Diwali

HAPPY DIWALI

A Diwali Wish-

The Diwali lamps shine bright, but they shall soon die out. Oh! Kindle the Lamp within, whose flame illumines forever. And this day make free that wine, whose fire knows no abating. May Thy tavern continue forever and Thou its Cup-bearer!

Spiritual meaning of Diwali-

For those in the spiritual path, the Diwali day is yet another reminder on the ultimate purpose of human life. To reach this 

supreme goal of life, the scriptures propose the dawn of knowledge through the inner light – enlightenment of the soul. 

About this inner light, core Hindu scriptures like the Katha Upanishad say that "The sun does not shine there, nor the moon, nor the stars; nor do these lightnings shine there, much less this fire. When He shines, everything shines after Him; by His light all is lighted". Thus inferring that all the lights of the world cannot be compared even to a ray of the inner light of the soul (self). This festival thus urges us to transcend and abide in this light of lights and enjoy the supreme Deepavali.

Celebration of Light-

There are three main aspects of this holiday called Diwali. The first is the celebration of light. We line our homes and streets with lanterns; we explode fireworks; children play with sparklers.

However, Diwali is not a festival of light in order that we may burn candles, fireworks and sparklers. Sure, these are wonderful ways of expressing our gaiety. But, they are not the only or true meaning of "light." Diwali is a festival of the light which dispels the darkness of our ignorance; it is a festival of the light which shows us the way on our journey through life. The purpose is not to glorify the light of the candle, or the light of the firecracker. The purpose is to glorify the light of God. It is He who bestows the real light, the everlasting light upon the darkness of this mundane world. A candle burns out. A firework is a momentary visual experience. But, the candle of a still mind and the fireworks of a heart filled with bhakti are divine and eternal; these are what we should be celebrating.

We decorate our homes with lanterns; but why? What is the symbolism behind that? Those lanterns signify God's light, penetrating through the ignorance and sin of our daily lives. They signify the divine light, shining its way through this mundane world. A home bathed in light is a home in which anger, pain, and ignorance are being dispelled; it is a home that is calling to God. However, too many people turn this into a domestic beauty contest, spending days and a great deal of money to purchase the newest dias, the most beautiful candles. "We had 75 candles burning last night," we gloat. This is only the light of glamour.  

It is not the light of God, and thus the true meaning of the holiday is lost.

The light of Diwali should be within us. It should symbolize the personal relationship between God and our families. It should not

be so we attract attention from passing cars, or so we are the envy of the neighborhood. Let the light penetrate inward, for only there will it have lasting benefit. One piece of cotton soaked in ghee, lit with a pure heart, a conscious mind and an earnest desire to be free from ignorance is far "brighter" than 100 fashion deepaks, lit in simple unconscious revelry. 

Significance of Diwali-

Diwali, popularly known as the "festival of lights", is an important festival in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, celebrated for different reasons, occurring between mid-October and mid-November. 

For Hindus, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes. It commemorates the return of Lord Rama, along with Sita and Lakshmana, from his 14-year-long exile and vanquishing the demon-king Ravana. In joyous celebration of the return of their king, the people of Ayodhya, the Capital of Rama, illuminated the kingdom with earthen diyas and by bursting firecrackers.

For Sikhs, Diwali is celebrated as Bandhi Chhor Diwas (The Celebration of Freedom), and celebrates the release from prison of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind Ji, who also rescued 52 Hindu kings held captive by Mughal Emperor with him in the Gwalior Fort in 1619. Guru Amar Das Ji also institutionalized this as one of the special days when all Sikhs would gather to receive the Gurus blessings at Goindwal. In 1588 the foundation stone of The Golden Temple was laid on Diwali.Sikhs have continued this annual celebration with lamps being lit outside gurdwaras and sweets distributed to all. The largest gathering happens at the Golden Temple which is lit up with thousands of lights. 

For Jains, Diwali marks the attainment of moksha or nirvana by Lord Mahavira in 527 BC.