very significant in Hinduism. Known as the "Festival of Lights,"
it symbolizes the victory of good over evil, and lamps are lit as
a sign of celebration and hope for humankind. Celebrations
focus on lights and lamps, particularly traditional dīpa or deeya
(earthen lamp, as illustrated). Fireworks are associated with the
festival. Diwali is a colloquial name used in North India, while
the festival is formally called Deepavali in South India.
To Hindus, darkness represents ignorance, and light is a
metaphor for knowledge. Therefore, lighting a lamp symbolizes
the destruction,through knowledge, of all negative forces-
wickedness, violence, lust, anger, envy, greed, bigotry, fear,
injustice, oppression and suffering, etc.These represent asura
(demon)qualities to be killed.
"Thamasomaa jyotirgamaya" (Lead me from darkness to light)
is a Upanishadic prayer. Deepavali is celebrated on
Chathurdasi (the fourteenth day) in the month of Karthik. It is
Amavasya(New Moon day). the effulgence of light should not
be treated as a trivial phenomenon. Along with lighting the
external lamps, men should strive to light the lamps within
them. The human estate should be governed by sacred
qualities. This calls for the triple purity of body,mind, and
speech--Trikarana Suddhi (purity of the three instruments).
For clean body people take oil bath early in the morning.
The inner significance of Deepavali is to lead man from
darkness to light. Man is perpetually plunged in darkness.
Every time he is enveloped in darkness, he should light a
lamp that is ever shining within him. Carry that lamp wherever
you go. It will light your path wherever you may be.
This festival of Deepavali is to express gratitude at the defeat
of naraka tendencies in man, which drag him down from
divinity. Naraka is the name for hell and the Asura, whose
death at the hands of Krishna is celebrated that day, is
called Narakasura, the personification of all the traits of
character that obstruct the upward impulses of man. There
are many other puranik stories associated with Deepavali
which we are not covering.
On Deepavali day, resolve to light the lamp of nama smarana
and place it at your doorstep, the lips. Feed it with the oil of
devotion; have steadiness as the wick. Let the lamp illumine
every minute of your life. The splendor of the Name will drive
away darkness from outside you as well as from inside you.
You will spread joy and peace among all who come near you.
For a jnani who is in ATHMA JYOTHI perpetually, who is
beyond the clutches of MAYA & is as SAT-CHIT-ANANDA,
whether he is clean in body & dress or not. it is DEEPAVALI
for him all the time !! not on DEEPAVALI day alone !!
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