Amma on Deepavali-----

[Guest guest]

Deepavali - the Festival of Lights

 

 

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

festival each month. Deepavali (or Diwali) 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.

 

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 multi-coloured 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 coloured by the multi-hued lights of fireworks.

 

In North India, the Govardhana Puja occurs on the fourth day of

Diwali. Devotees in the North build hillocks made of cow dung,

symbolising Govardhana, 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

organise joyful celebrations of the annual Dhanvantari festival.

 

Naraka Chaturdashi

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

He was 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 Govardhana with his finger and sheltered all the people for a

period of seven days under it. By then Indra saw 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 grew up they went 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 message

of Deepavali: " 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 man's

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

realising 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 even light another 1000

lamps, still the flame and the light of the first lamp will remain

as it is. It loses nothing. By becoming manifold, the light loses

nothing. The lights of Deepavali represent Brahman and the creation.

It conveys the message of the mantra:

 

" Purnamada Purnamidam Purnaat purnamudachyate

Purnasya Purnamadaya Purnamevasishyate "

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 recognise that one

light, the light of consciousness, which is manifesting and

pulsating in and through all of creation is the goal of life. Thus

recognising 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 society. Passer-by may thereby be prevented from

stumbling on their way to reach their destination.

 

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

to those whose lives are in darkness is the true spirit of

Deepavali. This is true prayer.