Deepawali – the festival of inner cleansing for enlightenment

Prof Dr Jayadeba Sahoo *

Diwali at Imphal :: 06 November 2010

When the monsoon thunder, storms and lightning greeted the earth, it brought relief from the scorching heat and songs to the birds. Though, it did cause damage to the buildings and roads, and even took some lives, the crops have brought cheer to the faces of the rich and poor alike. The prices would come down and so every one seems relieved. The weather is slowly changing and becoming more and more pleasant each day. Bharat is one of the ancient countries of the world. It has great heritage of glory and elevated way of life. Even now it is very well known for being the land of deities with palaces and lifestyle of legendary beauty.

Many people abroad also consider Bharat as a great pilgrimage place and hold the soil of Bharat in great respect. Bharat is well known for festivals and by tradition one festival or another is celebrated almost daily. The main festivals celebrated in Bharat with great zeal and enthusiasm, pomp and gaiety are Shiva Ratri or Shiva Jayanti, Holi, Raksha Bandhan, Shri Krishna Janamashtami, Navratri, Dassehra and Deepawali, etc. Deepawali has a special importance amongst them. Though all these festivals are celebrated as per tradition, each festival has its own scientific, moral, ethical and social value. If Deepawali is celebrated with the correct understanding of it's cryptic Truth, then it will render immense benefit to the humanity at large.

Now what is the arcane meaning of this auspicious festival?

If we go into the depth of the word DEEPAWALI, it's meaning is 'an array of lamps'. This doesn't sound so meaningful, but there is very deep enigmatic spiritual meaning behind this word, Actually, the flame of a lamp is always compared with the soul and there are a variety of lamps (different stages of souls) such as a constantly lit lamp, a dimly lit lamp, a lamp that has gone out, a flickering lamp etc., which symbolises the rise and fall of the stages of a soul.

The light of a soul can remain constantly burning when it is in the remembrance of the Almighty Authority- the Supreme Lamp who is also the Eternal Source of Light. This saying is closely associ­ated with the present time which is the Confluence Age, when we souls, through remembrance of God-father make our stage constant, eternal and unshakable', only then we can go to the world of light, peace and prosperity - a world where there is no dark­ness, no friction, no sufferings and no crime.

Tradition:

In the world people believe that Deepawali is celebrated to mark the great victory of Lord Rama over Ravana and other devils. People believe, that when Lord Rama came back from exile, the Ayodhya Niwasls (Citizens of Ayodhya) decorated the whole city, lit lamps all around, white-washed their houses, pub­lic and other important places. They dis­played fireworks, danced with joy, exchanged expensive gifts, arranged parties and other celebrations. So, many people, no matter how rich they are, worship the goddess MAHALAXMI (combined form of Sri Laxmi and Sri Narayana). In the evening of Diwali Day, People put extreme emphasis on cleanliness, because it is believed that LAXMI (goddess of Wealth/Prosperity) stays at a very, very neat and clean place.

Spiritual Orientation:

Diwali is the memorial of finishing old accounts of the past and the start of the new accounts in the New Year. On the eve of Deepawali, people check all their old ac­counts and then close them, so that they can begin their new accounts. This is the com­mon tradition of the world. Where we Brah­mins are concerned, we have to ask a question to ourselves, whether we have checked all our old karmic accounts. Have we assessed their overall results? Because, unless the result is assessed, it cannot be finished.

On the eve of Diwali we have to finish every trace of all old karmic accounts. Because if we don't, they will generate them­selves again and again. Have we checked our past account of actions? We have to check whether all our efforts are result oriented, productive and successful, If not, what percentage there is. In the world, people celebrate Deepawali in six ways. They are -

(1) Checking and finishing past accounts and begin with new ones which is to check and destroy old karmic account and deter­mine new deity-like SANSKARS (personality traits).
(2) Meeting each other i.e. equalizing SANSKARS with each other.
(.3) Wearing new clothes, which is to bring out the Original (new) SANSKARS of soul.
(4) White washing of their houses i. e. killing germs of viciousness in the soul.
(5) Giving pocket money to children (kharchee) that is to give love & share happiness with all
(6) Worshipping MAHALAXMI i.e. to become bestower.

Firstly we have to check the account of our thoughts. Do we have all pure thoughts? Have we won over all waste and ordinary thoughts or do they still put hindrances? We have to check, up to what extent we can give the Introduction of Supreme Father to others through our speech. Up to what extent has our speech become ALOKIK (spiritual) and attractive? In the very same way, we have to check our actions. Are they done in an extraordinary and elevated manner? Do we consider ourselves KARMAYOGIS, YOGYUKT and YUKTIYUKT (righteous), whilst performing our household duties and obligations? Check, up to what extent we have become co-operative, lovely and attractive by nature. In this way we have to check all our karmic accounts.

Secondly on Diwali there is the tradition when people meet each other. That's why Diwali is also called DEEPMALA (A group of lamps), and firm and determined thoughts are the memorials of the flame of a lamp. We have to check whether we can accommodate ourselves in a group or in a family. Can we mingle with those whose SANSKARS are not similar to ours etc? This symbolises DEEPMALA.

Thirdly people wear new clothes on Diwali day. Exactly in the same way souls too get new clothes on the basis of new personality traits. As the resolves, so is the cloth (body) of the soul. Actually the new costume of the soul is to accumulate Impressions (personality traits) of the new world order of "Culture of Peace & Non Violence", which is our (souls) original abode. Otherwise in this old world whatever new clothes one wears, they are made from old material. Because the era is old, here everything is old, decayed, with- out essence and short lived, whereas in the new world everything is worthwhile, attractive, fragrant, everlasting and in its pure form. New clothes i.e. new personality traits are those that are pure, satopradlwn and deity- like.

Fourthly, people white-wash their houses, so that all bacterias, insects and germs can be killed and dirt may be removed. In the very same way we too have to develop new SANSKARS. We need not be worried about our past vicious traits as many people are. This can be made clear by giving a very simple example - suppose a bucket is full of contaminated water and we wanted to purify this. One does not need to take the whole dirty water out first and then pour fresh and clean water into it, but actually If one starts pouring clean water there comes a time when the whole dirty water Is removed and fresh and clean water has taken Its place. Therefore instead of worrying about old sanskars, one should accumulate new, deity, satopradhan sanskars. And then one be­ comes perfectly pure in this way. This is called checking, transferring and transforming of all past accounts.

Fifthly, children are being given pocket money on the eve of deepawali. Here too we have to give pocket money (KHARCHEE) to all, by way of love and happiness. People give pocket money on special occasions, whereas we have to share happiness with all and forever. Let every for all of us day be utter importance, special and of celebration. Our efforts should be to win over the hearts of all i.e. to come close to all souls and this ymbolises DEEPMALA (an array of lamps).

Sixthly, on the occasion of Deepawali people (howsoever rich they may be) pray for money. They do worship MAHALAXMI on that day at night. We have to share spiritual wealth, which means no one has to beg for. The one who begs is called a beggar. So on this occasion, we have to check ourselves, do we still beg for any thing like asking for material wealth, health, job etc. If this is so then we can't become bestowers. Therefore neither do we have to beg nor to let others beg.

Finally, I would say that, we must all check, whether we have celebrated DEEPAWALI In this way and if we have fin­ished all our past vicious sanskars, so that we can begin with new sanskars. Have we become beads of DEEPMALA, have we put on new clothes i.e. has the soul accumu­lated new SATOPRADHAN sanskars, have we white-washed all old sanskars and got rid of their traces and have we given pocket money of love to all? If so, only then we can celebrate DIWALI in its natural and true spirit.

This period when Iron Age or Kaliyuga (Dark Age) is coming to an end and the Golden Age or Satya Yuga is about to commence is the present time, called Confluence Age or Sangamyuga (Transition Period). Jesus says, "When you see a cloud coming up in the west, at once you say, 'It is going to rain,' and it does. And when you feel the south wind blowing, you say 'It is going to get hot,' and it does. Hypocrites ! You can look at the earth and sky and tell what it means; why, then, don't you know the meaning of this present time."

At this fag end of RATRI - the Dark Age/Kaliyuga, this act of the same Supreme Soul- Incorporeal Point of Eternal Light is going on since 1936-37· descending into Dada Lekhraj Kripalini, a Sindhi Jeweler in Karachi, baptized him as Prajapita Brahma and imparting that spiritual wisdom to establish that Age of Perfection after the mass annihilation of this present degraded society of Dark Age.

So, let us all irrespective of different religious faith celebrate this 'Deepawali' to empower our self through process of Supreme Communion (Raja Yoga) with Him to inculcate His Supreme Commands of Universal Values to establish a "Value Based Happy Society of Culture of Peace & Non Violence" - our most cherished desire. The understanding of this eternal truth will usher in religious harmony & world peace. Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University has been engaged in this task for last 78 years since its inception in 1936-37.

The true way of celebrating 'Deepawali' would be to realize the significance of the present auspicious time (Sangam Yuga, which is end of Kaliyuga - Iron Age and the beginning of Satyuga - Golden Age) and by pledging to discard all negative traits such as anger, greed, ego and lust and by leading a life filled of love, compassion, respect, humility, cooperation, responsibility, divinity to establish a Value Based Better Society of "Culture of Peace & Non Violence".

Let us prepare to be worthy heirs of God by imbibing His wisdom bestowed through Mateshwari Saraswati, the self-same Durga and Amba, Pitashri Brahma and claim the titles of Shri Lakshmi and Shri Narayan. The entire globe will then shine brightly in the form of Golden Age or Satyuga, where everyone will witness real Deepawali in our lives.

Jyot Se Jyot Jagate Chalo-
MAY YOU BECOME THE WORSHIPWORTHY DEITIES OF THAT GOLDEN AGE
AND CELEBRATE TRUE ENLIGHTENMENT OF DEEPAWALI!
HAPPY DIWALI To All The Souls Of The World.