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Bhagavata Seva Fall 2023 -1
Effigies of Ravana burning against the evening sky. Ramlila performances that have run for ten nights straight. A single word — Vijayadashami, “victory on the tenth day” — that closes out the Navratri season with a bang literally and figuratively. If Dussehra is part of your family’s calendar, you already celebrate one of the clearest, most direct Vishnu-avatar stories in the entire Hindu tradition here in the Bay Area.
What Vijayadashami Actually Means
The name breaks down simply: vijaya means victory, dashami means the tenth day. It lands on the tenth day of Navratri, and depending on the region, it’s called Dussehra, Dasara, or Vijayadashami — different names for the same day, carrying two parallel victory stories that both culminate here.
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To book a home kirtan Bay Area session for Dussehra Vijayadashami, choose a date in the Calendly widget above or send a WhatsApp message — our team travels to you.
Trained devotees travel to you and lead a two-hour devotional evening — bhajans, katha, and arati with dance.
Rama’s Victory Over Ravana
The story most North Indian families know best: Ravana, the ten-headed king of Lanka, abducted Sita. Rama — one of the principal avatars of Vishnu — allied with Hanuman and the vanara army, crossed to Lanka, and after a prolonged battle, killed Ravana on this very day. Valmiki’s own Sanskrit Ramayana records this directly: Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 108 describes Rama’s final arrow striking Ravana as his life left his body. Ramlila performances re-enact this across weeks leading up to Dussehra, and the burning of Ravana’s effigy (often alongside his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghanada) is the day’s most visible ritual — a public, communal declaration that righteousness has won.
Families who keep a Sundarkand Path tradition are already living inside this story — Hanuman’s devotion is the connective tissue between Sundarkand and this exact victory. If Sundarkand is part of your practice, Dussehra is where that story resolves →
“Seeing Ravana fallen upon the earth… Rama’s arrow, capable of tearing the very heart, fell from Ravana’s hand along with his life.”
— Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 108 (paraphrased)
Why Ravana’s Ten Heads Matter
Ravana’s ten heads are traditionally read as ten qualities that consumed him — commonly listed as lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego, jealousy, and the like, though the exact list varies by tradition. Burning his effigy isn’t a celebration of violence; it’s a yearly, public ritual of self-examination — a reminder that the same tendencies exist in anyone, and the day asks you to notice and release them, not just watch someone else’s demon burn.
The Other Story: Durga’s Victory Over Mahishasura
In Bengal and much of eastern India, the day carries a second, equally central meaning: it’s the day Goddess Durga defeated the buffalo-demon Mahishasura, concluding the nine nights of Navratri worship. Neither story cancels the other out — they’re both genuinely observed, often in the same household, and both mark this day as the moment righteousness overcomes what threatened it. In fact, the two stories are connected: Rama himself worshipped Durga before defeating Ravana — read the Akal Bodhan story →
A Third Thread: Shami Tree Worship and the Pandavas
In parts of Maharashtra and the Deccan, Vijayadashami also carries a Mahabharata memory: the Pandavas, during their year of exile in disguise, are said to have hidden their weapons in a Shami tree and retrieved them on this day before the events that led to Kurukshetra. Krishna’s presence runs through the Mahabharata the way Vishnu’s runs through the Ramayana — a quieter, regional layer of the same pattern: victory stories tied to the Lord’s own avatars and associates, marked on this one day.
📲 Bring a kirtan program to your home
Trained devotees travel to you and lead a two-hour devotional evening — bhajans, katha, and arati with dance.
Why Kirtan Carries Special Weight on a Victory Day
Every story Vijayadashami marks — Rama over Ravana, Durga over Mahishasura, the Pandavas recovering their weapons — is a story about righteousness winning after a real struggle, not a bloodless formality. The Srimad Bhagavatam (11.5.32) states that in this current age, congregational chanting of the Lord’s names — sankirtana — is the process best suited to actually reach Him, more so than the elaborate yajnas and austerities of earlier ages. A day built around celebrating hard-won victory is, in that light, an unusually fitting day to take up the one practice scripture says is most effective for winning your own inner battles: kirtan doesn’t reenact someone else’s triumph from centuries ago, it’s the tool for the struggle each person is still actually in.
Bring a Dussehra Kirtan Into Your Own Home
Alongside your local Ramlila or effigy-burning, ISKCON of Silicon Valley can bring live kirtan directly into your Vijayadashami gathering. It’s a free 2-hour program built around
- Dussehra-focused kirtan — Hare Ram, Hare Krishna and the Braj Vrindavan mood honoring Rama’s victory, with energetic rasiya-style singing and dance
- Katha — a short class on the Ramayana’s conclusion, tracing Rama’s dharma through the Ravana conflict to its resolution
- Arati with dance — the evening’s high point, bringing kids and elders into the same current
Devotees bring the instruments and lead the chanting; you bring your family, your community, your own home — no cost to host. Not sure what to expect? See a clip below, or see more real footage from past home kirtan sessions on our Instagram →
Book a Dussehra home kirtan session →
Check Availability & Book Your Evening
If a Ramlila or effigy-burning has been your Dussehra, a kirtan evening at home adds a different, quieter register to the same victory — sound instead of spectacle. Learn what kirtan is and how it works →
Want to host this kind of evening at your home? Choose a date below — our kirtan team will travel to you.
A Tradition Rooted in the Same Story
The Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition ISKCON belongs to holds Rama in the same devotional regard as Krishna — both are understood as forms of the one Supreme. ISKCON, founded in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, carries this tradition forward. ISKCON is recognized globally as a leading institution for Gaudiya Vaishnava practice, and ISKCON of Silicon Valley has served the Bay Area’s devotional community for over 50 years.
Vijayadashami is the tenth-day culmination of Navratri’s nine nights: see the full nine-night story and its Vaishnava roots →
Rama’s Ramayana story continues past Vijayadashami: see how Diwali completes the arc with Rama’s return to Ayodhya →
Host Vijayadashami Kirtan at Your Home This Season
Whether you come straight from a Ramlila ground or a Durga Puja pandal, ISKCON of Silicon Valley can bring the celebration to you and make this Dussehra one to remember. Our devotees have led hundreds of home kirtan evenings across the Bay Area; see the energy for yourself on Instagram →
Book a Dussehra kirtan and katha session at your home →
Prefer to join a celebration at the temple instead? See the current Dussehra program schedule at ISKCON of Silicon Valley →
Contact ISKCON of Silicon Valley →
📲 Bring a kirtan program to your home
Trained devotees travel to you and lead a two-hour devotional evening — bhajans, katha, and arati with dance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Vijayadashami mean?
Vijayadashami combines vijaya (victory) and dashami (tenth day), marking the tenth day of Navratri. It is also called Dussehra or Dasara depending on the region.
Why is Dussehra celebrated?
Dussehra marks two parallel victories: Lord Rama’s defeat of the demon king Ravana, concluding the Ramayana’s central conflict, and Goddess Durga’s defeat of the buffalo-demon Mahishasura, concluding the nine nights of Navratri. Both are understood as the triumph of righteousness.
Why are Ravana’s effigies burned on Dussehra?
Ravana’s ten heads are traditionally read as ten negative qualities that consumed him. Burning his effigy is a public ritual of self-examination, symbolizing the release of these same tendencies in oneself, not just the defeat of a mythological figure.
How are Dussehra and Durga Puja connected?
According to the Bengali Ramayana tradition, Lord Rama performed an untimely worship of Goddess Durga (Akal Bodhan) before defeating Ravana, seeking her blessing for victory. This is why Durga Puja’s autumn observance culminates on the same day, Vijayadashami, that marks Rama’s victory.
Can ISKCON provide kirtan for a home Dussehra gathering?
Yes. ISKCON of Silicon Valley offers a home kirtan and bhajan service where trained kirtan leaders can join a family’s own Dussehra or Vijayadashami gathering. Details are available on the home kirtan service page at iskconsv.com.
Kirtan Volunteer · ISKCON Silicon Valley
Gaurav has been leading bhajans and kirtans in Bay Area homes for more than 10 years. He teaches harmonium for kirtan on YouTube, shares bhajan albums on SoundCloud, and coordinates the Vrindavan Mellows home kirtan service across the San Francisco Bay Area.