HAPPY DEEPAVALI

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DEEPAVALI

By

 

SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

DEEPAVALI or Diwali means " a row of lights " . It falls on the last two

days of the dark half of Kartik (October-November). For some it is a

three-day festival. It commences with the Dhan-Teras, on the 13th day

of the dark half of Kartik, followed the next day by the Narak

Chaudas, the 14th day, and by Deepavali proper on the 15th day.

 

There are various alleged origins attributed to this festival. Some

hold that they celebrate the marriage of Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu. In

Bengal the festival is dedicated to the worship of Kali. It also

commemorates that blessed day on which the triumphant Lord Rama

returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. On this day also Sri

Krishna killed the demon Narakasura.

 

In South India people take an oil bath in the morning and wear new

clothes. They partake of sweetmeats. They light fireworks which are

regarded as the effigies of Narakasura who was killed on this day.

They greet one another, asking, " Have you had your Ganges bath? "

which actually refers to the oil bath that morning as it is regarded

as purifying as a bath in the holy Ganges.

 

Everyone forgets and forgives the wrongs done by others. There is an

air of freedom, festivity and friendliness everywhere. This festival

brings about unity. It instils charity in the hearts of people.

Everyone buys new clothes for the family. Employers, too, purchase

new clothes for their employees.

 

Waking up during the Brahmamuhurta (at 4a.m.) is a great blessing

from the standpoint of health, ethical discipline, efficiency in work

and spiritual advancement. It is on Deepavali that everyone wakes up

early in the morning. The sages who instituted this custom must have

cherished the hope that their descendents would realise its benefits

and make it a regular habit in their lives.

 

In a happy mood of great rejoicing village folk move about freely,

mixing with one another without any reserve, all enmity being

forgotten. People embrace one another with love. Deepavali is a great

unifying force. Those with keen inner spiritual ears will clearly

hear the voice of the sages, " O Children of God! unite, and love

all " . The vibrations produced by the greetings of love which fill the

atmosphere are powerful enough to bring about a change of heart in

every man and woman in the world. Alas! That heart has considerably

hardened, and only a continuous celebration of Deepavali in our homes

can rekindle in us the urgent need of turning away from the ruinous

path of hatred.

 

On this day Hindu merchants in North India open their new account

books and pray for success and prosperity during the coming year. The

homes are cleaned and decorated by day and illuminated by night with

earthern oil-lamps. The best and finest illuminations are to be seen

in Bombay and Amritsar. The famous Golden Temple at Amritsar is lit

in the evening with thousands of lamps placed all over the steps of

the big tank. Vaishnavites celebrate the Govardhan Puja and feed the

poor on a large scale.

 

O Ram! The light of lights, the self-luminous inner light of the Self

is ever shining steadily in the chamber of your heart. Sit quietly.

Close your eyes. Withdraw the senses. Fix the mind on this supreme

light and enjoy the real Deepavali, by attaining illumination of the

soul.

 

He who Himself sees all but whom no one beholds, who illumines the

intellect, the sun, the moon and the stars and the whole universe but

whom they cannot illumine, He indeed is Brahman, He is the inner

Self. Celebrate the real Deepavali by living in Brahman, and enjoy

the eternal bliss of the soul.

 

The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon and the stars, nor do

lightnings shine and much less fire. All the lights of the world

cannot be compared even to a ray of the inner light of the Self.

Merge yourself in this light of lights and enjoy the supreme

Deepavali.

 

Many Deepavali festivals have come and gone. Yet the hearts of the

vast majority are as dark as the night of the new moon. The house is

lit with lamps, but the heart is full of the darkness of ignorance. O

man! wake up from the slumber of ignorance. Realise the constant and

eternal light of the Soul which neither rises nor sets, through

meditation and deep enquiry.

 

May you all attain full inner illumination! May the supreme light of

lights enlighten your understanding! May you all attain the

inexhaustible spiritual wealth of the Self! May you all prosper

gloriously on the material as well as spiritual planes!

 

 

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jAI SHREE KRISHNA 1