11-10-2004, 12:51 PM
Diwali -The Festival of Lights
Diwali is a major festival of the Hindu religion.
Diwali word has been derived from the word Deepavali, a Sanskrit word, meaning a row of lights. During Diwali, lamps are lit everywhere.
It is celebrated on four consecutive days, as follows.
According to the Hindu Lunar Calendar
Dhanatrayodashi
The thirteenth day (trayodashi) of the dark fortnight of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Ashvin.
Narak chaturdashi
The fourteenth day (chaturdashi) of the dark fortnight of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Ashvin.
Lakshmipujan / Diwali
The new moon day (Amavasya) of the dark fortnight of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Ashvin.
Balipratipada
The first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Kartik.
{Some exclude the thirteenth (Dhanatrayodashi) and consider only the remaining three days as Diwali. Since Vasubaras and Bhaubij respectively precede and follow Diwali, they are included in it. However, in reality they are separate holy festivals}.
Significance and Celebration of Diwali
The thirteenth day (trayodashi) of the dark fortnight of the month of Ashwin
It is also called Dhanatrayodashi or in colloquial language, Dhanteras. The Hindu commercial year is comprised of the period between one Dhanatrayodashi and another. Businessmen worship their treasuries and begin new account books on this day.
Worship of the deity Dhanvantari: According to Ayurveda (ancient Indian medical science), it is the birthday of the deity Dhanvantari, the deity bestowing immortality. Hence, it is also called Dhanvantari jayanti. On this day, Ayurvedic doctors (vaidyas) worship Him by making a sacred offering (prasad) of small pieces of neem leaves and sugar to visitors. Besides the fact that neem leaves are very good for health (chewing five to six of them everyday helps prevent malady), they also have the highest ability to absorb prajapati frequencies.
Offering of lamps: On this day, one performs Yamadipadan, that is, an offering of lamps to Lord Yama to prevent untimely death. Thirteen lamps made of wheat flour and lit with oil should be placed outside the house, facing southwards (direction of Lord Yama), in the evening. A lamp is never kept facing southwards except on this day. Then, reciting the following mantra one should offer obeisance: "I offer these thirteen lamps to the son (Lord Yama) of the Sun deity (Surya), so that He liberates me from the clutches of death and bestows His blessings."
The fourteenth day (chaturdashi) of the dark fortnight of the month of Ashwin
Ablution with oil (abhyangasnan): According to Shrimadbhagvat Puran, on this day Lord Krishna slayed a powerful demon, Narkasur. The dying Narkasur asked Lord Krushna for a boon, "On this date (tithi) let one, who takes an auspicious bath (mangalsnan) not suffer in hell." Lord Krishna granted him that boon. Consequently, this day also came to be known as Narak (hell) chaturdashi, and on that day people started taking an auspicious bath before sunrise.
Yamatarpan and Aarti: On this day, one performs Yamatarpan, that is, offering to the deity of death (Lord Yama) after an auspicious bath (bath with an oil massage) to overcome untimely death (apamrutyu). Thereafter, the mother moves lit lamps in front of her children's faces to commemorate the celebration of Lord Krishna's victory.
The new moon day (Amavasya)of the month of Ashwin
Generally, the new moon day is considered inauspicious; however, this day is an exception to the rule. Since it is still not auspicious for all events, it is more appropriate to call it a day of happiness rather than an auspicious day.
The deities Lakshmi and Kuber are worshipped on this new moon day. Lakshmi is the deity of wealth, but Kuber is the treasurer. Some people possess the art of earning money but do not know how to save it. However, saving money and spending it appropriately is far more important than earning it. Since most people do not know how to spend money properly, their spending is unwarranted and ultimately, and they become bankrupt. Kuber is the deity Who teaches the art of saving money as He Himself is the treasurer. Therefore, in this ritual, the worship of Lakshmi and Kuber has been recommended. Though all people celebrate this festival, the business community in particular does so with great enthusiasm and splendor. The celebration of this proceeds as follows:
An auspicious bath (abhyangsnan): Bath with an oil massage is recommended on all the three days from Narak chaturdashi to Balipratipada. One should wake up early in the morning and take an oil bath. With an ordinary bath the raja and tama components decrease by 1/100,000% and the sattva component increases by the same amount for a duration of only three hours. However, with the oil bath it lasts for four to five hours. An oil bath consists of an oil massage to facilitate the absorption of oil by the skin, followed by a warm water bath. Oil should be applied to retain elasticity of the skin. Warm water is auspicious and pleasing to the body. Bathing after an oil massage retains only that amount of oiliness that the skin and hair require. Hence, an oil massage is necessary before a bath. Application of oil after a bath is inappropriate.
Lakshmipujan: On this day, one performs Lakshmipujan, that is, worship of deity Lakshmi, the deity of prosperity. After an auspicious bath at dawn, one should worship the deities. In the afternoon, a rite for the departed souls (parvanshraddha) and an offering of meals to Lord Brahma (who created the Universe) is done and in the evening, in a pandal decorated with creepers and leaves, Lakshmi, Vishnu, Kuber, and other deities are worshipped in the following manner. A statue or picture of Lakshmi should be installed on a seat on which either an octapetalled lotus or a svastik is drawn with consecrated rice (akshata). Next to Her, a statue of Kuber is placed on a pot (kalash). Then, all these deities are offered a sacrament (prasad) of a mixture of coagulated cow's milk (khava), sugar, cardamom and cloves. Then, items like coriander, jaggery, and corn from parched, uncleaned rice, sugar candies (battase), etc., are offered to Lakshmi and distributed to friends. The Puranas (Hindu spiritual texts) narrate that on this night, Lakshmi enters the ideal home, which besides being clean, is inhabited by men who are faithful, dutiful, merciful, righteous, have control over passions and are devotees of God, and women who are virtuous and chaste.
Cleaning the house: Development of virtues gains importance only if in the process, defects are overcome. Just as one makes efforts to acquire wealth (Lakshmi), poverty (alakshmi) should be destroyed. To signify that, on this day a new broom is bought. It is called Lakshmi. At midnight one should sweep the house with that broom, accumulate the garbage in a dustpan and throw it out. This is called 'driving off' of alakshmi (garbage - poverty). Sweeping the house and throwing the garbage out at night is forbidden on other days.
Decoration with lit lamps: Lamps should be lit both inside and outside the house on all the evenings of Divali. This gives the house a decorative look and generates enthusiasm and joy. Earthen lamps lit with oil are more decorative and soothing than a string of electric bulbs. This is in alignment with the Vedic teaching that one should go from darkness (spiritual ignorance) to light (spiritual knowledge.). Offering lit lamps attracts Lakshmi. Each and everyone should celebrate the religious festival of Dipavali with enthusiasm so that Lakshmi perpetually inhabits one's home and one is enlightened with spiritual knowledge. This helps to maintain happiness and prosperity in the family.
Decoration with lanterns (akashkandil): The lantern should be hung outside the house on a tall pole. The pole should be held in the ground by burying its base and the lantern should be hung on it with the help of a string. This lantern should be displayed from the eleventh day (ekadashi) of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashvin till the eleventh day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartik. To gain prosperity, the lantern should be ritualistically installed, repeating the mantra : "I am offering this lantern along with the lamp to The Supreme Almighty Damodar. May He endow me with prosperity."
Rangoli: The word rangoli is derived from the Sanskrit word 'rangavali' (an array of colors). Thus, a design created by a pinch of hand, allowing the powder of a special soft white stone to flow freely is called rangoli. Rangoli is an art, which precedes sculpture and painting. It is both an auspicious and a preliminary necessity in any religious ritual.
The two aims of drawing rangoli are revelation of beauty and acquisition of auspiciousness. It is a practice to draw rangoli at the site of any auspicious religious ritual such as a holy festival, a religious festival, an auspicious function, ritualistic worship, a vowed religious observance, etc. When performing the act of moving lit lamps about the face for someone (aarti), rangoli is drawn around a wooden seat (pat) on which he is seated and also in front of him. At public functions also during a meal rangoli is drawn around a wooden seat and the plate or leaf on which the meal is served. During Diwali various rangoli designs are drawn at the doorstep and decorated with different colours. In the ancient times it was a practice to sweep and sprinkle every doorstep with cow-dung everyday and draw rangoli.
Rangoli is drawn with powder obtained by pounding a cleavable and lustrous mineral (shirgola). Rangoli powder is generally coarse. As a result, it is easily released with a pinch. After smearing the ground with cow-dung, one should not forget to draw at least four lines of rangoli on it. Ground smeared with cow-dung but not decorated with rangoli is said to be inauspicious. When sweeping the floor or smearing with cow-dung, subtle lines are created on it. These possess certain frequencies. Since these lines are irregular, their vibrations, too, are irregular. These are harmful to body, eyes and mind as well. To overcome these unfavorable frequencies, if cones and auspicious symbols are drawn systematically with rangoli on the smeared floor, then the ill effects of sweeping and smearing are overcome and favorable results are obtained.
The first day (pratipada) of thebright fortnight of the month of Kartik
This is the half among the three-and-a-half auspicious moments (sadhe teen muhurtas). It is called Balipratipada, as King Bali was stripped of his kingdom and sent to the netherworld, as a punishment for making offerings unto the undeserving. Hence, a picture of King Bali and his queen is drawn with rangoli on the floor, decorated with five colors and worshipped. Then for the sake of Bali's generosity, lamps and clothes are donated.
On this day, after an early morning bath with an oil massage (auspicious bath), women move lit lamps in front of their husbands' faces. In the afternoon, one feasts on a meal with delicacies. People don new attire and celebrate the whole day through. There is also a practice of worshipping the mountain Govardhan (Govardhan puja) on this day, by making a heap of cow-dung and tucking durva (a sacred grass) and flowers into it. Images of Lord Krishna, the cowherds, Lord Indra, cows and calves are arranged alongside and also worshipped. Then, all the images are taken out in a procession, to commemorate Lord Krishna's saving the cowherds and their herds from torrential rains by holding up the mountain Govardhan like an umbrella over them, with His finger.
Diwali
Goddess Lakshmi
Lakshmi is the energy associated with Lord Vishnu.
Lakshmi is derived from Lakshma, which means a symbol. It is not possible to point out exactly which symbol represents Lakshmi and from which symbol She may be perceived.
A substitute for Lakshmi is the word "Shri" or "Shree", which means decoration or luster. Since the word Shri or Shree is derived from the symbol svastik, it seems quite likely that the symbol representing Lakshmi must be the svastik. One comes across both the words Shri and Lakshmi in the Rugveda. The Shrisukta, an appendix of the Rugveda, is quite famous. Deity Lakshmi is worshipped with the Shrisukta itself.' 'Shri' is the deity of fortune.
Vedic literature has described the expansive form of Shri or Lakshmi as the deity who 'enriches (shrimant)' by endowing with prosperity, wealth, health and longevity, progeny and continuation of the family tree, abundant food grain, servants, well-equipped servitors, etc.
The book in Her hand symbolizes the Vedas, that is, spiritual knowledge.
Meaning of the lotus and rising sun: 'An in depth meaning has been attached to the blossoming of the lotus with the touch of the rising sun. The sun is the representative of the dyu region [dyulok - a part of heaven (svargalok)], while the earth is his consort. The implied meaning of this is that the union of heaven and the earth gives birth to the universe as the fetus. In this way sages have associated the earth, that is, Shri, Who has the capacity to reproduce, with the lotus.'
Diwali is a major festival of the Hindu religion.
Diwali word has been derived from the word Deepavali, a Sanskrit word, meaning a row of lights. During Diwali, lamps are lit everywhere.
It is celebrated on four consecutive days, as follows.
According to the Hindu Lunar Calendar
Dhanatrayodashi
The thirteenth day (trayodashi) of the dark fortnight of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Ashvin.
Narak chaturdashi
The fourteenth day (chaturdashi) of the dark fortnight of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Ashvin.
Lakshmipujan / Diwali
The new moon day (Amavasya) of the dark fortnight of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Ashvin.
Balipratipada
The first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Kartik.
{Some exclude the thirteenth (Dhanatrayodashi) and consider only the remaining three days as Diwali. Since Vasubaras and Bhaubij respectively precede and follow Diwali, they are included in it. However, in reality they are separate holy festivals}.
Significance and Celebration of Diwali
The thirteenth day (trayodashi) of the dark fortnight of the month of Ashwin
It is also called Dhanatrayodashi or in colloquial language, Dhanteras. The Hindu commercial year is comprised of the period between one Dhanatrayodashi and another. Businessmen worship their treasuries and begin new account books on this day.
Worship of the deity Dhanvantari: According to Ayurveda (ancient Indian medical science), it is the birthday of the deity Dhanvantari, the deity bestowing immortality. Hence, it is also called Dhanvantari jayanti. On this day, Ayurvedic doctors (vaidyas) worship Him by making a sacred offering (prasad) of small pieces of neem leaves and sugar to visitors. Besides the fact that neem leaves are very good for health (chewing five to six of them everyday helps prevent malady), they also have the highest ability to absorb prajapati frequencies.
Offering of lamps: On this day, one performs Yamadipadan, that is, an offering of lamps to Lord Yama to prevent untimely death. Thirteen lamps made of wheat flour and lit with oil should be placed outside the house, facing southwards (direction of Lord Yama), in the evening. A lamp is never kept facing southwards except on this day. Then, reciting the following mantra one should offer obeisance: "I offer these thirteen lamps to the son (Lord Yama) of the Sun deity (Surya), so that He liberates me from the clutches of death and bestows His blessings."
The fourteenth day (chaturdashi) of the dark fortnight of the month of Ashwin
Ablution with oil (abhyangasnan): According to Shrimadbhagvat Puran, on this day Lord Krishna slayed a powerful demon, Narkasur. The dying Narkasur asked Lord Krushna for a boon, "On this date (tithi) let one, who takes an auspicious bath (mangalsnan) not suffer in hell." Lord Krishna granted him that boon. Consequently, this day also came to be known as Narak (hell) chaturdashi, and on that day people started taking an auspicious bath before sunrise.
Yamatarpan and Aarti: On this day, one performs Yamatarpan, that is, offering to the deity of death (Lord Yama) after an auspicious bath (bath with an oil massage) to overcome untimely death (apamrutyu). Thereafter, the mother moves lit lamps in front of her children's faces to commemorate the celebration of Lord Krishna's victory.
The new moon day (Amavasya)of the month of Ashwin
Generally, the new moon day is considered inauspicious; however, this day is an exception to the rule. Since it is still not auspicious for all events, it is more appropriate to call it a day of happiness rather than an auspicious day.
The deities Lakshmi and Kuber are worshipped on this new moon day. Lakshmi is the deity of wealth, but Kuber is the treasurer. Some people possess the art of earning money but do not know how to save it. However, saving money and spending it appropriately is far more important than earning it. Since most people do not know how to spend money properly, their spending is unwarranted and ultimately, and they become bankrupt. Kuber is the deity Who teaches the art of saving money as He Himself is the treasurer. Therefore, in this ritual, the worship of Lakshmi and Kuber has been recommended. Though all people celebrate this festival, the business community in particular does so with great enthusiasm and splendor. The celebration of this proceeds as follows:
An auspicious bath (abhyangsnan): Bath with an oil massage is recommended on all the three days from Narak chaturdashi to Balipratipada. One should wake up early in the morning and take an oil bath. With an ordinary bath the raja and tama components decrease by 1/100,000% and the sattva component increases by the same amount for a duration of only three hours. However, with the oil bath it lasts for four to five hours. An oil bath consists of an oil massage to facilitate the absorption of oil by the skin, followed by a warm water bath. Oil should be applied to retain elasticity of the skin. Warm water is auspicious and pleasing to the body. Bathing after an oil massage retains only that amount of oiliness that the skin and hair require. Hence, an oil massage is necessary before a bath. Application of oil after a bath is inappropriate.
Lakshmipujan: On this day, one performs Lakshmipujan, that is, worship of deity Lakshmi, the deity of prosperity. After an auspicious bath at dawn, one should worship the deities. In the afternoon, a rite for the departed souls (parvanshraddha) and an offering of meals to Lord Brahma (who created the Universe) is done and in the evening, in a pandal decorated with creepers and leaves, Lakshmi, Vishnu, Kuber, and other deities are worshipped in the following manner. A statue or picture of Lakshmi should be installed on a seat on which either an octapetalled lotus or a svastik is drawn with consecrated rice (akshata). Next to Her, a statue of Kuber is placed on a pot (kalash). Then, all these deities are offered a sacrament (prasad) of a mixture of coagulated cow's milk (khava), sugar, cardamom and cloves. Then, items like coriander, jaggery, and corn from parched, uncleaned rice, sugar candies (battase), etc., are offered to Lakshmi and distributed to friends. The Puranas (Hindu spiritual texts) narrate that on this night, Lakshmi enters the ideal home, which besides being clean, is inhabited by men who are faithful, dutiful, merciful, righteous, have control over passions and are devotees of God, and women who are virtuous and chaste.
Cleaning the house: Development of virtues gains importance only if in the process, defects are overcome. Just as one makes efforts to acquire wealth (Lakshmi), poverty (alakshmi) should be destroyed. To signify that, on this day a new broom is bought. It is called Lakshmi. At midnight one should sweep the house with that broom, accumulate the garbage in a dustpan and throw it out. This is called 'driving off' of alakshmi (garbage - poverty). Sweeping the house and throwing the garbage out at night is forbidden on other days.
Decoration with lit lamps: Lamps should be lit both inside and outside the house on all the evenings of Divali. This gives the house a decorative look and generates enthusiasm and joy. Earthen lamps lit with oil are more decorative and soothing than a string of electric bulbs. This is in alignment with the Vedic teaching that one should go from darkness (spiritual ignorance) to light (spiritual knowledge.). Offering lit lamps attracts Lakshmi. Each and everyone should celebrate the religious festival of Dipavali with enthusiasm so that Lakshmi perpetually inhabits one's home and one is enlightened with spiritual knowledge. This helps to maintain happiness and prosperity in the family.
Decoration with lanterns (akashkandil): The lantern should be hung outside the house on a tall pole. The pole should be held in the ground by burying its base and the lantern should be hung on it with the help of a string. This lantern should be displayed from the eleventh day (ekadashi) of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashvin till the eleventh day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartik. To gain prosperity, the lantern should be ritualistically installed, repeating the mantra : "I am offering this lantern along with the lamp to The Supreme Almighty Damodar. May He endow me with prosperity."
Rangoli: The word rangoli is derived from the Sanskrit word 'rangavali' (an array of colors). Thus, a design created by a pinch of hand, allowing the powder of a special soft white stone to flow freely is called rangoli. Rangoli is an art, which precedes sculpture and painting. It is both an auspicious and a preliminary necessity in any religious ritual.
The two aims of drawing rangoli are revelation of beauty and acquisition of auspiciousness. It is a practice to draw rangoli at the site of any auspicious religious ritual such as a holy festival, a religious festival, an auspicious function, ritualistic worship, a vowed religious observance, etc. When performing the act of moving lit lamps about the face for someone (aarti), rangoli is drawn around a wooden seat (pat) on which he is seated and also in front of him. At public functions also during a meal rangoli is drawn around a wooden seat and the plate or leaf on which the meal is served. During Diwali various rangoli designs are drawn at the doorstep and decorated with different colours. In the ancient times it was a practice to sweep and sprinkle every doorstep with cow-dung everyday and draw rangoli.
Rangoli is drawn with powder obtained by pounding a cleavable and lustrous mineral (shirgola). Rangoli powder is generally coarse. As a result, it is easily released with a pinch. After smearing the ground with cow-dung, one should not forget to draw at least four lines of rangoli on it. Ground smeared with cow-dung but not decorated with rangoli is said to be inauspicious. When sweeping the floor or smearing with cow-dung, subtle lines are created on it. These possess certain frequencies. Since these lines are irregular, their vibrations, too, are irregular. These are harmful to body, eyes and mind as well. To overcome these unfavorable frequencies, if cones and auspicious symbols are drawn systematically with rangoli on the smeared floor, then the ill effects of sweeping and smearing are overcome and favorable results are obtained.
The first day (pratipada) of thebright fortnight of the month of Kartik
This is the half among the three-and-a-half auspicious moments (sadhe teen muhurtas). It is called Balipratipada, as King Bali was stripped of his kingdom and sent to the netherworld, as a punishment for making offerings unto the undeserving. Hence, a picture of King Bali and his queen is drawn with rangoli on the floor, decorated with five colors and worshipped. Then for the sake of Bali's generosity, lamps and clothes are donated.
On this day, after an early morning bath with an oil massage (auspicious bath), women move lit lamps in front of their husbands' faces. In the afternoon, one feasts on a meal with delicacies. People don new attire and celebrate the whole day through. There is also a practice of worshipping the mountain Govardhan (Govardhan puja) on this day, by making a heap of cow-dung and tucking durva (a sacred grass) and flowers into it. Images of Lord Krishna, the cowherds, Lord Indra, cows and calves are arranged alongside and also worshipped. Then, all the images are taken out in a procession, to commemorate Lord Krishna's saving the cowherds and their herds from torrential rains by holding up the mountain Govardhan like an umbrella over them, with His finger.
Diwali
Goddess Lakshmi
Lakshmi is the energy associated with Lord Vishnu.
Lakshmi is derived from Lakshma, which means a symbol. It is not possible to point out exactly which symbol represents Lakshmi and from which symbol She may be perceived.
A substitute for Lakshmi is the word "Shri" or "Shree", which means decoration or luster. Since the word Shri or Shree is derived from the symbol svastik, it seems quite likely that the symbol representing Lakshmi must be the svastik. One comes across both the words Shri and Lakshmi in the Rugveda. The Shrisukta, an appendix of the Rugveda, is quite famous. Deity Lakshmi is worshipped with the Shrisukta itself.' 'Shri' is the deity of fortune.
Vedic literature has described the expansive form of Shri or Lakshmi as the deity who 'enriches (shrimant)' by endowing with prosperity, wealth, health and longevity, progeny and continuation of the family tree, abundant food grain, servants, well-equipped servitors, etc.
The book in Her hand symbolizes the Vedas, that is, spiritual knowledge.
Meaning of the lotus and rising sun: 'An in depth meaning has been attached to the blossoming of the lotus with the touch of the rising sun. The sun is the representative of the dyu region [dyulok - a part of heaven (svargalok)], while the earth is his consort. The implied meaning of this is that the union of heaven and the earth gives birth to the universe as the fetus. In this way sages have associated the earth, that is, Shri, Who has the capacity to reproduce, with the lotus.'