Author: Dr. Manasa Nagabhushanam, DAIV
Waiting, when it is filled with hope, is itself a form of devotion.
For fourteen years, Ayodhya waited. In the Valmiki Ramayana, Bharata lived in the village of Nandigrama as an ascetic, ruling in Rama’s name and keeping Rama’s sandals on the throne. One can picture the citizens keeping the lamp of hope alive through those long years, speaking of him in every household.
As the fourteenth year drew to a close, Bharata made a resolve: if Rama did not return on the appointed day, he would give up his life. Rama, resting at Sage Bharadwaja’s ashram on the way home, remembered this vow and sent Hanuman ahead with the news of his arrival. Hanuman reached Bharata in time, and the waiting turned into joy.
The eve of Deepavali has the same spirit. The lamps are not yet lit and the guest has not yet arrived, but every home is already alive with preparation: the floors are cleaned and the doorways decorated.
Many of us wait for something, a result or a reunion. We can wait with complaint, or we can wait as Ayodhya did, steadily and lovingly, with the house kept ready.
Today, be prepared to welcome the arrival of Rama. Clean your doorway, and when evening comes, light a diya at the threshold, so that the Lord finds a lit and open door. Let that same lamp remind you to call someone you have been meaning to meet.