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 Diwali means "a row of lights". It falls on the last two
days of the dark half of Kartik (October-November). For some it is a three-day
festival. It commences with the Dhan-Teras, on the 13th day of the dark half of
Kartik, followed the next day by the Narak Chaudas the 14th day, and by Dewali
proper on the 15th day.
There are various alleged origins attributed to
this festival. Some hold that they celebrate the marriage of Lakshmi with Lord
Vishnu. In Bengal the festival is dedicated to the worship of Kali. It also
commemorates that blessed day on which the triumphant Lord Rama returned to
Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. On this day also Sri Krishna killed the demon
Narakasura.
In South India people take an oil bath in the morning and wear new clothes. They
partake of sweetmeats. They light fireworks that are regarded as the effigies of
Narakasura who was killed on this day. They greet one another, asking,
"Have you had your Ganges bath?" which actually refers to the oil bath
that morning as it is regarded as purifying as a bath in the holy Ganges.
Everyone forgets and forgives the wrongs done by others. There is an air of
freedom, festivity and friendliness everywhere. This festival brings about
unity. It instills charity in the hearts of people. Everyone buys new clothes
for the family. Employers, too, purchase new clothes for their employees.
Waking up during the Brahmamuhurta (at 4 a.m.) is a great blessing from the
standpoint of health, ethical discipline, efficiency in work and spiritual
advancement. It is on Dewali that everyone wakes up early in the morning. The
sages who instituted this custom must have cherished the hope that their
descendents would realize its benefits and make it a regular habit in their
lives.
In a happy mood of great rejoicing village folk move about freely, mixing with
one another without any reserve, all enmity forgotten. People embrace one
another with love. Dewali is a great unifying force. Those with keen inner
spiritual ears will clearly hear the voice of the saga "O Children of God!
unite, and love all". The vibrations produced by the greetings of love that
fill the atmosphere are powerful enough to bring about a change of heart in
every man and woman in the world. Alas! That heart has considerably hardened,
and only a continuous celebration of Dewali in our homes can rekindle in us the
urgent need of turning away from the ruinous path of hatred.
On this day Hindu merchants in North India open their new account hooks and pray
for success and prosperity during the coming year. The homes are cleaned and
decorated by day and illuminated by night with earthen oil-lamps. The best and
finest illuminations are to be seen in Bombay and Amritsar. The famous Golden
Temple at Amritsar is lit in the evening with thousands of lamps placed an over
the steps of the big tank. Vaishnavites celebrate the Govardhan Puja and feed
the poor on a large scale.
O Ram! The light of light the self-luminous inner light of the self is ever
shining steadily in the chamber of your heart. Sit quietly. Close your eyes.
Withdraw the senses. Fix the mind on this supreme light and enjoy the real
Dewali by attaining illumination of the soul.
He who Himself sees all but whom no one beholds, who illumines the intellect,
the sun, the moon and the stars and the whole universe but whom they cannot
illumine. He indeed is Brahman, He is the inner Self Celebrate the real Dewali
by living in Brahman, and enjoy the eternal bliss of the soul.
The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon and the stars, nor do lightings
shine and much less fire. All the lights of the world cannot he compared even to
a ray of the inner light of the self. Merge yourself in this light of lights and
enjoy the supreme Dewali.
Many Dewali festivals have come and gone. Yet the hearts of the vast majority
are as dark as the night of the new moon. The house is lit with lamp, but the
heart is full of the darkness of ignorance. O man! wake up from the plumber of
ignorance. Realize the constant and eternal light of the Soul, which neither
rises nor set through meditation and deep enquiry.
May you an attain full inner illumination! May the supreme light of lights
enlighten your understanding. May you all attain the inexhaustible spiritual
wealth of the self! May you all prosper gloriously on the material as well as
spiritual planes.
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