Shastra Puja on Vijaya Dashami

Thanks to a political party and its usual eye-balls grabbing efforts, “shastra-puja” or weapons-worship on Vijaya Dashami day is being discussed. So what is “shastra-puja” and its relevance if any?

The origins of this can be seen in the epic Mahabharata. According to the epic, when the Pandavas lost in the game of dice with the Kauravas, their cousins, they were supposed to spend twelve years in exile and the thirteenth year was supposed to be in agyantvas – to be spent in total anonymity without being recognized. When the Pandavas entered into the thirteenth year, they hid their weapons in a Shami tree, before disguising and entering kingdom of King Virata. On the day of Vijaya Dashami, and also the end of their agyantvas, they retrieved their weapons from the Shami tree and performed a ritual worship of the weapons. They then, identified themselves as Pandavas and defeated the Kauravas who had attacked King Virata. Since then, it has been a practice for Kings to perform shastra-puja on the day of Vijaya Dashami – which is also the symbol of victory of good over evil.

CRPF Personnel performing
Sharstra-Puja

Over a period of time, this shastra-puja is undertaken by many who deal in weapons and also implements. People in Security agencies, army and other forces and even business men who have heavy plants and machineries perform the puja as a ritual.

How a political party benefits from “shastra-puja” can be anybody’s guess, except for a political gain. But thanks to some elements I get my topics to write!

Here’s wishing all my readers a very happy Dasshera & Vijaya Dashami!

Vijaya Dashami

Yesterday Ravan was burnt in full public view and with a lot of enthusiasm and joy. Quite ironic to see celebrations over a public execution. Some would say, why not after all this is celebration of the victory of good over evil, some prefer to keep quiet and overlook the other salient points of the eternal conflict.

What is good and what is evil? Who decided such standards in the absence of central governance or a common human understanding?

Was it incorrect to questions people who donned the outfit of ‘harmless ascetics’ but carried arms and displayed the physique of warriors? A man should not kidnap another’s wife. But then should people allow their sisters to be insulted?

In which culture did one severe nose in response to what one might call an ‘indecent proposal’? Which is a bigger crime – insulting someone’s sister or kidnapping someone’s wife, in return? Is an individual taken by force the property of the one who has strength and power at his behest? For an individual enmity, is it correct to render the whole nation (read kingdom) vulnerable?

On one had we tell people to feel proud about ones achievements, but the moment we change the adjective (Proud) in to a noun (Pride) we start looking down on the same achievement, why is it like that?

Were there ulterior motives behind the whole apparent plot? Was it destined such? Were the characters just playing small roles in the overall big drama conducted by someone else?

Someone once asked me why do you ask so many questions and my answer was – Why not? He said, there that’s another question, but I thought that was an answer!