Burning Ravana Within: Character Building through GMCKS’ Teachings

Every year, as autumn dawns and the effigies of Ravana blaze into ash, we are reminded: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) is not simply a celebration of Rama’s victory—it is an invitation to wage war within. To those who observe keenly, the spectacle points to a far deeper battlefield: the psyche.

Ravana’s ten heads symbolize the ten inner enemies—lust, anger, greed, pride, envy, delusion, attachment, ego, weak will, and drifting mind—that cling to our consciousness. When the outer enemy is destroyed, the deeper enemy remains hidden unless we consciously face it.

GMCKS teaches five virtues (each having two complementary aspects) that are the pillars of character building and spiritual growth. In this blog I offer a map: how each of those virtues, when practiced in its pair of aspects, can help us slay a corresponding head of Ravana. If Dussehra is your alarm bell, this is how to answer it in daily life.

The Five Virtues: A Quick Recap

As per GMCKS:

1. Loving Kindness & Non-Injury

2. Generosity & Non-Stealing

3. Accurate Perception & Correct Expression

4. Constancy of Aim & Effort & Non-Laziness

5. Moderation & Non-Excessiveness

In his teachings, GMCKS emphasizes that virtues exist in pairs: a passive or receptive side (non-injury, non-stealing, non-laziness, non-excessiveness) and an active, affirmative side (loving kindness, generosity, accurate perception, effort, moderation). The passive side alone is insufficient; we must also actively cultivate the affirmative.

Let us now pair each virtue (two aspects) with two specific Ravana heads (vices) and explore how to transform.

1. Loving Kindness & Non-Injury

Vices to conquer: Anger (Krodha) & Ego (Ahamkara)

Loving Kindness → antidote to Anger (Krodha)

Anger (Krodha) is often described as “one moment of anger can destroy years of merit.” Ravana’s head of Krodha shows how uncontrolled fury not only blinds judgment but also leaves devastation behind. In everyday life, anger alienates relationships, damages health, and drains spiritual energy.

Loving kindness is its exact opposite. It is not sentimental softness; rather, it is a deliberate cultivation of goodwill. When we choose to see the other person’s humanity—even when they have wronged us—anger loses its fire.

Practical examples:

• When a family member provokes you, instead of snapping back, take three breaths and silently bless them.

• In traffic, instead of shouting, think: “May all beings reach home safely.”

• In professional conflicts, approach with calm curiosity rather than instant retaliation.

This doesn’t mean tolerating abuse—it means responding wisely, not reactively. Loving kindness transforms situations by cooling the heat of anger into constructive response.

Non-Injury → restraint of Ego (Ahamkara)

Ego (Ahamkara) is another of Ravana’s heads. Ego demands superiority—“I must win,” “I must be right,” “I must be praised.” This craving for recognition often causes the greatest harm.

Non-injury is not just physical non-violence; it extends to thoughts, words, and intentions. It means holding back sharp words that would wound, refraining from humiliating others even if you “win” the argument, and avoiding sarcasm that cuts deeper than a blade.

When the ego wants to dominate, non-injury teaches humility. For instance:

• At work, you may have a better solution, but non-injury means presenting it respectfully, without belittling others.

• In family, it may mean holding your tongue rather than “proving” you are right.

• In teaching or leadership, it means correcting without shaming.

• 
  

Together: Loving kindness cools the fire of anger, while non-injury softens the sharpness of ego. The two together behead Ravana’s most destructive tendencies—hate and pride.

2. Generosity & Non-Stealing

Vices to conquer: Greed (Lobha) & Attachment/Delusion (Moha)

Generosity → antidote to Greed (Lobha)

Greed (Lobha) is the restless head that is never satisfied. It whispers: “Just a little more wealth, more success, more possessions.” Ravana’s Lobha shows how insatiable appetite leads to downfall.

Generosity breaks greed’s grip. GMCKS often reminded students: “Generosity brings prosperity.” By giving—time, money, service, knowledge—we open a channel. Instead of clutching, we circulate. The more we share, the less power greed has.

Everyday practice of generosity:

• Donate part of your earnings monthly.

• Give attention to someone who feels unseen.

• Share your skills without expecting immediate returns.

• Practice “generosity of spirit”—praising, encouraging, uplifting.

Generosity builds trust, goodwill, and inner expansion. It teaches us that true wealth is not accumulation but circulation.

Non-Stealing → restraint on Attachment / Delusion (Moha)

Moha is attachment born of delusion—the false belief that “this is mine forever.” It binds us to people, possessions, and identities. Ravana’s Moha prevented him from seeing reality clearly.

Non-stealing is not only about not taking material goods. It includes:

• Not stealing credit for others’ work.

• Not stealing others’ time by being habitually late.

• Not stealing attention by dominating conversations.

• Not stealing energy by constant negativity.

On the subtler level, it means not “stealing” freedom from loved ones by clinging or controlling. It teaches detachment with love.

Together: Generosity loosens the grasp of greed; non-stealing loosens the chains of attachment. They release the heart into freedom, countering Ravana’s Lobha and Moha.

3. Accurate Perception & Correct Expression

Vices to conquer: Pride (Mada) & Envy (Mātsarya)

Accurate Perception → antidote to Pride (Mada)

Pride (Mada) is dangerous because it blinds us. Ravana’s immense knowledge became poison when pride corrupted it. Pride says, “I already know,” and shuts the door to growth.

Accurate perception clears that fog. It is the discipline of seeing reality as it is, not as ego wants it to be. It requires humility to admit: “I may be wrong,” “I may not see the full picture.”

Practical applications:

• In personal disputes, pausing to see the other’s perspective before judging.

• In career, recognizing your limits and seeking mentorship instead of overestimating yourself.

• In spiritual practice, acknowledging that progress requires humility, not arrogance.

Accurate perception makes us realistic, balanced, and open to truth—qualities that dissolve pride.

Correct Expression → antidote to Envy (Mātsarya)

Envy (Mātsarya) is corrosive: it resents others’ success and undermines joy. Ravana’s envy blinded him to Rama’s greatness, making him bitter rather than inspired.

Correct expression heals envy by teaching us how to communicate rightly. It is not just about speaking truth, but speaking it in the right tone, at the right time, with the right intent.

Instead of gossip or sarcasm, correct expression means:

• Offering genuine praise when someone does well.

• Expressing disagreement without hostility.

• Admitting one’s envy rather than letting it fester.

• Using words to uplift rather than pull down.

This transforms envy into inspiration. Others’ success becomes fuel for growth rather than cause for bitterness.

Together: Accurate perception clears the distortion of pride; correct expression purifies the poison of envy. They together dismantle Ravana’s heads of Mada and Mātsarya.

4. Constancy of Aim & Effort & Non-Laziness

Vices to conquer: Chitta (Weak Will) & Manas (Drifting Mind)

Constancy of Aim & Effort → antidote to Chitta (Weak Will)

One of Ravana’s heads, Chitta, represents weak willpower—the inability to stand by one’s decisions or goals. This weakness leads to inconsistency: today inspired, tomorrow discouraged.

Constancy of Aim and Effort is the medicine. It is the virtue of perseverance—choosing one direction and walking it daily. In spiritual practice, this means continuing meditation, service, or ethical living even when results are not immediate. In personal life, it means staying the course on health, learning, or family responsibilities.

Just as a river carves valleys not in a day but through persistence, constancy shapes character. When weak will rises—when we want to give up—the virtue of constancy strengthens resolve: “I began this path; I will continue.”

Non-Laziness → antidote to Manas (Drifting Mind)

Another head of Ravana, Manas, symbolizes a restless, drifting mind—flitting from one desire to another, from one distraction to the next. Modern life offers endless temptations: scrolling feeds, constant entertainment, shallow pursuits.

Non-laziness is not mere busyness; it is purposeful engagement. It means refusing procrastination and mental idleness. It is choosing focus over drift, action over delay.

When we practice non-laziness, we prevent our mind from scattering. For example: setting aside time for study or spiritual practice and keeping it sacred. Or beginning a difficult task without postponement.

Together: Constancy of aim steadies direction, while non-laziness powers consistent movement. They behead the twin enemies of weak will and drifting mind.

5. Moderation & Non-Excessiveness

Vices to conquer: Kama (Lust) & Excess Lobha (Overindulgence)

Moderation → antidote to Kama (Lust)

Kama, or uncontrolled desire, is another of Ravana’s heads. Desire itself is not evil—without it, we would not grow. But uncontrolled lust enslaves.

Moderation is balance. It teaches us to enjoy life’s pleasures without being possessed by them. In food, relationships, ambitions—moderation creates harmony. It transforms lust into healthy affection, craving into contentment.

For example: enjoying a meal but not overeating, engaging in intimacy with respect and love rather than objectification, striving for success without trampling others. Moderation allows pleasure without bondage.

Non-Excessiveness → antidote to Overindulgence (Excess Lobha)

Beyond raw desire lies excess—the inability to stop. Overindulgence drains vitality, clouds judgment, and weakens will.

Non-excessiveness is the firm boundary line. It reminds us: enough is enough. It means consciously monitoring where indulgence crosses into harm.

For instance: enjoying social media for a set time rather than hours, accepting wealth but refusing greed’s hoarding impulse, celebrating achievements without letting pride spill over.

Together: Moderation tempers lust, non-excessiveness halts overindulgence. These virtues allow us to live richly without being devoured by cravings.

From Ashes to Ascent: The Renewal of Character

This Dussehra, may our gaze go beyond the burning effigy and pierce into our own hearts. Let the festival be not just external spectacle, but inner milestone. The ten heads of Ravana in myth reflect the ten thorns in our psyche. The five virtues taught by GMCKS are not distant ideals—they are precise tools to dismember those thorns.

As the flames rise outside, let the inner fire of conviction burn the roots—not just the branches—of ego, anger, greed, pride, envy, weak will, drifting mind, lust, and overindulgence. At the end, may we rise renewed.