Every year, we burn a giant Rāvaṇa. The crowd cheers. Fireworks light up the sky. Then everyone goes home.
But what if the real Rāvaṇa never left?
It was never just about a victory
Dussehra is not only about Śrī Rāma defeating Rāvaṇa. It is a call. And it asks you one simple question:
Whose side are you on, Rāma’s or Rāvaṇa’s?
In the Rāmāyaṇa, everyone had to choose. Hanumān, Sugrīva, Aṅgada and Jāmbavān stood with Rāma. Meghnāda and others stood with Rāvaṇa. They were not divided by strength or position. They were divided by who they chose to serve.
They were offered everything. They still chose Rāma.
Rāvaṇa knew how to tempt people.
He offered Aṅgada power and a kingdom if he left Rāma. Aṅgada said no.
He offered Sītā wealth and a grand empire. She did not move.
Two people. Two temptations. One answer. Their loyalty was not for sale.
Real devotion is not tested when we have nothing to gain by leaving the Lord. It is tested when when the world offers us something, and we still say No.
The Rāvaṇa within us shows up as:
- Pride that will not bow
- Selfishness that will not serve
- Attachment that will not let go of what keeps you away from the Lord
This is the Rāvaṇa within, the mindset that puts “me” above Him. .
What standing with Rāma looks like
- Jaṭāyu risked his life to save Sītā.
- Hanumān crossed an ocean and entered Laṅkā to serve Rāma.
- Bharata could have had the kingdom. Instead, he placed Rāma’s sandals on the throne.
- Vibhīṣaṇa chose Rāma even when it meant standing against his own brother.
They did not just admire Rāma from far away. They chose Him, and that choice shaped their whole lives.
Don’t just celebrate. Let it change you.
You may not change overnight, and that is okay. But direction matters. Turn away from pride and selfishness, and move toward Lord, His instructions and His service.
So this Dussehra, ask yourself honestly:
Did I only watch Rāvaṇa burn, or have I started to burn the Rāvaṇa within?
The real victory of Dussehra is not when Rāvaṇa burns outside. It is when you choose Rāma within