“Do not let the candle of wisdom die out in the darkness of lust and error. For the wise man approaches with his torch to light up the path of mankind.” Kahlil Gibran
Diwali, the ‘Festival of Lights’, is one of the most enchanting and beautiful festivals that adorn the Hindu calendar. It commemorates the beginning of the Hindu New Year and there is an unmistakable element of fun, laughter, excitement, reunion, and heartfelt felicity associated with the celebration. And why not enjoy and have some fun when the harvest season has ended and the financial books are closed?
Diwali originated in rural India as primarily a harvest festival, a time to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. Diwali is observed in many countries outside of India, and in Guyana and Trinidad, the Hindu community joyfully anticipates the coming of Diwali.
The inside and outside of homes are beautifully decorated with deyas (earthen lamps), and with every passing year, we are literally mesmerised by the spectacularly dazzling display of exquisitely and artistically designed illuminations on motorcades, houses and business premises that seem to outshine the glitter and glamor of Manhattan’s Times Square.
Amidst the jubilation and display, we must not lose sight of the strong spiritual current that runs deep in the proper observance of Diwali. Diwali signifies the light that dispels the darkness of ignorance. This is the light of spiritual knowledge that comes from the long and arduous journey towards self-realisation.
The longest journey begins with the first step, and this Diwali is another reminder for us to take that crucial first step towards self-realisation. We do not have to go out of the way and put on a special show or display; one piece of cotton soaked in oil or ghee in an earthen lamp and lit with humility and a deep yearning to be free from ignorance is far “brighter” than thousands of dazzling illuminations lit for mere revelry and enjoyment.
In all the great religious and spiritual traditions of the world “light” itself is symbolic of knowledge, joy, purity, vitality, life-sustaining power, as darkness is symbolic of ignorance, destruction, and death.
As Shri Krishna sang in Gita: “I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance”. [Bhagavad Gita 10:11]. As conditioned beings we are all caught in this cosmic drama of light and darkness, joy and sorrow, gain and loss, victory and defeat, etc and the experience of these dualities seems to be a necessary element in our spiritual evolution.
This is beautifully expressed by the mystic poet Rumi, who wrote: “God turns you from one feeling to another and teaches by means of opposites that you will have two wings to fly, not one”. It is not surprising, therefore, that Diwali is celebrated on the 15th day in the dark half of Kartic (October – November).
It is but fitting that we celebrate this Festival of Lights on the darkest night of the darkest period – indicating that just as the emergence from darkness makes the sunlight even more dazzling and splendid, so God’s Grace and the ensuing spiritual knowledge and awareness (the light of the diya) is most manifest, and revealing as we emerge from the depths of spiritual slumber induced by the dense darkness of ignorance and error (the darkest night [Amavasya] of the soul).
Throughout the ages, our rishis and sages have sought for this Light as is evident in the famous Gayatri prayer: Aum/Bhuh Bhuvah Svah/Tat Savitur Varenyam/Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi/Dhiyo Yo nah Prachodayat
~ The Rig Veda (10:16:3)
Meaning: “We meditate on that most adorable, desirable and enchanting lustre and brilliance of our Supreme Being ….who is our creator, inspirer and source of eternal Joy. May this warm and loving Light inspire and guide our mind and open our hearts.”
And in the Brihad – Aranyaka Upanishad there is the invocation: “Lead us from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality”.
The spiritual dimension of Diwali is heightened by fact that around this time at different periods in the history of the universe and the world certain events occurred that brought forth great joy and spiritual effulgence and obliterated the forces of darkness and evil.
Lord Vishnu in His fifth avatar appeared as Lord Vamanadev (The Dwarf Incarnation) and vanquished King Bali. Another avatar of Lord Vishnu, Lord Dhanvantari appeared around Diwali time and delivered the Ayurvedic science of medicine to mankind. The Pandavas of the Mahabharata returned from their exile at the time of Diwali and Bhagwan Shri Krishna killed the wicked king Narakasura and liberated 16,000 princesses from captivity.
Bhagwan Shri Rama returned to Ayodhya amidst jubilant festivities and celebrations on the night of Diwali. In the absence of Bhagwan Shri Rama, the citizens of Ayodhya were bereft of all happiness and joy (as if the light of their lives was extinguished) and they were plunged into unbearable grief, despair and darkness.
They illuminated their dwellings in grand style to reflect their inner joy and exuberance because the Supreme Embodiment of righteous, good governance and dharma had returned to take His rightful place on the throne.
On a more recent time scale, Diwali is celebrated by the Sikhs because on this day in 1619 Guru Hargobind (the Sixth Guru), was released from captivity at Gwalior Fort by the mogul emperor Jahangir (the same tyrant who tortured and martyred the Fifth Guru, Arjan Dev, in Lahore).
The Jains also celebrate Diwali because Mahavira (the last Jain Tirthankar) attained nirvana or salvation on Diwali night in 527 BC, over 2500 years ago in Pavapuri province in Bihar. The Harivamsa Purana (a supplement to the Mahabharata) provides one of the oldest references to Diwali by mentioning dipalikaya as a festival marking the nirvana of Lord Mahavira.
One of the core principles of Jainism is the adoption of compassion and non-violence as a way of life itself and the concept of aparigraha or non-possessiveness to protect the environment from human greed.
For Buddhists, Diwali marks the anniversary of the third Mauryan emperor Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism. Ashoka is still the only emperor who renounced war after victory.
In still more recent times, the great reformer, guru, and storehouse of Vedic knowledge, Maharishi Saraswati Dayanand, attained nirvana on Diwali night. He fiercely fought against superstitions and hypocrisy and his core mission was to re-establish the glories of the Vedas. On that moonless night of Amavasya, Maharishi ushered in a new dispensation for mankind based on truth, justice and equality and a new society – the Arya Samaj.
Diwali is also the worship of Maha Lakshmi. Maha Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Among the four goals of man, purusharthas (dharma, artha, kama, moksha), artha is associated with the attainment of wealth and material prosperity.
The ancient rishis never neglected any aspect of human life; so Hinduism can never be described as “other-worldly”. No good can come out of false renunciation. Active involvement in the world has to be the way for most of us. The human dimension of our existence has to flourish but every aspect of our life and must be guided by dharma (righteous conduct). Wealth must be acquired by ethical means and even then we have to banish greed and covetousness from our lives.
Maha Lakshmi rides on an owl, a creature that is said to sees better in the dark; reminding us that when we become carried away by wealth, we quickly become enveloped in the darkness of ignorance.
But as we light our deyas, we have to realise that it is God’s presence in our lives that can make us truly prosperous and illuminate our lives in the midst of the darkest pain and suffering. I know many people who are normally referred to as “poor people” who have a light shining in their eyes, a glow on their faces, and a song in their hearts. These are the blessings we need on this Diwali day.
We have to keep the light of knowledge and virtue burning brightly within and bring it forth to the world in good actions and deeds, working vigorously and selflessly to eradicate poverty, violence, exploitation, injustice, hatred and cruelty, fiercely resisting all forms of discrimination, forging friendship and goodwill, and in humble and little ways, bring warmth and joy in the lives we touch.
Happy Diwali!
Cecil Ramkirath
