Tommorow, Thursday - Bhagawan's day is also the holy day of Vijayadasami .
Vijayadasami or Dassera is celebrated on the 10th day of bright half of the Hindu month of Ashwina. It is considered to be a most auspicious day to begin new things in life. In South India and Western India, Vijayadasami commemorates the legend on which Goddess Durga vanquishes the demon Mahishasura, an event that is said to have taken place in the vicinity of the present day city of Mysore in Karnataka. In North India, the same ten day festival commemorates the victory of Rama, prince of Ayodhya in present day Uttar Pradesh, over Ravana, the ruler of Lanka. There is another little known legend associated with the festival, one associated with Mahabharata. Pandavas underwent a period of exile, being 12 years of dwelling in the forest followed by a year of exile in cognito. Disguise being indispensable during the latter period, Pandavas found it necessary to lay aside for the length of that year, the many divine and distinctive weapons that they possessed. Then they secreted in a 'shami' tree in the vicinity of their chosen place of incognito residence. At the end of the year they returned to the spot for their weapons intact and worshiped in thanksgiving both the shami tree and the Goddess Durga, the presiding deity of strength and victory. Meanwhile the Kauravas had invaded the area, suspecting the residence of Pandavas there. Upon finishing their devotion, Pandavas made straight to battle and won the contest comprehensively. That day they won was known as Vijayadasami. Vijaya in Sanskrit word for victory. Durga came to earth from Kailash, the abode of Siva for 9 days to be with her parents and on the 10th day of Vijayadasami leaves from her maternal home to her husband's abode to Kailash on this day. The main significance of Vijayadasami is victory of the good over the evil. Bhagawan in His Wonderful 1978 Vijayadasami Divine Discourse says the following : What should be the qualities of the actions you offer at the feet of the Lord? How sacred should they be? Before an object is offered to an ordinary individual, you see to it that it has some utility, that it has some value, that it is pure and that it will be cherished. In other words, that it will be received with joy. That being the case in offering something to another individual, then how much more care should you take in making an offering to the Lord! How very pure and extremely fulfilling it must be! One must not offer all types of objects and all types of actions to the Lord. Before you offer anything to the Lord, you must first make it pure, you must make it sacred and great. Then it will be a fit offering for the Lord " Wishing all our Dearest Sai Brothers and Sisters and each and everyone in the Sai family a Wonderful Vijayadasami. Prayers to our Beloved Bhagawan who is always guiding us and who is with us at all times that His Divine Blessings be always with each and everyone of us at all times. OUR LIFE IS HIS MESSAGE Sai Ram
