Deepavali translates into “row of lamps”. These lamps symbolize the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.
We hosted divine festivals in the last few months. Sharavan mass in July connected us with divinity, Birth of Lord Krishna in August made us overjoyed with the taste and pleasures of this beautiful life, Ganesh Chaturthi brought us closer to our Life purpose in September, Navaratri in October helped us realise all our Shaktis through the 9 different forms of Durga and now Diwali is the time when our Life purpose has to be fully realised with Ganesha representing our Life purpose, Laxmi representing the Path and means of attainment of Life purpose and Saraswati representing the Wisdom needed to follow the life purpose.
By the ritual worship of these Gods, one can dispel all problems and obstacles, and invite Knowledge and Wealth into one’s life. Light symbolizes true knowledge. True knowledge arises by an inner awakening – awakening of the seven sacred knowledge centres within our head and spine region, known as chakrâs. When the knowledge centres are awakened we are fully realised.. we know who we are.. why are we here and how we can go about achieving our life purpose.
This festival marks the culmination of the Life purpose of Lord Rama. The fourteen years of exile of Ram does not mean living in the forest. Exile is generally considered as going out of the Kingdom and living in the forest. In the spiritual text, the Kingdom means the place and existence of organs of senses and organs of actions, . Going out of the Kingdom means shifting our concentration from sensory response to the spiritual center (seven chakrâs) within the head and the spinal cord. The area within head and spinal cord is called forest (van). Thus, 14 yrs exile means 14 yrs of practice of concentration on head and spine to reach within spiritual magnetic aura of seven chakrâs. This practice transforms all evil and devil tendencies ( râkshas) into angelic tendencies ( devtâs).
This festival also marks the life purpose of Lord Krishna as he killed another evil demon Narakasura, who had wreaked havoc in the lives of people. Whenever there is loss of Dharma, a Krishna is born to set things right.
In Sikhism, Deepavali also commemorates the return of Guru Har Gobind Ji to Amritsar after freeing 52 Hindu kings imprisoned in Fort Gwalior.
It also marks the return of Pandavas after 12 years of Vanvas and one year of agyatavas (living incognito).
For Jains, Diwali marks the attainment of moksha or nirvana by Mahavira in 527 BC.
Arya Samajists, celebrate this day as Death Anniversary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati.
The row of lamps signify awakening of the 7 chakras.. where knowledge dispels the darkness of ignorance to show us who we truly are.
