SHUBODAYAM...Indian culture

[Guest guest]

Indian culture is admired and respected all over the world for its

beauty and depth. Almost every Indian custom and tradition has either a

scientific, logical, historical, social or spiritual

significance.Understanding this lends meaning to an otherwise

mechanical following of the customs which are ofter misunderstood to be

mere superstitions that fade away in time...

Daily i will be sharing. some of the explanations written by GREAT GURUJI...WHY DO WE LIGHT LAMP?

In almost every Indian home a lamp is lit daily before the altar of the

LORD. In some houses it is lit at dawn, in some, twice a day - at dawn

and dusk - and in a few it is maintained continously ( AKKANDA DEEPA).

All auspicious functions and moments like daily worship, rituals and

festivals and even many social occasions like inaugurations commence

with the lighting of the lamp, which is often maintained right through

the occasion.

Light symbolizes knowledge, and darkness ignorance. The

LORD is the " Knowledge Principle " (Chaitanya ) who is the source, the

enlivener and the illuminator of all knowledge. Hence light is

worshipped as the LORD Himself.

Knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes darkness.

Also knowledge is a lasting inner wealth by which all outer achievement

can be accomplished. Hence we light the lamp to bow down to knowledge

as the reatest of all forms of wealth. Knowledge backs all our actions

whether goo or bad. We therfore keep a lamp lit during all auspicious

occasions as a witness to our thoughts and actions.

Why no light a bulb or tube light? That too would

remove darkness. But the traditional oil lamp has a further spiritual

significance. The oil or ghee in the lamp symbolizes our Vassanas or

negetive tendencies and the wice, the ego. When lit by spiritual

knowledge, the Vasanas get slowly exhausted and the ego too finally

perishes. The flame of a lamp always burns upwards. Similarly we shluld

acquire such knowledge as to take us towards higher ideals.

A single lamp can light hundreds more just as a man

of knowledge can give it to many more. So too knowledge does not lessen

when shared with or imparted to others. On the contrary it increases in

clarit and conviction on giving.It benefits both the receiver and the

giver.

While lighting the lamp we pray... DEEPAJYOTIHI PARABRAHMA DEEPA SARVA TAMOPAHAHA DEEPENA SADHYATE SARVAM SANDHYAA DEEPO NAMOSTUTE...

I prostate to the dawn/ dusk lamp, whose light is the knowledge

PRinciple ( the Supreme Lord) Which removes the darkness of ignorance

and by which all can be achieved in life. -- OM GURU NATHA

SAI GURU NATHA