WHY CELEBRATE DEEPAWALI?
Deepawali means “row of lamps.” It is beautiful to behold artistically lit lamps with different patterns in temples, courtyards of homes and pillars of large massive historical shrines. This bright, charming festival creates warmth during the winter season.
However, the ambiance is changing with the massive development of alternate kinds of lighting equipment. Not only are the Deepawali lamps being blurred in comparison but people’s understanding of Deepawali has also become clouded. Instead of an auspicious Deepawali (shubha Deepawali), it has simply reduced to a Happy Diwali.
Deepawali is the festival of harmony, integration, joy, and spiritual awakening; a wholesome festival in nature. Spiritually, it is a reminder of Sri Rama’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years of absence upon being cast to the forest by his stepmother, Kaikeyi. Sri Rama was eager to return and meet all the residents of Ayodhya. In fact, when Vibhishana had requested Sri Rama to stay and attend the coronation ceremony of his ascending the throne of Lanka, Sri Rama declined softly, saying, “If I stay even for an extra moment, my brother Bharata will end his life. Moreover, my dear Vibhishana, however great the wealth of Lanka is, but my Janani, Ayodhya is beckoning me to come as early as possible. My Ayodhya is far superior to heaven.”
Sri Rama then sent Hanumana with the message of his arrival to Ayodhya and to observe whether this will bring happiness to Bharata. Had Bharata showed any apathy, Sri Rama would not have come home to Ayodhya. He would allow Bharata to rule Ayodhya, while he himself continues to stay in the forest. However, Bharata, who was more than eager to receive Sri Rama, started preparing for his arrival. The subjects were enthused to spontaneously prepare for Sri Rama’s arrival along with Sita, Laxmana and the entire host of banara sena(army of monkeys). To prove their eagerness, they started lighting lamps all over Ayodhya.
They decorated the city with rows of lamps on high towers and on pillars. They further placed lamps on top of tall bamboo sticks. The residents did not realize the beauty and harmony the lit lamps were creating. But as Sri Rama and his entourage looked down from their Pushpak Vimana (the special airplane of Kubera), they were fascinated to see the beautifully lit city from their higher altitude. The magnificent sight below signaled, “Here I am, Ayodhya! Oh, my dear Sri Rama, Sita and Laxmana, I am eagerly waiting for this moment. Incomparable to any other city, I am lit up with lamps and decorations; see me from above. I am fully ready to host you forever in my bosom.”
Deepawali is a reminder of that joyous festival; it is supposed to remind us that we are all the inhabitants of that land, which is suffering from separation of Sri Rama for so many years. He is coming now, let us prepare for his arrival— what a mood! This is real Deepawali.
The lamps also denote the act of removing darkness from the heart, which is nothing but ignorance. Let us honor Deepawali as celebrated by the residents of Ayodhya and welcome Sri Rama in our heart, which has continually banished him from our core. Now, light it up with proper understanding and devotion so that he can see from above, “the bird's eye view”, and land his plane directly in our heart.
Jai Sri Rama!
Deepawali means “row of lamps.” It is beautiful to behold artistically lit lamps with different patterns in temples, courtyards of homes and pillars of large massive historical shrines. This bright, charming festival creates warmth during the winter season.
However, the ambiance is changing with the massive development of alternate kinds of lighting equipment. Not only are the Deepawali lamps being blurred in comparison but people’s understanding of Deepawali has also become clouded. Instead of an auspicious Deepawali (shubha Deepawali), it has simply reduced to a Happy Diwali.
Deepawali is the festival of harmony, integration, joy, and spiritual awakening; a wholesome festival in nature. Spiritually, it is a reminder of Sri Rama’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years of absence upon being cast to the forest by his stepmother, Kaikeyi. Sri Rama was eager to return and meet all the residents of Ayodhya. In fact, when Vibhishana had requested Sri Rama to stay and attend the coronation ceremony of his ascending the throne of Lanka, Sri Rama declined softly, saying, “If I stay even for an extra moment, my brother Bharata will end his life. Moreover, my dear Vibhishana, however great the wealth of Lanka is, but my Janani, Ayodhya is beckoning me to come as early as possible. My Ayodhya is far superior to heaven.”
Sri Rama then sent Hanumana with the message of his arrival to Ayodhya and to observe whether this will bring happiness to Bharata. Had Bharata showed any apathy, Sri Rama would not have come home to Ayodhya. He would allow Bharata to rule Ayodhya, while he himself continues to stay in the forest. However, Bharata, who was more than eager to receive Sri Rama, started preparing for his arrival. The subjects were enthused to spontaneously prepare for Sri Rama’s arrival along with Sita, Laxmana and the entire host of banara sena(army of monkeys). To prove their eagerness, they started lighting lamps all over Ayodhya.
They decorated the city with rows of lamps on high towers and on pillars. They further placed lamps on top of tall bamboo sticks. The residents did not realize the beauty and harmony the lit lamps were creating. But as Sri Rama and his entourage looked down from their Pushpak Vimana (the special airplane of Kubera), they were fascinated to see the beautifully lit city from their higher altitude. The magnificent sight below signaled, “Here I am, Ayodhya! Oh, my dear Sri Rama, Sita and Laxmana, I am eagerly waiting for this moment. Incomparable to any other city, I am lit up with lamps and decorations; see me from above. I am fully ready to host you forever in my bosom.”
Deepawali is a reminder of that joyous festival; it is supposed to remind us that we are all the inhabitants of that land, which is suffering from separation of Sri Rama for so many years. He is coming now, let us prepare for his arrival— what a mood! This is real Deepawali.
The lamps also denote the act of removing darkness from the heart, which is nothing but ignorance. Let us honor Deepawali as celebrated by the residents of Ayodhya and welcome Sri Rama in our heart, which has continually banished him from our core. Now, light it up with proper understanding and devotion so that he can see from above, “the bird's eye view”, and land his plane directly in our heart.
Jai Sri Rama!
