विजयदशमी

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

Monier-Williams

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

विजयदशमी/ वि-जय--दशमी f. the 10th day of the light half of the month आश्विन, the day of the दश-हराetc. MW.

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

VIJAYADAŚAMĪ : A festival of Indians. As this festival is celebrated for nine nights from the 1st to the 9th in the bright lunar fortnight of the month of Kanni (Sep- tember-October) it is known as Navarātri (Nine nights) and as it continues up to Daśamī (the tenth night) it is called Dasra. The Hindus believe that the Vijaya- daśamī (the victorious tenth) was the day on which Devī Durgā killed Mahiṣāsura and got victory. So this day is considered to be a suitable moment to begin the learning of all the arts which would enable one to carry on a successful life. Sarasvatī is considered the trans- figuration of Durgā. As people became less superstiti- ous, they began to consider the story of killing Mahiṣā- sura as a metaphorical saying, to mean the killing of ignorance. So the day of victory of Devī Durgā (the same as Sarasvatī) is considered to be the auspicious moment for the beginning of learning. The warrior places his weapons, the man of literature his books and pen, the musician his musical instruments, at the feet of Devī and with devotion and worship receives them back from Devī on the Vijayadaśamī day at an auspicious moment.

This is a festival celebrated everywhere in India. In several native states this festival used to be celebrated under the sponsorship of the royal family as a State festival. As it is believed that Mahiṣāsura had lived in Mysore the celebration of Dasra in that State generally is on a grand scale. In Kerala, from olden times this festival was celebrated under the patronage of the Vañci Royal family.


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*6th word in right half of page 853 (+offset) in original book.