Toronto (Canada), October 26: Indo-Canadians came together in remarkable numbers to joyously celebrate Dussehra. Festive commemorations took place in numerous temples across the region, with Brampton’s Hindu Sabha temple being a focal point of the grandeur. A staggering crowd of over ten thousand individuals graced this auspicious occasion. The Indian diaspora converged in Brampton, where they relished the vibrant re-enactment of Ram Leela and the symbolic burning of Ravan’s effigy, all set against the backdrop of a spectacular fireworks display.
Speaking at the event Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities of Govt. of Canada said “As Hindus in Canada and across the world break their fast as Navratri ends, I wish everyone celebrating a very Happy Dussehra! This joyous celebration marks the victory of good over evil and the triumph of righteousness, symbolized by the victory of lord Rama over the demon Ravana.”
Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton said “Jai Shri Ram, wishing Brampton a prosperous Dussehra this evening. The turnout is incredible. May the triumph of good over evil inspire us all.”
Ruby Sahota, Member of Parliament, Brampton North stated that It’s an absolute pleasure to celebrate Dussehra with the community in Brampton; Dussehra is a major Hindu festival celebrating the victory of good over evil. Like past years, this year, the Hindu Sabha Mandir entertained the thousands of people in attendance with a beautiful rendition of Ramlila, a dramatic performance of the story of Lord Rama, teaching the harm of letting one’s vices take control. At the end of the play an effigy of the demon Ravana, built 4 stories high was lit on fire, signifying the victory of Lord Rama.
Swami Advaitananda Giri, Chairman of, the International Meditation Foundation explained that “The ten heads of Ravan are symbolic and they are interpreted as Ego, Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment, Selfishness, Jealousy, Arrogance, Ignorance & Injustice.
Meditation practices can be a transformative path to convert the ten sins associated with Ravana into ten virtues. Through deep introspection and mindfulness, individuals can dismantle their ego by recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings. Lust can be transmuted into a deep appreciation for the beauty of life without attachment. Anger can be replaced with inner peace and emotional balance. Greed can be replaced by contentment and generosity. Attachment can transform into detachment, allowing one to let go gracefully as explained by Swami Advaitananda Giri.
Swami Advaitananda Giri further stated “Selfishness can be dissolved by cultivating selflessness. Jealousy can be overcome through practicing gratitude and celebrating others’ successes. Arrogance can be humbled by recognizing our inherent limitations. Ignorance can be dispelled through knowledge and wisdom gained from meditation. Injustice can be replaced by a commitment to fairness and compassion towards all. Ultimately, meditation fosters self-awareness and helps individuals cultivate virtues that align with a more harmonious and compassionate way of living.”
Swami Advaitananda Giri, who advocated for the inclusion of universal human values in India’s National Education Policy 2020, suggested that Canada and other part of the world should also make Universal Human Values as part of their education curriculum. In America, US CDC 2021 reports that 32.4% overall population is affected with Anxiety or Depression disorders, out of this 46.6% of youth in the age group of 18-29 were also reported to be affected with Anxiety or Depression disorders.
A serious question arises If 32.4% population is having serious mental health issues like anxiety or depression then It can be safely presumed that to have an anxiety or depression rate of 32.4 %, there must be a need for at least 3 times more sad people in the population, this leads to 32.4% x 3 = 97.2% of the total population. If 97.2% population is sad then there is a likelihood that 99% population must be experiencing the emotions of worry, fear, the feeling of failure, etc… The feeling of worry forms the basis of sadness, sadness leads to anxiety or depression, and further anxiety or depression results in the very serious act of suicide or violent behavior.
Depression or anxiety doesn’t occur directly. It is caused in progressive stages out of the feeling of sadness or dejection etc… As the sadness or dejection type of emotions deepens then only it will take the shape of depression or anxiety, not straightway. This means that depression or anxiety is an outcome of the prevalence of sadness among the larger population. For example, if one person has been diagnosed with depression or anxiety that means behind this there must be at least three people or more who were already experiencing sadness or dejection type of emotional imbalance explained Swami Advaitananda Giri.
If you have any objection to this press release content, kindly contact pr.error.rectification@gmail.com to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 24 hours.
The post How to Transform Ravan’s 10 Sins into Virtues: Insights from Swami Advaitananda Giri appeared first on City Lights.
