Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, is celebrated on the tenth day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin. The festival marks the victory of good over evil. While most people associate it with Goddess Durga’s triumph over Mahishasura or Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana, there are also two other mythological stories linked to this day. Let’s take a look at the four main legends.
1. Goddess Durga and Mahishasura
Mahishasura, the son of Rambhasura, performed intense penance to please Lord Brahma and received a boon that no god, demon, or man could kill him—only a woman. Empowered by this, he conquered the three worlds and terrorized gods and humans alike.
The gods then prayed to Goddess Mahashakti. From their combined energy, a radiant form of Goddess Durga emerged, armed with divine weapons and riding a lion. After a fierce battle that lasted nine days, Durga killed Mahishasura on the tenth day. This day became known as Vijayadashami.
2. Lord Rama and Ravana
According to the Ramayana, Lord Rama, along with Sita and Lakshman, lived in exile for 14 years. During this time, Ravana, the king of Lanka, abducted Sita. To rescue her, Rama, with the help of Hanuman, Sugreev, Jambavan, and the monkey army, built a bridge to Lanka and fought Ravana.
After days of battle, Rama killed Ravana on Dashami, symbolizing the victory of dharma over adharma (righteousness over evil). Today, Ravana’s effigies are burnt across India on Dussehra to mark this triumph.
3. Pandavas’ Vijay Diwas
The Mahabharata also links Dussehra to the Pandavas. After completing their exile, they retrieved their weapons hidden in a Shami tree and defeated the Kauravas, who had stolen cattle of Virata kingdom.
4. King Raghu, Kubera, and the Golden Shami Leaves
Another legend connects Dussehra to wealth and prosperity. King Raghu of Ayodhya once gave away all his riches in a yajna (sacrifice). When a Brahmin’s son, Kautsa, needed 14 crore gold coins for his teacher’s fee, King Raghu prepared to fight Kubera, the god of wealth.
Fearing an attack, Kubera instead showered gold coins on the Shami tree. Kautsa took the exact number he needed, and the rest were distributed among people. Since then, Shami leaves have been considered symbols of gold, and exchanging them on Dussehra is seen as auspicious.
Another version of the story tells of a king who, unable to meet a Brahmin’s demand for gold, prayed for help. The Lord blessed the Shami tree, turning its leaves into gold. From that time, worship of the Shami tree on Vijayadashami became a tradition.
Disclaimer: The content provided here is based on beliefs and information only. Always consult a concerned expert.
