that the nature gave him one head for the purpose of keeping only the tenth quality and not the first nine. A person with only the tenth head is slated to rise and shine.

Ravana did question the suggestion of 9 heads; and provide wonderful logic. Let's see how much we grasp and where?

Playing a devil's advocate, let me tell you the other part of the story –

  • A misdirected anger can be harmful. Anger blinds your judgment. However, should you not be angry when you see the injustice? Should you not utilize your anger to electrify your emotions and push you into the right direction?
  • Why shouldn't you be proud of your achievements? You worked hard and did you best. Why shouldn't you recognize your efforts?
  • Jealousy motivates us. It helps us moving ahead. What's the harm in a healthy competition?
  • Equanimity in sadness and happiness is close to being inhumane. How can you not be sad or happy for a loved one if not yourself?
  • Why shouldn't you be afraid of death? Why shouldn't you plan for your loved ones after your death? We fear death not because we will be gone, but for our loved ones.
  • You have gained a lot through sweating, Shouldn't you protect your gains? Why should your protection be called as selfishness? Selfishness – often leads to building empires. Shouldn't you be selfish and build something that others cherish?
  • Whys shouldn't you love? Why should love be a base emotion? If so, why does a mother loves the child? Why should god love the humans?

Being able to draw a thin line and acknowledging is a true meaning of Vijayadashmi to me.

Let's ask ourselves, which head did we curb this Dussehra? Which Ravana did we kill this year? If we didn't are we qualified enough to celebrate the festival or burn the effigy of a person who was way more learned than us?

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