Day 4 of Diwali - New Year of Vikram or Samvat era

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Day 4 of Diwali - New Year of Vikram or Samvat era

 

 

Day 4 of Diwali is "Nutan Varsh' literally means 'dawn of the New

Year' - the Hindu New Year's day, of the Vikram era is Kartik Sud .

 

The first day of the Kartik has been ascribed with many legends. The

fourth day is also called "PADWA" or "VARSHAPRATIPADA" which marks

the coronation of King Vikramaditya and Vikaram-Samvat was started

from this Padwa day. It hails the New Year for those who follow the

Vikram or Samvat era. This day King Vikramaditya was believed to have

been coronated. For slightly speaking about Saturn, King Vikram was

avenged by Him for which Vikram loses his kingdom and had to undergo

seven and a half years' tortutous life of suffering including false

charges. In the end, after the set period of Saturn, and owing to

Saturn's mercy King regains his lost kingdom and happiness.

 

According to some it is also the day on which King Bali was made to

abdicate and sent to the nether world by Lord Vishnu, Thus, it is

termed as Balipratipada. Bali was a demon but was known so much for

his generosity the he even seemed to excel the Gods in merit. His

generosity became a cause of danger to Gods lest he became powerful

with his merit. Hence, Vishnu takes the incarnation of Vaman i.e. a

dwarf and goes to Bali. For alms, Vishnu in the garb of Vaman, asks

for a simple boon, that is to grant as much ground as he could

measure with his dwarfish three steps. The generous Bali, ignorant of

the true identity, agrees. The dwarf grows into a gigantic size and

the first step he covers the world, the next measure the upper world.

When asked where to keep the third step, Bali bows and offers his

head. Then Vaman pushes him to the nether world but makes him the

King to rule over the dead.

 

Govardhan-Puja is also performed in the North on this day. As per

Vishnu-Puran the people of Gokul used to celebrate a festival in

honour of Lord Indira and worshipped him after the end of every

monsoon season but one particular year the young Krishna stopped them

from offering prayers to Lord Indra who in terrific anger sent a

deluge to submerge Gokul. But Krishna saved his Gokul by lifting up

the Govardhan mountain and holding it over the people as an umbrella.

Govardhan is a small hillock in Braj, near Mathura and on this day of

Diwali people of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar build

cowdung, hillocks, decorate them with flowers and then worship them.

 

Some commemorate the day as the coronation of King Rama who it seems

was crowned after his exile. Illuminations on third occasion and King

Rama's reign symbolise the ushering in of spiritual light and

knowledge and removal of darkness or ignorance.

 

This day is also observed as Annakoot meaning mountain of food. In

temples specially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities are given

milkbath, dressed in shining attires with ornaments of dazzling

diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. After the prayers

and traditional worship innumerable varieties of delicious sweets are

ceremoniously raised in the form of a mountain before the deities

as "Bhog" and then the devotees approach the Mountain of Food and

take Prasad from it.

 

Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped in every Hindu household and her

blessings sought for success and happiness. This day is looked upon

as the most auspicious day to start any new venture. In many Hindu

homes it is a custom for the wife to put the red tilak on the

forehead of her husband, garland him and do his "Aarathi" with a

prayer for his long life. In appreciation of all the tender care that

the wife showers on him, the husband gives her a costly gift. This

Gudi Padwa is symbolic of love and devotion between the wife and

husband. On this day newly-married daughters with their husbands are

invited for special meals and given presents. In olden days brothers

went to fetch their sisters from their in-laws home for this

important day.