Deepavali is one such unique festival celebrated all over India and Indians all over the world. Several traditional values mark this festival. In Hinduism it is Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years, who went to forest sacrificing his rights to ascend the throne of Ayodhya to fulfill the promise that His father had made to His step mother. Such was the greatness of Lord Rama who is revered by Hindus as God incarnation.
In South India traditionally this is the day when Lord Vishnu is supposed to have incarnated as Vamana and blessed Emperor Bali. Lord Vamana came to Bali asking for three steps of land. Bali was a great donor and never said no to anyone who came to his place. Legend has it that Lord Vamana being the Divine incarnation covered the whole of earth in one step and Sky in another. When Vamana asked Bali where to put the third step, realizing that it was none other than the Divine, emperor Bali bowed down and prayed to Lord to step on his head. Lord Vamana is said to have stepped on Bali’s head and pressed down so hard that sent Bali into the earth. This great sacrificial donation of his own life is celebrated as Deepavali. In Jainism, Mahaveer Jain’s Nirvana is celebrated as Deepavali. Sikhs celebrate it as Guru Nanak’s Enlightenment day. And so on the traditions go …
Essentially it is the festival of lights. Triumph of good over bad, nobility over evil, knowledge over ignorance, happiness over unhappiness. All these things can happen perfectly when one Realizes the Self as Ultimate Supreme Immortal Existence in Supreme Peace. Conscious Awareness needs to be gained. Some guru’s tell the devotees that one is already Realized. This is misunderstood by many and they do not put an effort to regain that Awareness. Whatever one is in real existence, one needs to gain the awareness of that in consciousness. As long as the mind is wandering in illusion of imagination of this world and pursuing its desires of this worldly objects it never gets any peace and consciously would remain in forgetfulness of one’s own existence as Immortal Soul that is the combination of Supreme Consciousness and Supreme Energy. The real illumination of Deepavali within has to happen by regaining the awareness of one’s own Self as THAT Supreme Consciousness of Existence. For this one must put in efforts and do sadhana to achieve. This is the essence of spirituality and festivals like Deepavali. Only then there is Permanent Supreme Peace which is the very nature of the Real SELF. The darkness of evil that is in the mind needs to be purified and awareness of illumination of SELF needs to be achieved. Then the whole world can have permanent happiness and peace. Without practice, this cannot be achieved. May the Divine illuminate the spiritual heart known as mind which is actually a spark of the Supreme Consciousness, the Real Self. May all beings in all the worlds be happy. With love and blessings,
Happy Deepavali.
Babaji
5th November 2010.
Comments