Deepawali

Deepawali is a festival spread over 5 days, which come at the end of the Hindu month of Ashwin and the beginning of Kartik. This year, Deepawali is from 22^nd to 26^th October.

Spiritual meaning of Deepawali

By killing the demon Narkasur, Shrikrushna freed people from an attitude of indulgence in worldly pleasures, jealousy, unrighteousness and negative attitudes, and made them happy by giving thoughts of God, which is what Deepawali is about. We have been celebrating Deepawali year after year merely as a tradition. Today, the festival has lost its true meaning. If after comprehending this hidden meaning our knowledge is kindled, the ignorance in the form of darkness will reduce. Also, the domination of people who have demoniacal tendencies (of enjoying worldly pleasures and indulging in unrighteous behaviour) over the righteous, will reduce. 

1. Dhanteras (22^nd October)

A.  Spiritual meaning : Wealth, due to which our life progresses smoothly, is worshipped. Here ‘wealth’ means pure wealth. In the Shrisukta Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Sun are termed pure wealth. Only that which has a real meaning is Lakshmi ! Else, adversity befalls due to ill-gotten wealth. It is a practice to buy a gold coin on the day of Dhanteras, so that there is prosperity throughout the year. Actually, the accounts for the year should be submitted on the day of Lakshmi Pujan, which comes 2 days later. If the wealth available till Dhanteras is utilised for serving God, then it continues to exist with us in the form of Lakshmidevi. Wealth (that is money) should be earned slowly and steadily through hard work and truthfulness. Our Scriptures recommend that at least 1/6^th of our earnings should be offered to God.

– Paratpar Guru Parashram Pande Maharaj

B. Spiritual science : On this day, Shri Vishnu’s unmanifest energy flows through Shri Lakshmidevi’s Suryanadi (Right channel of the Kundalini) and the channel is activated. The rays generated from here are full of Tejtattva (Absolute Fire Principle). These Tej rays spread in the Universe and it is illuminated by shiny golden particles.

Shri Lakshmidevi’s Chaitanya (Divine consciousness) in these golden particles provides opulence, prosperity and creates an environment conducive for spiritual practice. Hence on this day, Shri Lakshmidevi is worshipped with utmost devotion. Because of the ritualistic worship with bhav (Spiritual emotion), the Deity and controller of wealth – Kuber – enters the earth’s environment.

– Shrichitshakti (Mrs) Anjali Gadgil

2. Narak Chaturdashi (24^th October)

A. Spiritual science : On this day, lighting lamps can destroy Tama predominant energies. The day before the 14th day of the fortnight, after 12 a.m. the atmosphere starts getting polluted with Raja-Tama vibrations, because the Universe moves from the Chandranadi (Moon channel) into the Suryanadi (Sun channel). This helps the tamasik energies in Patal (Hell region). The sound waves generated from Patal are created by heat generated from the movement of particles loaded with Raja-Tama components. To neutralise the effect of these waves, one has to bathe early in the morning, light ghee lamps in earthen pots and ritualistically worship them. The lamps radiate waves of particles charged with the Tejtattva, which helps destroy the Raja-Tama laden particles in the environment. Due to this, Raja-Tama components in the cells of tamasik energies also melt, which helps destroy the protective sheath around the tamasik energies. Hence, the soul begins to perform auspicious activities afresh. The tamasik energies get annihilated, amounting to destruction of negative vibrations emanating from Hell.

– Shrichitshakti (Mrs) Anjali Gadgil

3. Lakshmi Pujan (24^th October)

A. Worship of Shri Lakshmi and Shri Saraswati to eliminate ego and to cleanse ourself : Shri Lakshmi is worshipped on Kojagiri Pournima (Full moon day of Ashwin) and Ashwin Amavasya (New moon day of Ashwin). This indicates that these days are in fact auspicious. At the time of Lakshmi Pujan we should place our account books before Her Idol / Image and pray – “O’ Devi ! We have used the wealth bestowed by You for serving the Absolute Truth and the Divine mission. We place before You the complete accounts. Please approve of them. Let our mission continue smoothly in the coming year too”.

B. Shri Lakshmi Panchayatan : The Lakshmi Panchayatan (Shri Vishnu, Indra, Kuber, Gajendra and Shri Lakshmi comprise this Panchayatan) enters the Universe this day.

C. Importance of Lakshmi Pujan

C1. Destruction of negative energies : On this day, Shri Lakshmi’s marak (Destroyer) form is active, since it is the New moon day. The bhav of the individual performing ritualistic worship activates Shri Lakshmi’s marak form and destroys the negative vibrations.

C2. Arrival of other Deities : Indra and other male Deities also get drawn to the place of ritualistic worship and follow Shri Lakshmi. Thus, happiness, opulence, prosperity, stability and wealth are maintained in the Vaastu (Premises) by worshipping these 5 Deities.

– Shrichitshakti (Mrs) Anjali Gadgil

D. Worshipping Shri Saraswati : Then the One who is the favourite of artists, Hansavahini (Rides a swan), Jnanswarupini (Is the intellect form), the bestower of knowledge to intellectuals and keeps the power of discretion activated so that wealth is rightfully used – Saraswatidevi – should be worshipped.

– Paratpar Guru Parashram Pande Maharaj

4. Balipratipada (26^th October)

Ritualistic worship of King Bali is performed to prevent troubles due to negative energies. It is said that negative energy was created on Balipratipada. On this day, proportion of ‘Yama’ and ‘Tiryak’ vibrations is more in the Universe. When these vibrations come together, the negative energies under the control of King Bali create more negative energies.

King Bali is ritualistically worshipped to satisfy his thirst and hunger. This keeps King Bali and the negative energies under his control, happy the whole year in Patal and not cause any trouble to souls on earth. With this, the embodied soul on earth is able to practice Spirituality without obstacles. Hindu Dharma gives as much importance to this day of appeasing the negative energies as any other festival. Hence, it will be clear how impartial and tolerant Hindu Dharma is, since it thinks of the righteous along with unrighteous.

– Shrichitshakti (Mrs) Anjali Gadgil

5. Bhaiyadooj (Yamadwitiya) (26^th October)

A. Spiritual significance : Since on this day Yamadev’s form becomes gentle, the tarak (Saviour) energy in Him gets activated. Yamadev is the son and Yamuna is the daughter of the Sun Deity. On this day, the brother-sister duo of Yamadev and Yamuna meet and celebrate. The sattvik meeting of these Divine energies first takes place on the Bhulok (Earth) after which they travel to Suryalok (Abode of the Sun Deity) to meet their parents, Surya and Sandhya. Bhaiyadooj is therefore celebrated on the earth to imbibe the Sattva predominant vibrations of radiance and auspicious energies of the Sun which emanate from Yamadev and Yamuna.

B. The real gift to a sister on the occasion of Bhaiyadooj

In today’s times, women are being brutally raped and widowed. Give your mother & sister an appropriate gift on Bhaiyadooj. (Read about Yamadeepdan on : www.sanatan.org/en/a/108.html)

(Ref.: Sanatan’s Text – ‘Holy festivals, Religious festivals and Vowed religious observances’)

Since Hindu festivals have a spiritual & scientific foundation, celebrating them leads to generation of Chaitanya !

It will be clear how impartial and tolerant Hindu Dharma is, since it thinks of the righteous along with unrighteous !