Festivals
Happy Diwali
The Festival Of Lights
Diwali, a festival celebrated across the world and predominantly celebrated in Bharat, is one of the most beautiful and colorful festivals, and is popularly known as ‘The Festival Of Lights’. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.
The significance of this festival varies with religions in India. One tradition links this festival with the Sanskrit epic of ancient Bharat — Ramayana. It says that Diwali is the day Lord Rama, his wife Sita, his brother Lakshmana and his dear devotee Hanuman, reached Ayodhya(Ramas Kingdom) after a period in exile and after Lord Rama’s victory over the demon King Ravana.
So the question that can arise in one’s mind is — So how does that matter to me? How does it help me if Rama returned to Ayodhya? If you take this above-mentioned story as is then Diwali doesn’t really make a difference in our lives but if we understand the spiritual significance of this episode, really capture the essence that this is trying to share then this makes sense and makes it relevant for every soul on this planet.
This episode is also a metaphor for the present times. Sita, Rama’s wife, was in Ravana’s bondage and Rama frees her from the bondage and destroys Ravana. It is ‘I’ the soul (Sita) who is currently in the bondage of the ‘inner demons’ or vices(Ravana) as a result of ego. It is Rama (The symbolic representation of God) who liberates the soul(Sita) from the bondage of vices and negativity(Ravana) by giving me the knowledge of self and guidance to transcend the ego. It is when the Supreme Soul gives us knowledge of the self and when the soul reconnects to its innermost core, its being; it finishes off all the negativities and weaknesses inside and is liberated from the bondage of Ravana. The soul realizes its unlimitedness and doesn’t sub-consciously identify with its limited form anymore. This is when we can say the soul is ‘lit’. This is true Diwali. That is why we lit diyas in Diwali, it is a symbolic representation of a soul who is completely awakened, it is a reminder to us of our true self.
To celebrate this day, people clean their homes and offices, light diyas in their houses and buy new things for themselves during this time, discard the unwanted old things, gift each other sweets, and invite Goddess Laxmi(Goddess of Wealth) into their lives.
Let’s discuss the essence of all these practices:-
People clean their homes and remove old things which are not required anymore. It is considered that if we have these old things that don’t serve us anymore then the Goddess of Wealth won’t bless us with wealth and prosperity. The way we clean each corner of our houses we need to clean each and every corner of our minds. Not to keep any trace of the dirt of negativity in our minds. We need to let go of the old belief systems that don’t serve us anymore. Old belief systems that are holding us back to live life at our fullest potential. Letting go of the old sanskaras and habits which are not doing us any good instead, keeping the soul in bondage and not allowing it to fly.
People buy new clothes and other necessary things during Diwali. It is not really about buying new things but we need to make sure we start inculcating new habits that will ensure that our lives will be full of prosperity. We should wear the dress of new sanskaras and let go of the old ones which don’t serve us anymore.
Gifting Sweets — As we share sweets with everyone in Diwali let us also share pure feelings and good wishes for everyone. Let us be kind, considerate, and caring in our relationships with everyone, and everything around us.
Lighting the Diyas — As we light the Diyas let us also ignite the awareness of ‘Who Am I’. The real self — A being of light.
Let us let go of our belief systems and old sanskaras that are not serving us anymore and wear the dress of new sanskaras. Let us gift each other pure feelings and good wishes. Let us keep the Diya of our awareness always ‘lit’. It is right after Diwali we celebrate the New Year, marking the beginning of a new life. It is only when we are the true self we will truly invite prosperity in our lives. One lit diya will light other diyas and eventually when enough of us are ‘lit’ or in other words, when enough of us establish the kingdom of Rama(God) inside of us, the kingdom of Rama(God) will be established on Earth too(Read this post for more on this) and that will be true Diwali.
Yesterday we celebrated Diwali and tomorrow we celebrate New Years as per Regional Calendar. Wish all of you’ll a beautiful and loving year ahead.
Thank you for stopping by. If you enjoyed this, explore few of my other poems / articles.
