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The time of
Diwali is one of the most festive and beautiful
times of the year. Diwali literally means a "Row
of Lights." It is a time filled with light and
love; a time when Indians all over the world
rejoice. Diwali is celebrated on the
thirteenth/fourteenth day in the dark half of
Kartik (October - November); it is also known as
Krishna Chaturdashi. It is the darkest night of
the darkest period, yet it is a celebration of
light! Diwali is heralded as the triumph of good
over evil.
The meanings of Diwali, its symbols and
rituals, and the reasons for celebration are innumerable.
Diwali celebrates Lord Rama's glorious and long-awaited
return to his Kingdom of Ayodhya after his fourteen long
years of exile in the forests.
In general, Diwali signifies the triumph of good over evil,
of righteousness over treachery, of truth over falsehood,
and of light over darkness.
Additionally, Diwali is the holy time in which we offer our
prayers to Maha Lakshmi and we worship Her with piety and
devotion. Maha Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and
prosperity, bestowing these abundantly upon her devotees.
Diwali is a holiday of joy; it is the time when we gather
with loved ones, celebrating our family, our friends and the
prosperity God has bestowed upon us.
However it is also a holiday that is widely misunderstood
and misrepresented, especially in the West. I have heard
that in the West Diwali is referred to as "The Indians'
Christmas" and that it is celebrated with frivolity and
decadence. Let us talk about what Diwali really means, about
why we celebrate it and about why we worship Goddess Lakshmi
on this day.
Celebration of Light
There are three main aspects of this holiday called Diwali.
The first is the celebration of light. We line our homes and
streets with lanterns; we explode fireworks; children play
with sparklers.
However, Diwali is not a festival of light in order that we
may burn candles, fireworks and sparklers. Sure, these are
wonderful ways of expressing our gaiety. But, they are not
the only or true meaning of "light." Diwali is a festival of
the light which dispels the darkness of our ignorance; it is
a festival of the light which shows us the way on our
journey through life. The purpose is not to glorify the
light of the candle, or the light of the firecracker. The
purpose is to glorify the light of God. It is He who bestows
the real light, the everlasting light upon the darkness of
this mundane world. A candle burns out. A firework is a
momentary visual experience. But, the candle of a still mind
and the fireworks of a heart filled with bhakti are divine
and eternal; these are what we should be celebrating.
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