Apart from lighting up your homes this Diwali, Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj says that is also the time to enlighten oneself from within
The biggest and the brightest of all the festivals celebrated across India as well as the whole world is about to arrive and fill our lives with joy and happiness. Yes! We all know that is none other then Diwali or as some say Deepawali. Such is the magic of this festival that throughout the four-day celebrations, it literally illumines the whole nation with its brilliance, and dazzles all with its joy. Though each of the four-days during Diwali are separated by a different tradition, but what remains true and constant is the celebration of life, its enjoyment and goodness.
We all know that as per the Hindu Calender, Diwali is celebrated on the darkest night of the month of Kartik. That is why it is also considered as an occasion of victory of light over darkness or good over evil. Kartik month is the 8th lunar month of the Hindu calendar. This month is considered the holiest of all the months in the Hindu calendar. Kartiksnaan (bath) is given a lot of importance by the Hindus wherein it is customary for people to go to the holy rivers because it is a general belief that your sins or bad karmas are washed away or forgiven when you perform this ritual, but it is only symbolic.
However, Kartik literally means change or transformation from the old to the new. It is the last festival in the year that is celebrated as the conquest of the virtues over the vices by ‘bathing in the ocean of knowledge’ i.e. ‘Gyaan Ganga’ to cleanse the soul of all the impurities accumulated in the dark ages. It is thus a unique process to change a man (Nar) from ordinary to an elevated perfect man or deity called ‘Narayan’.
Going by history, the festival of Diwali can be traced back to ancient India, when it was probably an important harvest festival . However, there are various legends pointing to the origin of Diwali or Deepawali. Some believe it to be the celebration of marriage of Goddess lakshmi with lord Vishnu. Whereas in Bengal, the festival is dedicated to the worship of Mother Kali, the dark goddess of strength. lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed God, the symbol of auspiciousness and wisdom, is also worshiped in most Hindu homes on this day. In Jainism, Deepawali has an added significance to the great event of lord Mahavira attaining the eternal bliss of nirvana.
Diwali also commemorates the return of lord Rama along with Sita and lakshman from his fourteen-year long exile and vanquishing the demon-king Ravana. In joyous celebration of the return of their king, the the people of Ayodhya, the capital of Rama, illuminated the kingdom with earthen diyas (oil lamps) and burst crackers. Each day of Diwali has its own tales, legends and myths to tell, but one should not forget that behind each of these legends, et al. lies the significance of the victory of good over evil; and it is with each Deepawali and the lights that illuminate our homes and hearts, that this simple truth finds new reason and hope. So, this Diwali , merge yourself into light of lights who is Supreme of all and enlighten yourself from within.