By Prakash Gossai
Deepawali is sanskrit word coined from two other words-deep- which means lamp or light, awali-which means a row. Hence Deepawali means a “row of Lights”
The festival is also called Diwali which encompasses “divya” meaning divine, spiritual or inner light, indicating that Diwali is not only a festival of lights but it signifies the Supreme Light, Param Jyoti, illumination of the pure consciousness, the Atman.
Deepawali falls on the last day of the dark half of the month Kartika (Oct-Nov)
Deepawali relates to the spiritual process of SELF REALIZATION- the process through which the individual atma comes to realize that it is not deadable or killable, but that it is immortal and is only a manifestation of the Supreme Brahman.
Diwali symbolizes the victory of
Light over darkness
Good over bad
Knowledge over ignorance
Light, Good and Knowledge are attributes of the Supreme Bramhan. One of the common requests we make of the Lord is “Asato ma sadgamaya, Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya” whereby we beg for the transformation of untruth to truth and from darkness to light. Even in the Gaitree mantra, we make a similar petition – “Dheeyo yonah prachodayaat”- may I be in communion with His supreme luminosity.
In the Gita the Lord is described as Light of lights, He is said to be beyond darkness, Knowledge, the Knowable- the goal of Knowledge, seated in the hearts of all.
Diwali focuses on LIGHT. It is through light that the beauty of this world is revealed and experienced. We can only recognise the thing and person behind us by light. Most civilizations opine that light is a gift of God. It has always been a symbol of what is positive in our world of experience. To the Hindus darkness represents ignorance. Light is the wisdom to remove such ignorance. Wisdom is the force to destroy lust, anger, envy. greed, fear etc.
Personal touch.
Diwali is a unique occasion. On this glorious night of nights, isolate yourself from the maddening crowd., sit in peace, calm your mind, attune your senses through the chanting of bhajans, jap and meditation on the One Effulgent Light. Empty the mind and with concentrated devotion seek the Atma , the spirit of Pure Conciousness, the divine light. Remove your darkness and become filled with the Eternal Light. This could be your triumph, the unfoldment of your ‘divya drishti’ the divine light.
The celebration is very much associated with the worship of Lakshmi- The Goddess of Light. Some authorities claim the Divine Mother comes out to visit every home and would make Her dwelling in such homes permanent, if certain factors prevail. If in a home there is beauty, neatness, tidiness, peace and harmony, quest for knowledge, wisdom, truth, righteousness, ambition, austerity, industry, spirit of service and sacrifice, Lakshmi’s presence is definitely felt.
Social touch.
Regardless of the origin and local interpretations, Diwali is a day of fun festivity and joy for people of all walks of life. Preparations begin weeks before the day itself. Cleaning and decorating are activities common to all. Family members get involved in projects to create a newness in the home. In the evening special poojas are done and then hundreds and thousands of deeyas are lit. The darkness of the night disappears to usher in a light that will stay forever.
Happy Deepawali to all.
BHUVANESHWAR
MANDIR
On behalf of the members of Bhuvaneshwar Mandir and myself, I am delighted to extend warm Diwali greetings to You and Your family.
In many parts of the world and even in North America ethnic diversity is cherished and as such the many customs and traditions that are part of our rich cultural heritage will certainly live on- DIWALI, THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. To my mind the Festival of Lights provides a wonderful opportunity for all Hindus to learn more of the GODDESS LAKSHMI and the many stories linked with DIWALI. It is my hope that year after year conferences and discussions will make clearer the inner meaning of Diwali and hence remove the darkness that surrounds us both morally and socially.
May MAHA LAKSHMI MA bless us all with the hope of building a better tomorrow for our children and indeed for the world. I applaud the the thousands of Hindus who will make this year’s celebration a splendid event and I congratulate all participants on what is sure to be a proud and joyous occasion.
Happy Diwali and God’s blessings always.
Prakash Gossai.
“The RAMAYAN is the most ancient and glorious epic, the first Poetry of the world. It is Story of Lord Rama, Historically based and sung in 24,000 Sanskrit verses. It perfectly potrays how Good overcomes Evil and has for millennia, moulded the culture and character of our people.”
