The real meaning of Diwali

 

Diwali celebration is attributed to the return of Lord Rama from the forest where he spent fourteen years. But according to puranas this is not correct. It so happened that since no festival was celebrated in Ayodhya for fourteen years, on his return, all festivals were celebrated.

The real story

Initially Diwali used to be puja for Narayan and Lakshmi.  Later it changed to Ganesh and Lakshmi puja. Let us see how this change happened.

When Raja Bali won all three worlds and took the throne of Lord Indra, the latter panicked and went to Narayan. Knowing Bali’s weakness on giving ‘Dan’(charity), Narayan took the form of Vamana and sent Bali to patal lok. In patal, Bali was praying to Narayan, who became happy and had to agree to the request of Bali to go with him to patal.

So that year, Narayan was not present with lakshmi during Diwali puja. That is how Ganesh and Lakshmi puja started, which still continues.

Narayan’s return

Lakshmi was desolate without Narayan. She too decided to cash in on Bali’s weakness for ‘Dan’. She made Bali her brother on ‘Bhaiduj’ festival. When Bali asked what she wanted as a gift, she requested to release Narayan from patal. Then Lakshmi granted boon for Bali that he will rule all three worlds on Diwali.

Significance of gambling on Diwali day

In his previous life Bali was a gambler. Once while going to a prostitute with flowers,he tripped on a stone and fell on a nearby Shivling. He died on the spot and though he was destined to go to patal for his sins, he was given Lord Indra’s throne for one day for his merit in putting flowers on Shivling. When he sat on the throne, it struck him that for one good deed he got the throne for a day. So, to gain more merit, he offered one by one, everything in the Heaven’s treasury. In the evening when Indra came, the treasury was empty, and because of all the merits that Bali gained, he got Indra’s throne.

When Bali released Narayan from patal, Lakshmi gave the boon that Bali will be worshipped during Diwali and to commemorate his life as a gambler, gambling is allowed on Diwali day.

Puja during Diwali

During the Samudra mandhan ( churning of ocean, the Ksheera sagar), on the day Lakshmi appeared, Diwali is celebrated. Whoever lights lamp with oil (where Lakshmi resides), the Goddess blesses them and resides in their house for one year.

On the day Lord Dhanvantari appeared, Dhanteras is celebrated.

On Naraka Chaturdasi day, Mahakali puja is done.

Mantras in your life

Mantras have beneficial effects on the health of the body and positive effects at mental and emotional levels. The earliest mantras were composed in Vedic Sanskrit in India, and are at least 3500 years old. In the simplest form, the word ॐ (Aum, Om) serves as a mantra, it is believed to be the first sound which was originated on earth. Aum sound when produced creates a reverberation in the body which helps the body and mind to be calm.

Chanting mantra (japa)

Mantra japa is a practice of repetitively uttering the same mantra for an auspicious number of times, the most popular being 108.  Japa is assisted by malas (bead necklaces) containing 108 beads and a head bead, called 'meru'. Thumb and middle finger are used to count each bead while repeating the chosen mantra. After doing 108 repetitions, if another round of chanting has to be done, the mala is turned around without crossing the head bead and the cycle is repeated.

One or several mantras?

Even if one chants just one mantra throughout life with complete devotion, it is enough to uplift his/her life. But some people, like me, are drawn to several mantras. I feel strong connection to many mantras and got the clarification when I saw several past lives involved in spiritual pursuit. Each mantra activates a particular kind of energy in a different part of the body.

How to find time to chant many mantras?

If you are a one mantra person, there is no problem. But if you are attracted to many mantras and want to chant them all, there is problem with time management. I have found a way to do this. I have a mantra that I chant while cooking. Before starting to eat meals, I do Reiki and chant three mantras. In the morning and evening when I do puja, half an hour to forty minutes are spent in chanting different mantras. While doing yogasanas, during holding each pose, instead of counting minutes, I chant mantras. Then while performing routine duties, chanting will go on at the back of the mind.

I find this a very soothing practice. Our mind’s function is to think. Now a days there are too many stimuli around to give impetus for thinking to start, whether it is from the news paper you read, television shows or from Facebook and whatsapp messages. Instead of thinking about those things, which will only corrupt the mind, isn’t it wonderful to engage the mind in Divine mantras?

The purpose of different mantras

We can’t have a single program in the computer to accomplish different functions. With Word, you can have a word document, but to prepare a lecture presentation, you need to install Powerpoint in your computer. Each mantra has been chanted for millions of times by Sages and made powerful. They hold tremendous vibration that will be transmitted to your body while chanting, to bring about a particular result.

Ultimately, it must be your choice, according to your inner voice, whether you should adopt one mantra or many mantras, and which one.