Spiritually Correct way of Celebration: Deepavali., Mysticism, reading, forums, Numerology, Sun Signs, Divination

Posts: 4397 · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:46 am

[b]Diwali (Deepavali)- A Festival of Lamps

Diwali is the festival of lights. The word Diwali has been derived from the word Deepavali, a Sanskrit word, meaning a row of lights. Thousands of lamps lit on Diwali signifies eternal and everlasting Spiritual Knowledge (Dnyan). We light lamps on Diwali to pay our gratitude to “GOD”.

Diwali is celebrated on four consecutive days called as, Dhanatrayodashi, Narak chaturdashi, Lakshmipujan / Diwali and Balipratipada. As per the Hindu Lunar Calendar these days are celebrated on the thirteenth day (trayodashi), the fourteenth day (chaturdashi), the new moon day (amavasya) of the dark fortnight of month of Ashvin and the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of month of Kartik. This year the dates on which these days fall are –

Dhanatrayodashi –26 October,

Narak chaturdashi -27 October,

Lakshmipujan / Diwali – 28 October,

Balipratipada – 29 October.

In order to make our celebration more meaningful, let’s see the spiritual importance and spiritually correct ways of celebrating these four days.

First day of Diwali - Dhanatrayodashi (26th October):

Importance of the day as per Science of Spirituality:

On this day Lord Vishnu's unmanifest energy flows through Sri Laxmi Devi's Surya nadi (the right channel of the Kundalini) and the channel is activated. The rays generated from here are full of fire element. These 'Tej' rays spread all over the Universe and the whole Universe is illuminated by shiny golden particles. Goddess Laxmi's chaitanya present in these golden particles provides opulence and prosperity which creates an environment conducive for spiritual practice.

Spiritually Correct way of Celebration:

Worship of the deity Dhanvantari: According to Ayurveda (ancient Indian medical science), it is the birthday of the deity Dhanvantari, the deity bestowing immortality. Hence, it is also called Dhanvantari jayanti. On this day, Ayurvedic doctors (vaidyas) worship Him by making a sacred offering (prasad) of small pieces of neem leaves and sugar to visitors. Besides the fact that neem leaves are very good for health (chewing five to six of them everyday helps prevent malady), they also have the highest ability to absorb Prajapati frequencies.

Offering of lamps:

On this day, one performs Yamadipadan, that is, an offering of lamps to Lord Yama to prevent untimely death. Thirteen lamps made of wheat flour and lit with oil should be placed outside the house, facing southwards (direction of Lord Yama), in the evening. A lamp is never kept facing southwards except on this day. Then, reciting the following mantra one should offer obeisance:

"I offer these thirteen lamps to the son (Lord Yama) of the Sun deity (Surya), so that He liberates me from the clutches of death and bestows His blessings."

Second day of Diwali - Narak chaturdashi (27th October):

Importance of the day as per Science of Spirituality: On this day, lighting lamps everywhere can destroy demonic energies. The day before Chaudas, after 12am itself the atmosphere starts getting polluted with raja-tama frequencies because on this day the energy of the moon channel of the universe moves into the Surya (sun) channel. Due to this the distressing energies in ‘pataal’ (seven regions of hell) get benefited. The sound waves generated from pataal create disturbing noise in the environment. This noise is created due to the heat generated from the movement of particles loaded with raja-tama components in the sound waves. To neutralize the effect of these waves, one takes early morning shower and lights ghee lamps in an earthen pot and does its ritualistic worship. The lamps dissipate waves of particles engrained with the fire element, which helps to destroy the rajatama laden particles in the environment. Due to this process raja tama particles present in the cells of such subtle distressing energies melt away leading to destruction of the protective sheath around the distressing energies. This event is called destroying distressing energies in the environment with help of earthen lamps. Hence, on this day after destroying distressing energy, a soul begins with a new day to do any auspicious activity. On this day distressing energies get annihilated which in a way means destruction of the distressing waves of hell. Hence this day is called as Narak Chaturdashi.
Spiritually Correct way of Celebration :

Ablution with oil (abhyangasnan):

According to Shrimadbhagvat Puran, on this day Lord Krushna slayed a powerful demon, Narkasur. The dying Narkasur asked Lord Krushna for a boon, "On this date (tithi) let one, who takes an auspicious bath (mangalsnan) not suffer in hell." Lord Krushna granted him that boon. Consequently, this day also came to be known as Narak (hell) chaturdashi, and on this day people started taking an auspicious bath (abhyangasnan) before sunrise.

Yamatarpan and aarati: On this day, one performs Yamatarpan, that is, offering to the deity of death (Lord Yama) after an auspicious bath (bath with an oil massage) to overcome untimely death. Thereafter, the mother moves lit lamps in front of her children's faces to commemorate the celebration of Lord Krushna's victory.

Third day of Diwali - Lakshmipujan (28th October):

Importance of the day as per Science of Spirituality: On this day Lakshmipanchayatan (group of five deities) enters the Universe. Sri Vishnu, Shri Indra, Shri Kuber, Shri Gajendra and Shri Lakshmi are part of this ‘panchayatan’. During the new moon time Goddess Lakshmi’s marak (destroyer form) is active. To get the maximum benefit out of this destroyer form, one does ritualistic worship of dhan (money, wealth) in the evening time. Because of the spiritual emotion of the person doing ritualistic worship, Goddess Lakshmi’s marak form gets activated and destroys the troubling frequencies in the environment. All deities in the ‘panchayatan’ gets drawn to the place of ritualistic worship and follow Goddess Lakshmi. Thus happiness, opulence, stability and wealth are maintained in the vastu (premise) by benefiting from all the 5 elements.
Spiritually Correct way of Celebration:

On this day, one performs Lakshmipujan, that is, worship of deity Lakshmi, the deity of prosperity. After an auspicious bath at dawn one should worship the deities. In the afternoon a rite for the departed souls (parvanshraddha) and an offering of meals to Lord Brahma (who created the Universe) is done and in the evening, in a pandal decorated with creepers and leaves, Lakshmi, Vishnu, Kuber, and other deities are worshipped in the following manner. A statue or picture of Lakshmi should be installed on a seat on which either an octa-petalled lotus or a svastik is drawn with consecrated rice (akshata). Next to Her a statue of Kuber is placed on a pot (kalash). Then all these deities are offered a sacrament (prasad) of a mixture of coagulated cow’s milk (khava), sugar, cardamom and cloves. Then items like coriander, jaggery, and corn from parched, unclean rice, sugar candies (battase), etc., are offered to Lakshmi and distributed to friends. The Puranas (Hindu spiritual texts) narrate that on this night, Lakshmi enters the ideal home, which besides being clean, is inhabited by men who are faithful, dutiful, merciful, and righteous, have control over passions and are devotees of God, and women who are virtuous and chaste.

Driving off poverty (Alakshmi): Just as, one makes efforts to acquire wealth (Lakshmi), poverty (alakshmi) should be destroyed. To signify it, on this day a new broom is bought. It is called Lakshmi. At midnight one should sweep the house with that broom, collect the garbage in a dustpan and throw it out, which signifies that poverty (alakshmi) should be destroyed. This is called 'driving off' of alakshmi (poverty). Sweeping/vacuuming the house and throwing the garbage out at night is forbidden on other days.

Fourth day of Diwali - Balipratipada (29th October):

Importance of the day as per Science of Spirituality:

On this day the proportion of ‘yama’ and ‘tiryak’ frequencies is more in the universe. Due to the combination of these frequencies, the distressing energies under the leadership of King Bali create more distressing energies. On this day, one does ritualistic worship of King Bali and offer him full meal, sacrament (Naivaidya) so as to satisfy his thirst and hunger. The purpose of the ritualistic worship is that for the whole upcoming year, King Bali by keeping the distressing energies under his control lives happily in paatal, without causing any troubles to lives on earth.
Spiritually Correct way of Celebration:

This is the half among the three-and-a-half auspicious moments (sade teen muhurtas). It is called Balipratipada, as King Bali was stripped of his kingdom and sent to the netherworld, as a punishment for making offerings unto the undeserving. Hence, a picture of King Bali and his queen is drawn with rangoli on the floor, decorated with five colors and worshipped. Then, for the sake of Bali's generosity,lamps and clothes are donated. On this day, after an early morning bath with an oil massage (auspicious bath), women move lit lamps in front of their husbands' faces. In the afternoon, one feasts on a meal with delicacies. People wear new clothes and celebrate the whole day. There is also a practice of worshipping the mountain Govardhan (Govardhanpuja) on this day, by making a heap of cowdung and tucking durva (a sacred grass) and flowers into it. Images of Lord Krushna, the cowherds, Lord Indra, cows and calves are arranged alongside and also worshipped.

Decorations during Diwali:

Rangoli: The doorsteps and the entrance of the house are decorated with different designs drawn with colorful Rangoli powder. The two aims of drawing rangoli are revelation of beauty and acquisition of auspiciousness. It is a practice to draw rangoli at the site of any auspicious religious ritual.

Decoration with lanterns (akashkandil): The lantern should be hung outside the house on a tall pole buried in the ground with the help of a string from the eleventh day (ekadashi) of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashvin till the eleventh day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartik. To gain prosperity, it should be ritualistically installed repeating the mantra, “I am offering this lantern along with the lamp to The Supreme Almighty Damodar. May He endow me with prosperity.”

Decoration with lit lamps: Lamps should be lit both inside and outside the house on all the evenings of Diwali. This gives the house a decorative look and generates enthusiasm and joy. Earthen lamps lit with oil are more decorative and soothing than a string of electric bulbs. This is in alignment with the

Vedic teaching that one should go from darkness (ignorance) to light (spiritual knowledge) Offering lit lamps attracts Goddess Lakshmi’s principle. Each and everyone should celebrate the religious festival of Diwali with enthusiasm so that Goddess Lakshmi perpetually inhabits one's home and one is enlightened with spiritual knowledge. This helps to maintain happiness and prosperity in the family.

SSRF Satsangs (Spiritual discourses) are conducted in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah in English, Tamil and Malayalam languages. Please feel free to email ssrfdxb@gmail.com your queries or interest.

SSRF WISHES ALL OF YOU A HAPPY, PROSPEROUS AND SPIRITUALLY BLISSFUL DIWALI

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Dear Readers,

This article I have collected from SSRF , a world wide Spiritual organization. Thanks to my friend Sri Manjunath , who has sent me this article .

I think this article provides us with the exact methods of celebrating Deepavali in spiritually correct way.

" Wish U all Very Happy, Prosperous, and Spiritually blissful Deepavali.,"

from prasanna.

Regards,

Posts: 149 · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:31 am

Nice inputs on Diwali festival..

For every festival there is a logic and meaning based on which our ancestors formed.

If we can able to understand and celebrate then the festivals will be yielding lot more results to our life.

Towards this SSRF is making good contribution.

Wishing the happy Diwali to all.

Posts: 4397 · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:15 am

Thanks Prabakaran , for your nice feed back on this article as well as on this festival. Thanks once again for your good wishes to all.

Regards,