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Vijayadashami (Dussehra) – A Celebration of the Victory of Good over Evil

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Vijayadashami (Dussehra) – A Celebration of the Victory of Good over Evil

Kamlesh Tripathi

     Vijayadashami, aka Dussehra, is one of the most lesson-imparting festivals of India. It symbolises the victory of good over evil, truth over falsehood, and righteousness over injustice. The festival is celebrated with great devotion, enthusiasm, and joy across the country. According to the Ramayana, Lord Rama defeated the demon king Ravana to rescue his wife, Goddess Sita. This victory represents the triumph of truth, courage, and virtue over arrogance and evil. On this day, tall effigies of Ravana, along with those of Meghnath and Kumbhkaran, are burned in many parts of India. It reminds people that evil and wrongdoing will eventually be defeated. In many regions, Vijayadashami also marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. It celebrates the power of the divine feminine and the triumph of good over evil. The festival marks the culmination of Navratri, a period of prayer, fasting, devotion, and celebration. Dussehra is celebrated through Ramlila performances, processions, fairs, prayers, and cultural programmes. In some parts of India, the day is considered auspicious for beginning new ventures, learning new skills, and starting important activities. The true message of Vijayadashami goes beyond religious celebrations. It teaches us to overcome negative qualities such as anger, greed, pride, dishonesty, and hatred. It inspires us to follow the path of truth, kindness, humility, and justice in our daily lives. In conclusion, Vijayadashami reminds us that no matter how powerful evil may appear, goodness and truth will ultimately prevail. It inspires hope, courage, and faith in the realm of righteousness.

    The victory of good over evil is a universal phenomenon of goodness. Dussehra celebrates Rama’s victory over Ravana and, symbolically, the triumph of dharma over adharma. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion, signifying the triumph of life over death, hope over despair, and divine promise over apparent defeat. Ravana’s defeat and Christ’s resurrection are different religious narratives, but both inspire faith that evil, suffering, and apparent darkness do not have the final word.

    In Christian scripture, Revelation 12:7–9 describes Michael and his angels fighting the dragon, identified with the Devil or Satan, and defeating him. This offers a particularly direct parallel with Rama’s defeat of Ravana and Goddess Durga’s destruction of Mahishasura.

   In Greek mythology, Perseus defeats Medusa, a terrifying Gorgon whose gaze turns people to stone. Like Rama confronting Ravana, Perseus must face a seemingly overwhelming adversary through courage, intelligence and divine assistance.

   Both stories explore the hero’s struggle against a destructive power. However, Medusa’s story is more complicated than a straightforward good-versus-evil conflict, so the comparison works best around courage and overcoming fear.

    Dussehra is more than the burning of Ravana’s effigy. It is a reminder that arrogance, greed and injustice, however powerful they may appear, contain the seeds of their own destruction. This timeless message resonates beyond India. Christianity finds hope in Easter, when resurrection triumphs over the apparent finality of death, while the biblical account of Saint Michael’s battle against Satan depicts the defeat of a force that challenges the divine order. Greek mythology, too, celebrates heroes such as Perseus, who confront terrifying adversaries through courage, intelligence and divine aid.

    These stories belong to different religious and cultural worlds, and their meanings should not be confused. Yet they meet at a profound human aspiration: that darkness must not prevail forever, that evil must be resisted, and that courage and righteousness can restore hope. Whether Rama’s arrow strikes Ravana, Christ rises from the tomb, or Perseus confronts Medusa, the enduring question is the same: what must humanity overcome to make the world a better place?

    Perhaps the most important lesson of Dussehra is that the Ravana we burn in effigy is not merely an enemy from an ancient epic. He is also a symbol of the pride, anger, dishonesty and hatred that can take root within us. The real victory begins when we recognise and conquer these inner adversaries.

(Kamlesh Tripathi is an author, poet and a columnist)

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WHAT IS LIFE WITHOUT MIRTH AND LAUGHTER?

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WHAT IS LIFE WITHOUT MIRTH AND LAUGHTER?

Kamlesh Tripathi

    In Shakespeare’s play, ‘The Merchant of Venice’, Gratiano, a close friend of Antonio, while addressing him, says,

    Let me play the fool; /With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come;/    And let my liver rather heat with wine/Than my heart cool with mortifying groans./Why should a man whose blood is warm within/Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster,/Sleep when he wakes, and creep into the jaundice/By being peevish? I tell thee what, Antonio — I love thee, and ’tis my love that speaks — There are a sort of men whose visages/    Do cream and mantle like the standing pond.

    In this address, Gratiano argues that a life without mirth is like living death. He prefers to “play the fool” and age naturally through laughter rather than grow emotionally cold through constant seriousness. Using the bodily imagery of liver, heart, and blood, Shakespeare contrasts warmth, passion, and circulation with ‘mortification,’ which literally means killing the spirit. Gratiano mocks men who, despite having ‘warm blood,’ sit rigid and joyless like alabaster tomb statues, alive in body but dead in feeling. Such people ‘sleep when they wake’ and even make themselves ill through peevishness, as suggested by the image of jaundice. Spoken out of affection for Antonio, the speech criticises cultivated melancholy and false gravity, asserting that true wisdom lies in emotional vitality, openness, and engagement with life rather than in frozen solemnity.

    Although he speaks generally about a “sort of men” who cultivate solemnity. He directly names Antonio in the middle of the passage—“I tell you what, Antonio — I love thee, and ’tis my love that speaks”. This makes it clear that the speech is an affectionate rebuke of Antonio’s habitual melancholy at the beginning of The Merchant of Venice (Act I, Scene i). Gratiano urges Antonio to abandon his excessive seriousness and embrace warmth, mirth, and emotional vitality.

    Excessive gravity dries up life, while laughter, warmth, and engagement are signs of true wisdom. Gratiano’s defence of mirth belongs to a long humanistic tradition. Numerous authors and texts have conveyed the concept of a fulfilling life. “Life is too important to be taken seriously”, says Oscar Wilde. L’Allegro (“The Cheerful Man”) and Il Penseroso (“The Pensive/Melancholy Man”) are companion poems by John Milton that explore two contrasting, yet complementary, ways of life: one embracing mirth, nature, and social joy, and the other favouring solitary contemplation, deep study, and serious thought, with both leading to profound insights and true happiness. They present a balanced view of a perfect life, showing the value in both active pleasure and deep reflection, often described as ‘twin poems.’

    Gratiano’s defence of mirth and emotional warmth reflects a worldview strikingly close to that found in Hindu mythology, where life is understood not as grim endurance but as lila, the cosmic-divine play. Figures like Lord Krishna, who laughs, dances, and plays the flute even while guiding the world’s moral order, embody the belief that wisdom need not wear a solemn face. Similarly, Nataraja, the cosmic dancer, is a depiction of God Shiva, the great ascetic, suggesting that restraint and ecstasy must coexist. Both Shakespeare and Hindu mythology thus challenge the notion that gravity alone equals depth. They affirm that true understanding flows from warmth, movement, andengagement with life, where joy becomes not frivolity but a profound expression of spiritual and human vitality.

     The Bhagavad Gita celebrates the Inner Cheerfulness, ‘Natushyati, na kanksati’ which means – The sthitaprajna (One with steady wisdom) neither grieves nor desires. He remains cheerful in himself. It rejects anxiety and gloom, valuing inner brightness and balance, much like Gratiano’s refusal to sit in sorrow. “Life itself is the greatest of gifts says Mahabharata – The epic repeatedly says that life, with all its struggles, is worth cherishing, and one should engage in it energetically.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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SPIRITUAL QUOTES

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(Vedantic & Buddhist aligned)

“As is the thought, so is the deed; as is the deed, so is the destiny.”
— Upanishadic wisdom

“You are what you seek.”
— Vedanta

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future; concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
— The Buddha

“Action alone is your right, never the fruit thereof.”
— Bhagavad Gita (2.47)

“The mind is everything. What you think, you become.”
— The Buddha (Dhammapada)

“When ignorance falls away, the Self shines by itself.”
— Advaita Vedanta

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
— The Buddha

“He who sees all beings in the Self, and the Self in all beings, never turns away.”
— Isha Upanishad

“Freedom is not found in escape, but in understanding.”
— Buddhist thought

“Right knowledge leads to right action, and right action leads to liberation.”
— Vedantic principle

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Human Power Vs Divine Will: Lessons from King Kansa of Mathura and King Acrisius of Argos.

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Human Power Vs Divine Will: Lessons from King Kansa of Mathura and King Acrisius of Argos

Kamlesh Tripathi

    Perseus survives despite Acrisius’ dastardly attempt to kill him. Though he is abandoned and left to adrift in a wooden chest in the sea along with his mother, he is protected by the gods. On the other hand, Krishna, the eighth child of Devaki, is secretly carried away from the prison and saved, while Kansa kills infants in his attempt to escape fate. Both narratives show the failure of human power against divine will.

    Perseus is aided by Zeus, Athena, and Hermes, all key Olympian gods in Greek mythology and children of Zeus, the king of the gods and the ruler of the sky, who provide him with magical weapons and guidance. Krishna is protected by Lord God Vishnu, who incarnates as him, and supernatural events such as the parting of the mighty river Yamuna, the prison guards falling asleep at the time of his birth, ensure his escape. Perseus and Krishna’s survival is ensured through direct divine involvement. Let’s not forget the famous Hindi saying, ‘Ja ko rakhe saiyan mar sake no koi’ (No one can harm a person whom God protects).

    King Acrisius of Argos (a historic city in Greece) receives a prophecy that his grandson will kill him. Terrified, he tries to prevent fate by incarcerating his daughter Danaë and later abandoning her and her infant son Perseus (his grandson) in the sea to die. Similarly, King Kansa, of Mathura (a kingdom in India), hears a divine prophecy that the eighth child of his sister, Devaki, will be the cause of his death. To avert this destiny, Kansa imprisons Devaki and her husband Vasudeva and resolves to kill their children at birth. In both cases, the prophecy of death becomes the central trigger for the ruler’s actions.

    Despite all precautions, Perseus accidentally kills Acrisius with a discus during athletic games, fulfilling the prophecy. Krishna eventually slays Kansa in Mathura, bringing an end to his reign of terror. In both myths, destiny is fulfilled not through rebellion but inevitability.

    Acrisius and Kansa both represent a fear-driven authority that turns cruel and unjust. Perseus and Krishna represent the restoration of moral and cosmic balance (Greek dike and Hindu dharma).

    These stories reflect a universal mythic pattern: A ruler hears a prophecy of downfall. He persecutes the innocent to escape fate. The child survives through divine grace. Fate ultimately triumphs. A comparable example is of tragic Greek hero Oedipus, who was saved as an infant by a shepherd who took pity on him after being ordered to leave the baby to die on Mount Cithaeron by his father, King Laius, who was warned that his son Oedipus would kill him and marry his mother.

    In the case of Moses, the Israelites (Hebrews) are enslaved in Egypt. Fearing their growing numbers, Pharaoh orders all Hebrew male infants to be killed. At this time, a child is born to Amram and Jochebed of the tribe of Levi. To save him, his mother places him in a basket (ark) made of reeds and sets it afloat on the River Nile. The basket is discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter, who takes pity on the child and adopts him. He is named Moses, meaning “drawn out of the water.” Moses does not kill the Pharaoh directly, but he confronts Pharaoh and manages the release of the Israelites across the Red Sea.

    The similarity between Acrisius and Kansa lies not in their personalities but in the mythic structure: The futility of resisting destiny and the triumph of divine justice over fear and tyranny.

    Greek mythology and Hindu mythology, though distant in geography, converge on this profound philosophical truth: no power can overturn cosmic law.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are designed for our readers, including children and adults, and feature a diverse range of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

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What is life without mirth and laughter by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Published on 18/12/25 in The Goan Everyday newspaper.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are designed for our readers, including children and adults, and feature a diverse range of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

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BEWARE OF MISCOMMUNICATION: LEARN IT FROM MYTHOLOGY AND LITERATURE … by Kamlesh Tripathi

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    It is always safer to over-communicate than to under-communicate. History, mythology and literature repeatedly show how a single misunderstanding can change destinies. One striking example comes from the Mahabharata — the life of Bhishma Pitamah. Bhishma had vowed lifelong celibacy. When he went to Kashi for the swayamvara of the three princesses — Amba, Ambika and Ambalika, on behalf of his half-brother King Vichitravirya, he decided to bring all three back as brides for him. As Bhishma entered the swayamvara hall, a hush fell. None of the princes dared to oppose him.

He announced, “I am taking these three Rajkumaris to Hastinapur so that they may marry my brother Vichitravirya. I am ready to fight anyone who objects to it.” The frightened King of Kashi offered no resistance. But on the way back to Hastinapur, the eldest princess, Amba, confessed, “I cannot marry your brother. I love Prince Salwa of the Saubala kingdom and had intended to garland him. You brought me without taking my consent.” Bhishma, stunned, admitted his mistake. He stopped the chariot and told her, “Had you told me at the swayamvara itself, I would have left you with your beloved and taken only your sisters.”

He sent Amba to Prince Salwa while continuing on with Ambika and Ambalika. But tragedy unfolded. Salwa refused to accept Amba. She returned to Bhishma, begging him to marry her, but he was bound by his vow. Even a duel with his guru Parashurama could not resolve the matter. Amba finally undertook a fierce penance and was reborn as Shikhandi, who became the cause of Bhishma’s death on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Had Bhishma clarified Amba’s wishes at the outset—or had Amba voiced them earlier—the course of his life and perhaps the Mahabharata itself might have been very different.

    Two of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, Romeo and Juliet and Othello, also pivot on fatal miscommunication. In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet fakes her death with a potion. Friar Lawrence sends a letter to Romeo explaining the plan, but because of a plague quarantine, the messenger never reaches him. Romeo instead listens to second-hand information from his servant Balthasar, who truly believes Juliet is dead. Acting on this false news, Romeo buys poison and dies beside her. She wakes up to find him dead and takes her own life. A single undelivered letter seals their fate.

In Othello, the miscommunication is a chain of manipulation. Iago, angry at being passed over for promotion, insinuates to Othello that his wife Desdemona is unfaithful to Cassio. He plants “evidence” — especially the handkerchief that Othello had given Desdemona. Othello never verifies the facts with Desdemona directly, and by the time he confronts her, he is already convinced of her guilt. Desdemona’s innocent references to Cassio deepen his suspicion. Emilia (Iago’s wife), who could expose the plot, stays silent until it’s too late. Othello murders Desdemona in a jealous rage and then kills himself when the truth emerges.

    Whether in mythology or literature, these stories teach the same lesson: miscommunication can destroy lives. In Bhishma’s case, a single assumption led to his greatest karmic debt. In Romeo and Juliet, a missed letter caused a double suicide. In Othello, unchecked insinuations ended in murder and self-destruction. Clear, timely and honest communication could have changed every one of these outcomes.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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THE STORY OF AJAMILA … A story from Srimad Bhagvatam by Kamlesh Tripathi

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    Once, in the city of Kanyakubja (present-day Kannauj), there lived a Brahmin named Ajamila. He had studied all the Vedic scriptures from a very young age. He was noble in character and conduct. Well-mannered, free from false pride, he was upright and kind to all living beings.

    One day, when Ajamila was gathering flowers in the forest for his daily puja, he saw a beautiful enchantress. Her beauty captivated him, and immediately he fell under her wicked spell.

    Soon, Ajamila drove out his faithful wife and elderly parents from his home. He married the enchantress and had many children with her. Ajamila, who had once led a chaste life, now spent his days trying to please his immoral wife. He indulged in many sinful activities that he would have never done before.

    Despite being born a Brahmin, Ajamila started killing innocent animals to feed his large family. He began stealing and cheating others, and even encouraged his sons to follow a similar sinful path.

    Among all his children, Ajamila was especially fond of his youngest son. His name was Narayana. The child’s innocent behaviour and playful ways had won over Ajamila’s heart. He spent most of his time with Narayana.

    Years passed, one day, when Ajamila was old and on his deathbed, he saw three Yamadutas, the terrifying servants of Yamaraja, the god of death, coming towards him. They had come to take Ajamila’s soul and punish him for all the sins that he had committed in his life.

    Gripped by intense fear, Ajamila began to weep. In panic, he started calling out the name “Narayana,” which was his beloved son’s name. And, he kept calling ‘Narayana’ on and on, without realising that he was actually chanting the holy name of Lord Narayana.

    The Vishnudutas, who were messengers of Lord Vishnu, heard the holy name of their Lord being chanted by Ajamila on his deathbed, and immediately, they rushed to the scene.

    Just as the Yamadutas were about to pull Ajamila’s soul out of his body, the Vishnudutas arrived there and tried to stop them. But the Yamadutas refused to listen. They insisted that Ajamila should be punished for his sins. The Vishnudutas then explained, “Ajamila has already atoned for his sins. Not only those sins committed in this life, but also for those committed over millions of lifetimes, simply by chanting the holy name of Narayana in his helpless state. The name of the Lord is divine. Even though Ajamila was unaware, each time he called his son by his name Narayana, he was actually chanting the Lord’s name and cleansing himself of his sins. Lord Narayana protects those who chant His Holy Name.”

    The Yamadutas were thus silenced by the profound wisdom of the Vishnudutas. Defeated, they returned to Yamaraja, their master, and recounted all that had happened. Yamaraja concurred with what they had been told. He said, “What you have heard is true. Although I’m your master, Lord Narayana is the Supreme Lord of the entire universe, and we are all His servants.” He added, “Just as a king has ministers to carry out his commands, I and other demigods work under the direction of the Supreme Lord.”

    Yamaraja then explained the rewards of chanting the holy name of Lord Narayana:

    “Even the most sinful person is taken to the Supreme Lord’s abode, and he is freed from all punishment if he chants the holy name of Lord Narayana at the time of his death. Lord Narayana will always protect those who chant His holy name.”

    He then advised his servants never to bring a person who chants the Holy Name or engages in the devotional service to Lord Narayana. Instead, they should bring only those who do not chant or fail to remember the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.

    Ajamila sincerely bowed to the Vishnudutas when he realised he had been saved from the Yamadutas. He expressed gratitude for rescuing him from going to Naraka. Reflecting on his past sins, Ajamila was filled with remorse for having abandoned his first wife and parents. He now clearly saw the wrongs he had committed.

    Ajamila now understood the immense power in chanting the holy name of Lord Narayana. He deeply regretted wasting his life in sinful acts and resolved that, if given a second chance, he would dedicate himself to the service of the Lord.

    By the mercy of the Lord Narayana, Ajamila was granted a second chance to live. He seized the opportunity and went to Haridwar, where he spent the rest of his life chanting and serving Lord Vishnu, also known as Lord Narayana.

    One day, when Ajamila was meditating, he saw a golden aircraft descending from the sky. Inside it were the same Vishnudutas who had saved him earlier. They had now come to take him to his eternal home, the abode of Lord Narayana.

    Ajamila peacefully left his body on the banks of the sacred Ganga River in Haridwar and joined the Vishnudutas to serve his Supreme Lord forever.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

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SPEAKING TREE THE MEANING OF LIFE

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Hope, wrote Alexander Pope, lies eternal in the human breast. To never despair, even in the bleakest of winter. And, nothing exemplifies this more than the soul-stirring story of Viktor Frankel, who survived the horrors of Auschwitz through his search for the meaning of life.
In his ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ written after his liberation from the concentration camp, he talks about the source of his will to live. To paraphrase: we are bound to face adversities. How you handle these vicissitudes is determined by your attitude. And, attitude is something that each of us controls. This determines what becomes of you mentally and physically. This is true also of suffering that is a part of life–without and death, human life would not be complete. The test is how we react to the suffering.
We need to have a higher purpose– a goal that will help us overcome the challenges. Frankel quotes. Nietzsche, ‘He who has a why to live can bear almost any how’, to explain this.
The meaning of life is found by our choice to do the right thing. Frankel helped his fellow prisoners by emphasising that striving for meaning, not power nor pleasure, is what keeps us alive.
These lessons are even more relevant today. A positive attitude, willingness to take responsibility and a purpose in life will help each of us find meaning in our lives. Life is, after all, far too precious to fritter away aimlessly.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

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INTO THE SUNSET YEARS by Kamlesh Tripathi

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    As we continue to grow old, our perspectives and lifestyles keep changing. Life is never static, they say. The only permanence is impermanence. The way we see the world at 20 is vastly different from how we perceive it at 40, 60, or even 80. Though it’s often said that age is just a number. The number subtly but significantly influences how we view the remaining time on Mother Earth, and how we choose to live in it. If we consider the average human lifespan as 100 years, the first 50 mainly involve learning, growth, and striving, while the second half leans towards reflection, realignment, and seeking deeper spiritual meaning.

    From the moment we are born, we can imagine a hundred years ahead, when the world seems filled with immense opportunities. The future expands like Parkinson’s law, filling the available hundred years. It appears to be brimming with opportunities, ambitions, and several ladders to climb. There’s a blend of excitement and apprehension. But success isn’t guaranteed. The path ahead is tough and winding. At this stage, the focus is on acquiring knowledge, developing skills, and laying down the foundation for a meaningful career and life. We put effort into education, training, and competition. The aim is to secure positions in top institutions or prestigious jobs that offer stability and high rewards. Once these goals are attained, our focus naturally shifts. The initial craving for academic success gives way to pursuits of professional, social, and financial achievement. These are early energetic years of ambition and diligent effort, reaching their peak in climbing the corporate and social ladders. These initial years are about proving oneself and establishing identity and worth in a demanding world. Although moments of introspection occur, the main focus remains on external achievements, recognition, financial security, and maintaining one’s social standing. The mind stays alert, the spirit driven. The challenges are seen as obstacles to overcome rather than signs to slow down.

    However, as time advances and we approach retirement, something shifts. We start to realise that our time on Earth is limited. There is a gentle yet persistent awareness that our stay here is temporary, and life is, in fact, a journey. At the peak of our professional success, many of us begin to experience a spiritual void, long concealed by material pursuits and external ambitions. This often marks the beginning of the search for inner peace, mostly after you retire. Thoughts about the next phase, the second innings, begin to surface. Questions once ignored now become central. What is the purpose of all this? What lies beyond this life? How should one prepare for the journey hereafter? The ancient Hindu tradition comprehensively captures life through its four ashrams. It provides a roadmap of life’s journey in the stages of Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and Sannyasa.

    As we approach life’s sunset, Shloka 2.22 in the Gita starts reminding us that the body is temporary, but the soul is eternal. The decay of the physical body is not an end, but a transition, much like changing clothes. The Shloka softens the fear of death by framing it as a natural and graceful process of renewal. It emphasises detachment, acceptance, and the continuity of the soul’s journey:

‘Vāsānsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya
navāni gṛhṇāti naro’parāṇi,
tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāni
anyāni saṁyāti navāni dehī.’  (Just as a person gives up old garments and puts on new ones,
so does the embodied soul discards worn-out bodies and takes on new ones).

    Although conceived in an era bereft of mechanical clocks and the Gregorian calendar, they continue to offer timeless wisdom. Today, with our lives measured meticulously in minutes and milestones, we are more aware than ever of time’s passage. This awareness also serves as a reminder to pause, reflect, and live consciously. Ultimately, age isn’t merely about growing old. It is about growing wiser. It teaches us that ambition must be balanced with awareness. Success must eventually give way to surrender, and while youth is about becoming, age is about understanding. Life, after all, is not a race but a journey, a fleeting passage through time. May every sunrise hold more promise and every sunset hold more peace. Don’t simply retire from something; have something to retire to.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

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21/7/25 Speaking Tree: Radha Rukmini:Two Facets of Love in Krishn Lila

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(Times of India 21/7/25. Speaking Tree: Radha & Rukmini: Two Facets of Love in Krishn Lila by Ganesh Kolambakar)

    In Krishn’s divine lila, love reveals itself in many shades, not to confuse us but to awaken us. At first glance, Krishn’s bond with Radha may seem puzzling, especially since Rukmini was his lawful consort. Yet across centuries, temples, songs, and hearts remember Krishn not as ‘Rukmini-Krishn’ but as ‘Radha-Krishn’.
    Radha and Rukmini are two expressions of the Divine force. They symbolise two dimensions of love– the worldly and the transcendental, the composed and the consuming. They are not in conflict but in complement, reflecting the soul’s journey towards the divine.
Rukmini, the queen of Dwaraka, embodies maryada, the love that lives within the boundaries of dharm. She is Lakshmi incarnate, graceful and steadfast. Her love stands for a sacred partnership rooted in harmony, order, and purpose. She represents Apara Shakti, Krishn’s manifest energy that sustains worldly life.
Radha, the gopi of Vrindavan, is Krishn’s Hladini Shakti, his bliss, inner song. Her love transcends all boundaries. It is romantic, yes, but not merely earthly; it’s the soul’s cry for union with the Infinite. Radha is Para Shakti, the soul’s longing for the Divine, unbound by law or logic. She is not another love; she is love itself, raw and pure.
To a layperson, Radha and Krishn’s romance is emotionally relatable, a tale of longing, stolen glances, and secret meetings under moonlit skies. But to the seeker, it reveals a profound truth: that the soul, like Radha, yearns not for a husband or a protector, but for oneness with the Divine Beloved. This is why their love stirred saints and poets alike. Meerabai, too, wept and sang for Krishn, not as a king but as her eternal lover. Her devotion mirrored Radha’s fearless and boundless love, pure, sacred, and beyond the bonds of this world.
Rukmini’s love is the temple. Radha’s the sacred fire within. Rukmini walks with grace, and Radha dances in divine ecstasy. Both are true. Both are sacred. One represents Krishn’s presence in worldly life. The other reveals Krishn in the innermost heart. Sri Aurobindo saw Radha as the symbol of the psychic being – the soul’s flame moving toward the Divine. In this light, Radha and Krishn are not two lovers, but the seeker and the sought. Their union is not merely emotional. It is spiritual and cosmic.
Some traditions view Radha and Krishn as Shakti and Shiv, two forms yet ultimately one. Rukmini represents Krishn’s role in society and dharm. Radha is the inner music, his hidden joy. Both are divine movements of the same truth.
To truly understand Krishn, one must embrace both these aspects. He is the cowherd of Vrindavan and the sovereign of Dwaraka. He is Radha’s eternal beloved and Rukmini’s devoted husband. One whispers the mystery of divine ecstasy. The other upholds the strength of divine grace.
Krishn’s lila unveils love in its fullness. In Krishn’s world, love has many faces. Each of them is sacred. Through them, we do not just learn how to love. We learn how to become Love itself.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

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