Dashami tithi, especially the tenth day during the Shukla paksha or waxing or light phase of moon is considered highly auspicious for traveling. The reason for it is connected with the Vijaya Dashami festival which is observed on the Ashwin Shukla Paksha Dashami tithi.
The time that coincides with the Shravana constellation is
considered Vijaya. Therefore, this tithi is renowned as Vijaya Dashami.
The name Vijaya itself carries another significance.
This verse says:
“Yaṁ Vijayayogakāraṇād Vijaya Dashamī tasyate.”
That is, this tithi is associated with vijaya—victory or
triumph. Hence it is called Vijaya Dashami. In earlier times, kings used to
complete their rituals on this day, tie the sacred Aparajita creeper on their
hands, and set out on their Vijay Yatra—the conquest march. They were believed
to be invincible thereafter.
The Muhurta Chintāmaṇi text reiterates this ancient
belief—it states that the Dashami tithi of the bright fortnight of the month of
Ashwin, when joined with the Shravana constellation, is known as Vijaya. This
tithi grants success in all auspicious undertakings and brings victory and
peace to kings setting out on journeys.
Even the scholar Smarta Raghunandan states that if one
begins a military expedition after Dashami, he will not achieve victory for the
whole year. Hence, one must begin the campaign on Dashami itself—only then will
triumph be ensured. The meaning is clear: if you have a goal or ambition, you
should throw yourself into hard work starting from Dashami. Success will surely
come. If you delay or remain idle, defeat is inevitable.
Even texts like Kautilya’s Arthashastra mention this time as
the most auspicious period to begin a campaign of war. If a king is unable to
go to battle due to illness or family issues, he should at least send a
representative or symbol—such as a weapon—to mark the commencement.
That’s what the scriptures and commentators say. It is easy
to see why our grandmothers and elders used to say: “Return home on Vijaya day;
come again for Lakshmi Puja.” They believed that if you began a journey on
Vijaya Dashami, you would not suffer travel misfortune (yatra dosha) even if
you traveled on an inauspicious day later.