Navaratri was observed at all Sivanandashrams and some of the Society’s branches from Monday, 22 September 2025 to Wednesday 1 October 2025. Vijaya Dasami was observed on Thursday, 2 October 2025. The programme on Thursday, 2 October 2025 at Sivanandashram, Reservoir Hills, commenced with Ganga Arati at 5.30pm and Satsang thereafter. The Satsang programme comprised a reading, Kirtans and Bhajans. 

Excerpts from the reading on Vijaya Dasami, from Sri Swami Sivananda’s book, Hindu Fasts and Festivals, appear below.

“Durga Puja or Navaratri commences on the first and ends on the tenth day of the bright half of Aswayuja (September-October)…The tenth day is called Vijaya Dasami or Dusserah.

“The mother of Durga, that is the wife of the King of the Himalayas, longed to see her daughter. Durga was permitted by Lord Siva to visit Her beloved mother for only nine days in the year. The festival of Durga Puja marks this brief visit and ends with the Vijaya Dasami day, when Goddess Durga leaves for Her return to Mount Kailas. This is the view of some devotees. 

“Devi fought with Bhandasura and his forces for nine days and nine nights. This Bhandasura had a wonderful birth and life. When Lord Siva burnt Cupid with the fire of His "third eye", Sri Ganesha playfully moulded a figure out of the ashes, and the Lord breathed life into it. This was the terrible demon Bhandasura. He engaged himself in great penance and on account of it obtained a boon from Lord Siva. With the help of that boon, he began harassing the worlds. The Divine Mother fought against him for nine nights – the demons have extraordinary strength during the night - and killed him on the evening of the tenth day, known as Vijaya Dasami.

“The tenth day - Vijaya Dasami - marks the triumphant victory of the soul in having attained freedom and liberation while living in this world, through the descent of divine knowledge by the Grace of Goddess Saraswati. The soul rests in its own Supreme Self or Satchidananda Brahman. This day celebrates victory and the achievement of the goal. The banner of victory flies aloft. Lo I am He! I am He!

“The learning of any Science is begun on this highly auspicious Vijaya Dasami day. It was on this day that Arjuna worshipped Devi before starting the battle against the Kauravas on the field of Kurukshetra.

“Sri Rama worshipped Durga at the time of the fight with Ravana, to invoke Her aid in the war. This was on the days preceding Vijaya Dasami. He fought and won through Her Grace.

“This day, however, has much to do with the life of Sri Rama. Nowhere in the history of the world can we find a parallel to the character of Sri Rama as a man, son, brother, husband, father or king. Rishi Valmiki has exhausted all the superlatives in describing the might and glory of Sri Rama. We shall be celebrating Dusserah rightly if we make honest efforts to destroy the demon of our ego, and radiate peace and love wherever we go.

“Let us all resolve to become men of sterling and pure character. Let us resolve and act. The story of Sri Rama is known in almost all parts of the globe, and if we but succeed in following even a hundredth part of His teachings, we shall make our lives more fragrant than the rose and more lustrous than gold!

“Dusserah can also be interpreted as "Dasa-Hara", which means the cutting of the ten heads of Ravana. So, let us resolve today to cut the ten heads - passion, pride, anger, greed, infatuation, lust, hatred, jealousy, selfishness and crookedness - of the demon, ego, and thus justify the celebration of Dusserah”.

The following poignant message of the Divine Master sums up the esoteric meaning of this great observance, “May you celebrate this Dusserah with full faith and sincere devotion. May Durga give the milk of Divine wisdom to Her children and lift them to magnanimous heights of Divine splendour and glory, the imperishable state of Kaivalaya and eternal Sunshine!”