Diwali Cards

[Guest guest]

Y'all:

 

Just a short note to let you know that Blue Mountain Greeting cards have

Diwali (Oct 26th to 30th) greeting cards and a few other Hindi cards to send

your Amma friends.

 

Blue Mountain is at: http://www2.bluemountain.com/

 

Peter

[Guest guest]

> Just a short note to let you know that Blue Mountain Greeting cards have

> Diwali (Oct 26th to 30th) greeting cards

 

Could one of our brothers or sisters familiar with Hindu tradition please

tell us ignorant westerners what Diwali is about? I learned so much from the

wonderful post on Navraratri (sp?) and would appreciate further education.

 

Jai Ma.

 

Kenna

[Guest guest]

Dear Kenna,

There is an explanation of Diwali on the Amritapuri website. The page address

is:

http://www.amritapuri.org/cultural/bharat/deepavali.htm

-Amalia-

[Guest guest]

Dear Kenna,

 

I got the following article about Deepvali (or Diwali) from one of Mother's

web sites, though I don't know which one:

 

Deepavali - The Festival of Light

India is a land of festivals where you will see at least one major festival

each month. Deepavali which literally means rows of lamps is one of the four

main festivals of India. Throughout the world all Hindus celebrate Deepavali

or Diwali with great pomp and enthusiasm.

 

In India festivals are not just days for festivities. The tradition has been

so molded by the sages of yore that these festivals contribute to the

physical, material and spiritual upliftment of mankind. Festivals are marked

by certain observances, like fasting, oil massages before bath, doing

particular pujas and abstinence, etc. In the Indian tradition all your needs,

be it at a totally gross level is channelised through the Divine. So if you

want to have material prosperity you worship Lakshmi Devi - the Goddess of

Prosperity; if you want knowledge you worship Saraswati Devi - the Goddess of

Learning and so on. Though the Hindus basically believe in one Supreme Divine

Entity, to meet the differing needs and mindsets of different people the

different aspects of the Supreme are worshipped as different Gods and

Goddesses.

 

The celebration of Diwali lasts six days, beginning on the 12th day of the

month of Kartik (as per the North Indian lunar calendar). The day before

Diwali, in order to evoke the grace of God, women fast. It is not that God

wants you to go hungry or takes pleasure in your suffering - the principle is

that you gain only by giving up. That evening, devotees worship Gomata (the

cow) and her calf and feed them special food. Women pray for the welfare of

the entire family. This holy day is called Vasubaras.

 

The first official day of Diwali falls on the 13th of Kartik. People set

about cleaning houses and shops, and decorating doorsteps and courtyards with

rangoli or multicolored designs. They purchase gold ornaments, new vessels,

clothes, and other such items. Devotees arise early in the morning before

sunrise and take oil baths. If possible, they wear new clothes. In the

evening, people worship coins representing wealth. Houses and courtyards glow

from the lights, and families decorate with lanterns. This day of celebration

is called Dhantrayodashi or Dhanteras.

 

The second day is called Naraka Chaturdashi. People take an oil bath in the

early morning and then in the night they light lamps and burn firecrackers.

People visit their relatives and friends, exchanging love and sweets.

 

On the third day, people worship Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. People

decorate their houses with lit lamps and lanterns to welcome Lakshmi to their

home and hearts. On this day businessmen close old accounts and open new

accounts. The earth is lit up by lamps and the skies are colored by the

multihued of fireworks.

 

In North India, the Govardhan Puja occurs on the fourth day of Diwali.

Devotees in the North build hillocks made of cow dung, symbolizing Govardhan,

and decorate and worship them. North Indians observe this day as Annakoot, or

the mountain of food.

 

The fifth day of the festival called Bhaiyya Dooj celebrates unique and fun

customs. Every man dines in his sister's house, and, in return, presents her

with gifts. North India calls it Yama Dwitiya. Thousands of brothers and

sisters join hands and have a sacred bath in the river Yamuna.

 

The legends

Dhanteras

The scriptures mention the divinity called Dhanvantari emerging from the

churning of the ocean with a kalash (pot) filled with Amrit (ambrosia). Due

to the fact that Dhanvantari, who revealed the science of Ayurveda to the

world, first manifested on this day, all over India, doctors following the

Ayurvedic system of medicine organize joyful celebrations of the annual

Dhanvantari festival.

 

Naraka ChaturdashChaturdashii

There is legend about a king of Prag-Jyotishpur, named Narakasura A powerful

king who misused power to harass his subjects. Sri Krishna destroyed this

oppressive asura king on this day. Unjustly imprisoned people celebrated

their freedom with friends and family. The citizens celebrated deliverance

from Narkasura`s reign by lighting lamps.

Sri Rama

 

Deepavali falls on a no-moon day - in fact the darkest day of the year. The

illuminations and fireworks, joy and festivities, are to signify the victory

of divine forces over the powers of darkness. On Deepavali day, triumphant

Sri Rama is said to have returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the

asura king of Lanka.

 

Goddess Lakshmi Devi

The Puranas say that it was on this day that Goddess Lakshmi, who emerged

from the churning of the ocean of milk, married Lord Vishnu, the repository

of all divine qualities.

 

Govardhana Puja

In order to shelter the gopis and gopas and their cows from the torrential

rains sent by Indra, Krishna lifted a hill near Mathura called Govardhan with

his finger and sheltered all the people for a period of seven days under it.

By then Indra Krishna's greatness and asked him for forgiveness.

 

Bhaiyya Dooj

The river Yamuna and Yama the God of Death were brother and sister. As they

grow up they go their different ways. On this day Yama, supposedly visited

his sister Yamuna, who in her joy at seeing her brother after such a long

interlude set up a feast for him. Pleased, Yama granted her a boon. He

declared that every man that receives a tilak or vermilion mark on the

forehead from his sister and presents her with lovely gifts on this day would

attain higher worlds.

 

The message of Deepavali

The traditional name of India is Bharata and Indians are Bharatias - or those

who revel in light. During the night of Deepavali the myriad little clay

lamps (diyas) seem to silently send forth Deepavali message: "Come let us

remove darkness from the face of the earth."

 

The dharma of the fire is the same wherever it is: in a poor mans house, in a

rich man's house, in America, in Antarctica, or in the Himalayas. It gives

light and heat. The flame of the light is always turned up. Even if we keep

the lamp upside down, the flame will burn upwards. The message is that our

mind should be focused on Atman, the Self wherever we are. The lamps remind

us of our dharma of realizing our divine nature.

 

"The Self is self luminous being pure Consciousness. The cognition of all

objects arises from the light of pure Consciousness." -says Bhrihadaranyaka

Upanishad

 

One lamp can light several others. You can light another thousand of lamps.

Still the flame and the light of the first lamp will remain as it is. It

loses nothing. By becoming manifold, the light gains nothing. The lights of

Deepavali represent Brahman and the creation. It conveys the message of the

mantra:

"Poornamada: Poornamidam Poornaat poornamudachyate

Poornasya Poornamadaya Poornamevasishyate"

 

The rows of lamps teach yet another important lesson and that is of unity.

The light that shines forth from the Sun, the moon, the stars, the fire is

all the same. To see and recognize that one light, the light of

consciousness, which is manifesting and pulsating in and through all of

creation is the goal of life. Thus recognizing all of creation to be an

expression of your true Self spread the light of love and compassion.

 

The lights of Deepavali are displayed at the entrance doors, by the walls of

houses, in the streets and lanes. This means that the inner spiritual light

of the individual must be reflected outside. It should benefit the society.

Passersby may thereby be prevented from stumbling on their way to reach their

destination.

 

Feeding empty stomachs, lighting blown-out diyas and bringing light to the

those whose lives are in darkness is the true spirit of Deepavali. This is

true prayer.

 

 

 

Jai Ma!

Vaishnavi