Traditionally, on the Vijaya Dasami day during the Dussehera celebrations, weapons of war are worshipped. It is called Ayudha Puja (Ayudha’ means weapon). Baba says, ‘The six evil tendencies which envelop man’s nature and act as hindrances to his spiritual progress, viz., kama (desire), krodha (anger), lobha (avarice, miserliness), moha (infatuation), mada (pride an arrogance) and matsarya (jealousy), should also be likewise worshipped.’ But here, there is a subtle difference. Their worship consists of turning them towards God so that, instead of obstructing the aspirant’s progress, they would actually help it. Thus, the very tendencies which are ordinarily considered to be evil are metamorphised into good. How can it be possible? Let us hear what Baba says:

‘Kama’ is intense, compulsive desire. Direct it towards God. It then changes into a craving to have darshan of the Lord, to win His favour, to obtain his Grace. Kama takes the shape of eagerness to reach God.

‘Krodha’ means anger. Turn it towards God and ask angrily, ‘Why has He not come to me? How long should I keep waiting? What fault have I committed? Why does He not bestow His Grace on me?’ Hold it all against Him and persist with your impatience. Your anger is transformed into determination, a positive beneficial trait in your life.

‘Lobha’ means miserliness. When you turn it towards God you begin to feel intense possessiveness. You feel, ‘He belongs to me and to me only’. ‘He is my Lord and I belong to none else’, your mind cries out; it intensely desires to get hold of God, to possess Him totally and exclusively. Lobha transmutes itself into intense craving for God; and helps one to hold on to Him with single-minded possessiveness.

‘Moha’ means infatuation, loss of one’s sense of discrimination. When it is directed towards God, one feels that one cannot live without God; life in this world holds no charm, has no meaning any longer without the company of God. Then the mind refuses to hear to reason, cares for no one; it turns crazy in its longing for God. Moha transforms into blind and compulsive devotion to God.

‘Mada’ means pride coupled with arrogance. When you turn it towards God, you feel, ‘I have the support and grace of God; I have great clout; none can dare to cross my path; I fear nothing; how can God desert me?’ Such thinking changes mada into faith and trust in God.

‘Matsarya’ means jealousy. When it is directed towards God, you will feel, ‘My God, my own Lord is being enticed away by somebody; he is distancing me’. Such thoughts make you agitated, and you find that your matsarya is soon transformed into overpowering desire for closeness with God.

‘Lions in a circus dutifully obey the ring-master. Similarly if man’s six evil tendencies are subordinated to their Master, they lose their natural wildness and become subdued. This is the true meaning and significance of Ayudha Puja’. (Tapovanam, pp. 148-150)