Navaratri 2026 – Vijayadashami: Do Something Worthwhile

Navaratri 2026 · Vijayadashami · October 20, 2026

I woke up in Brahma muhurta at 4 am sharp. I wanted to make sure that I am debt free and all the bills are paid, before this auspicious day began, to welcome Ma Durga, slayer of demon Mahishasur, and Shri Rama, the slayer of demon Ravana.

DuSahas kar ke apne ‘EGO’ roopiey ‘RAWAN’ ko JALLA diya.. toh samjho RAMRAJYA mein ho gaye agrasar!
Kenny Lakhani

My Memoir Is Now Online

I am pleased to inform you that at 4:53 am I published my memoir on my website. It is readily available worldwide on my website for anyone who wants to read it. It may not be acclaimed worldwide, but I care more about it being easily accessible worldwide.

Morning Walk at Marine Park and Gerritsen Creek

At 5:30 I went to bed and snoozed for much needed rest for two hours. Today I went out for morning walk when the sun was shining high up in the sky and sunshine was spread all across Marine Park and Gerritsen Creek.

Morning sun through the trees at Marine Park, Brooklyn

Sunshine through the trees at Marine Park

Long tree shadows across the grass at Marine Park on Vijayadashami morning

Tree shadows across Marine Park

Sun shining over the open field at Marine Park

Sun over the Marine Park field

Sunlight through an oak tree at Marine Park

Oak tree in the morning light

Sunburst through the trees at Marine Park

Sunburst over Marine Park

Sun over the salt marsh at Gerritsen Creek, Brooklyn

Gerritsen Creek in the morning sun

Blue and green hammock hanging in a garden on the morning walk — Hammock on morning walk beat

A Joyful Note of Tweety

The day started on a joyful note of Tweety.

Vandana Ranjan smiling in a red Tweety T-shirt beside paper flower wall art — Day began joyously with Tweety

A Day of Minutiae

By the time I returned, it was getting close to work hours. Today I was bogged in minutiae, because some administrative work required urgent attention.

Evening Celebration and a Message of Thankfulness

I joined the evening celebration at the temple and it closed with a beautiful message of thankfulness. Be thankful to Mother Earth for bearing your weight. Be thankful and grateful for this precious human life and do something worthwhile.

Which leads me to Maithili Sharan Gupt’s inspirational poem:

नर हो, न निराश करो मन को
Nar Ho, Na Nirash Karo Man Ko · Maithili Sharan Gupt

कुछ काम करो, कुछ काम करो
जग में रह कर कुछ नाम करो
यह जन्म हुआ किस अर्थ अहो
समझो जिसमें यह व्यर्थ न हो
कुछ तो उपयुक्त करो तन को
नर हो, न निराश करो मन को।

संभलो कि सुयोग न जाय चला
कब व्यर्थ हुआ सदुपाय भला
समझो जग को न निरा सपना
पथ आप प्रशस्त करो अपना
अखिलेश्वर है अवलंबन को
नर हो, न निराश करो मन को।

जब प्राप्त तुम्हें सब तत्त्व यहाँ
फिर जा सकता वह सत्त्व कहाँ
तुम स्वत्त्व सुधा रस पान करो
उठके अमरत्व विधान करो
दवरूप रहो भव कानन को
नर हो, न निराश करो मन को।

निज गौरव का नित ज्ञान रहे
हम भी कुछ हैं यह ध्यान रहे
मरणोत्तर गुंजित गान रहे
सब जाय अभी पर मान रहे
कुछ हो न तजो निज साधन को
नर हो, न निराश करो मन को।

प्रभु ने तुमको कर दान किए
सब वांछित वस्तु विधान किए
तुम प्राप्त करो उनको न अहो
फिर है यह किसका दोष कहो
समझो न अलभ्य किसी धन को
नर हो, न निराश करो मन को।

किस गौरव के तुम योग्य नहीं
कब कौन तुम्हें सुख भोग्य नहीं
जन हो तुम भी जगदीश्वर के
सब है जिसके अपने घर के
फिर दुर्लभ क्या उसके जन को
नर हो, न निराश करो मन को।

करके विधि वाद न खेद करो
निज लक्ष्य निरन्तर भेद करो
बनता बस उद्यम ही विधि है
मिलती जिससे सुख की निधि है
समझो धिक् निष्क्रिय जीवन को
नर हो, न निराश करो मन को
कुछ काम करो, कुछ काम करो।

Read the English translation of Nar Ho, Na Nirash Karo Man Ko (translated by Shanta Sapra).

A Subway Poem to Close

I close the day with this subway poem.

Poetry in Motion poster of Harlem Snapshot by José Olivarez on the subway — Harlem Snapshot by José Olivarez, Poetry in Motion

Navaratri 2026 series: Read the previous day, Navami; the Ashtami and Saptami posts, Animal Spirits and Sunset to Moonrise; and see all Navaratri 2026 posts.