SIGNIFICANCE OF FESTIVAL DEEPAVALI

Deepavali or the Festival of Lights is an important and popular festival and one of the four main festivals celebrated In India. Deepavali. “Deepavali” derived from Sanskrit Deepa = lamp, awali = row, line, when It literally translated means “Row of Lights”. It means “row of lighted lamps” or the Festival of lights. It celebrates the victory of goodness over evil, light over darkness. During Deepavali people pray to Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth, light, prosperity and wisdom, but also to God Ganesha, the 'Remover of Obstacles' or the 'Lord of Beginnings'. Deepavali is associated with many legends.

Legends of Deepavali:-

There are many festivals in India. Some festivals are celebrated in certain regions, like Holi in Northern India, Onam in Kerala. However, Deepavali is the only festival that is celebrated across the country, by everyone without distinction of class and creed with slightly different set of rituals and customs. This slight deviance in the set of rituals and celebrations of this festival is due to the prevalent legends of the specific regions and states. The reason for celebrating Diwali in North India is based on the return of Lord Ram from exile to Ayodhya. But in South India the legend is of Krishna defeating demon Naraka with the help of Satyabhama.And an another legend says that Goddess lakshmi emerged from Ksheera Sagara (Ocean of Milk).

CELEBRATIONS:

The festival is actually celebrated over a period of five days. First Day - Dhanatrayodashi" or "Dhanvantari Trayodashi" in south and Dhan Teras in North India. Second Day - Narak Chaturdashi, Third Day- Diwali, Fourth Day - Govardhan Pooja in north India and Bali Padyami in south India, Fifth Day - Bhai Dooj in north and Yama Dvitiya, or Yam Dwitiya in south India.

The first day is called the Dhanatrayodashi" or "Dhanvantari Trayodashi" or Dhan Teras. The word Dhan means wealth and Tera means 13th day as per Hindu calendar, wherein people buy a new utensil or gold or silver because as it is considered auspicious to spend money (for goddess Lakshmi) on this day. The day is also dedicated to Dhanavantri, the Hindu God of medicine, and therefore special Dhanvantari Puja is held on the day.  

The second day is called Narak Chaturdashi. Demon named Narakasur who had managed to acquire such awesome powers that he began to terrorize the three worlds. He was killed and defeated by Lord Krishna. As a symbol of that victory Lord Krishna smeared his forehead with the demon king's blood. Krishna returned home early morning on the day of Narakachaturdashi. The womenfolk massaged scented oil on his body and gave him a bath to wash away the demon’s blood. Since then the custom of taking an oil bath before dawn on this day has become a traditional practice especially in Maharashtra and in the South. Normally according to dharma shastram, one is not supposed to take an oil bath before sunrise on any day. But on Deepavali, there is an exemption. People get up early in the morning and have an oil bath in hot water especially before sunrise. This is equated to having a bath in the Ganges. On Deepavali chathurdashi day, Mahalakshmi resides in gingelly oil and Ganges resides in water until sunrise. So we get the blessings of Mahalakshmi as well by doing this.This is clearly mentioned in Tula puranam.

The thrid day is called Diwali. On this day Mother Lakshmi emerged from the ocean of milk called the Ksheer Sagar. She brought with Her wealth and prosperity for mankind. On that day, Lakshmi Pooja was performed to honour Her and as such, every year on Diwali day, Hindus perform Her prayer and worship. On this day, Lakshmi Pooja was performed and the making and distribution of various sweets and total vegetarian foods are the special of the day. Many people believe that Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and good fortune, visit the homes of devotees on this day. Worship of Lakshmi is performed in the pradosha time of the deepavali which is considere as very auspicious.

The fourth day is called Govardhan Puja is dedicated to  the Govardan  Mountain near Mathura, which was lifted by Lord Krishna to save the people of Braj from heavy rains and flood created by Lord Indra. Apart from worship of Lord Krishna and Govardhan Mountain, people perform Govardhan Pradakshina, circumambulating the hill is an important event on the day.Bali Padyami in south India is the day when King Bali rules the world with blessings of Sri Hari Vishnu. It is observed on the first day of the Kartik Maasa in the traditional calendar followed in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. On the day people remember King Bali and pray for the return of prosperity that existed during his rule. Exchanging gifts on this day is a major highlight. Bali Padyami is the half muhurta among the three and a half auspicious muhurtas in a year. One need not look for auspicious time on the day. There is a popular belief that what ever is gifted on the day will be returned manifold with the blessings of Lord Vishnu.

The fifth day of Diwali celebrations is known as Yama Dvitiya, or Yam Dwitiya - a symbol of love between brothers and sisters. The day is observed as Bhai Dhooj or in North India and Yama Dvitiya is the name used popularly in South India. The legend of Yam Dwitiya is associated with Lord Yama, the Hindu god of Death, visiting his sister Yami.

What is the Message of the festival:-

All festivals of India have an inner divine significance. In Bharat the festivals are celebrated to prove the immanent divinity in humanity. The slaying of Naraka by Sathyabhama could also be taken to interpret that parents should not hesitate to punish their children when they stray on to the wrong path. The message of Naraka Chaturdasi is that the good of the society should always prevail over one's own personal bonds. It is said that before dying Naraka realized his mistakes and requested for a festival in his name from his parents which will remind people what will happen when they are overtook by inflated egos. Naraka Chaturdasi thus indicates that good and evil rises from the same root. 

Deepavali teaches a sacred inner meaning to humanity. During the night of Deepavali the little clay lamps (diyas) silently send forth message of Deepavali: "Come, let us remove darkness from the face of the earth." No other element in this world is as significant as light. It is the light that shows us the way dispelling the darkness. It is because of the light that man is able to attend to his daily duties. The flame of a lamp has two significant qualities. One is to banish darkness; the other is a continuous upward movement. The flame always points upwards. Even if we keep the lamp upside down, the flame will burn upwards. The message is that our mind should be focused on the the Self wherever we are. 

Thus the festival signifies the victory of good over evil – where the good and the evil are present in us. The religions and cultures may be different but they all share a universal principle of divine creation. 

My Message:-

People celebrate this festival by bursting firecrackers signifying the victory of good over evil. One way it is rainy season and it is good for killing of insects and mosquitoes. And in another way it is very dangerous to people which creates health problems also. Please don’t use hazardous crackers which cause health problems. Moreover bursting firecrackers was not part of our Deepavali tradition. In all festivals I like and love Deepavali very much and I used to celebrate the festival with great pomp and enthusiasm. But when I am pursuing LLB degree I studied a public interest litigation case filed by Mr.M.C.Mehta which made me tear jerking and from that time onwards I decided not to buy crackers because many kids are made to work in the fire cracker factories by giving up their golden life. So I decided I should not buy it to promote child Labour.

My appeal to all my fellow Indian’s is that on this holy day; Stop Buying and bursting crackers. Save a few children their lives and save yourself. Think about the children below 12 years and thousands of other Children involved in child labor in our Fireworks factories. For those poor kids this festival of light simply translates into more forced and hazardous work. Think about them before buying and bursting crackers. Please do not buy and burst crackers because if you do that then in a way you intend to help an industry that unethically and inhumanely employs thousands of children. Stop supporting child Labour. 

If you still want to burst, make sure to buy low decibel ones from brands which carry NCLE/NHLI (NO CHILD LABOUR EMPLOYED/INVOLVED) SEAL.

If you want to burst, make sure you don't cause trouble to neighbors, pedestrians and traffic.

Don't burst high decibel, high sounding crackers to cause panic to sick & elder people.

Don’t burst crackers from 10PM to 6AM - it is illegal as per Supreme Court orders.

As you celebrate this Diwali, spare a thought for the people of Sivakasi because they are the ones who make your Diwali sparkle. We all continuously oscillate between happiness and sorrow.  Instead of exaggerating and thinking about our own happy and sad experiences, if our action can bring a little bit of comfort and happiness to some one else we must pray and do that work. This attitude alone is the best. This is the core meaning of festivals like Deepavali. Instead of brooding that “I have problem, I have sorrow” let us pray that entire universe should be happy. Let us celebrate Deepavali keeping in view the underlying philosophy behind it and not convert it into a huge extravaganza or display of wealth and luxury. 

Wish u a very Happy Diwali!Deepavali is a festival of lights but it seems light has gone out of our lives as we witness so much violence against innocent people.While offering most sincere greetings for this festival of lights let us pray together that light of wisdom returns to our lives over coming darkness of hatred and violence. After all Deepavali symbolizes victory of good over evil. Real celebration lies in sincere efforts to bring back light of wisdom to our lives.Happy Diwali

COURTESY:VARIOUS DEVOTIONAL BOOKS.

LESSON FROM THE HEDGEHOGS

It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold.

The hedgehogs, realizing the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions.

After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth.

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

Author Unknown
Submitted by Laura

The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person’s good qualities.

PUT MIND AT EASE

One day, Buddha was walking from one town to another with a few of his followers.

While they were traveling, they happened to pass by a lake. They stopped to rest there and Buddha asked one of his disciples to get him some water from the lake.

A disciple walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed some people were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake.

As a result, the water became very muddy. The disciple thought, ““How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink!””

So he came back and told Buddha, “”The water in the lake is very muddy. I don’’t think it is suitable to drink.””

After a while, Buddha again asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some water.

The disciple obediently went back to the lake. This time he found that the mud had settled down and the water was clean so he collected some in a pot and brought it to Buddha.

Buddha looked at the water then looked up at the disciple and said, ““See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be and the mud settled down on its own. It is also the same with your mind. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time and it will settle down on its own.”

THE TWELVE GIFTS OF BIRTH

Once upon a time, a long time ago, when princes and princesses lived in faraway kingdoms, royal children were given twelve special gifts when they were born. You may have heard the stories. Twelve wise women of the kingdom, or fairy godmothers as they were often called, traveled swiftly to the castle whenever a new prince or princess came into the world. Each fairy godmother pronounced a noble gift upon the royal baby.

As time went on, the wise women came to understand that the twelve royal gifts of birth belong to every child, born anywhere at anytime. They yearned to proclaim the gifts to all children, but the customs of the land did not allow that.

One day when the wise women gathered together they made this prophecy:

Some day, all the children of the world will learn the truth about their noble inheritance. When that happens a miracle will unfold on the kingdom of Earth.

Some day is near. Here is the secret they want you to know.

At the wondrous moment you were born, as you took your first breath, a great celebration was held in the heavens and twelve magnificent gifts were granted to you.

1. Strength is the first gift. May you remember to call upon it whenever you need it.

2. Beauty is the second gift. May your deeds reflect its depth.

3. Courage is the third gift.May you speak and act with confidence and use courage to follow your own path.

4. Compassion is the fourth gift. May you be gentle with yourself and others. May you forgive those who hurt you and yourself when you make mistakes.

5. Hope is the fifth gift. Through each passage and season, may you trust the goodness of life.

6. Joy is the sixth gift. May it keep your heart open and filled with light.

7. Talent is the seventh gift. May you discover your own special abilities and contribute them toward a better world.

8. Imagination is the eighth gift. May it nourish your visions and dreams.

9. Reverence is the ninth gift. May you appreciate the wonder that you are and the miracle of all creation.

10. Wisdom is the tenth gift. Guiding your way, wisdom will lead you through knowledge to understanding. May you hear its soft voice.

11. Love is the eleventh gift. It will grow each time you give it away.

12. Faith is the twelfth gift. May you believe.

Now you know about your twelve gifts of birth. But there is more to the secret that the wise women knew. Use your gifts well and you will discover others, among them a gift that is uniquely you. See these noble gifts in other people. Share the truth and be ready for the miracle to unfold as the prophecy of the wise women comes true.

By Charlene Costanzo

SALT GLASS OF WATER AND THE LAKE

Once an unhappy young man came to an old master and told he had a very sad life and asked for a solution.

The old Master instructed the unhappy young man to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink it.

“How does it taste?” – the Master asked.

“Terrible.” – spat the apprentice.

The Master chuckled and then asked the young man to take another handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and when the apprentice swirled his handful of salt into the lake.

The old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”

As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the Master asked, “How does it taste?”

“Good!” – remarked the apprentice.

“Do you taste the salt?” – asked the Master.

“No.” – said the young man.

The Master sat beside this troubled young man, took his hands, and said, “The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains the same, exactly the same. But the amount we taste the ‘pain’ depends on the container we put it into. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things. Stop being a glass. Become a lake.”

Author Unknown
Story Submitted by Camilia

HELLO WORLD

Beginning today I will no longer worry about yesterday. It is in the past and the past will never change. Only I can change by choosing to do so.

Beginning today I will no longer worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will always be there, waiting for me to make the most of it. But I cannot make the most of tomorrow without first making the most of today.

Beginning today I will look in the mirror and I will see a person worthy of my respect and admiration. This capable person looking back at me is someone I enjoy spending time with and someone I would like to get to know better.

Beginning today I will cherish each moment of my life. I value this gift bestowed upon me in this world and I will unselfishly share this gift with others. I will use this gift to enhance the lives of others.

Beginning today I will take life one day at a time, one step at a time. Discouragement will not be allowed to taint my positive self-image, my desire to succeed or my capacity to love.

Beginning today I will open my mind and my heart. I will welcome new experiences. I will meet new people. I will not expect perfection from myself nor anyone else: perfection does not exist in an imperfect world. But I will applaud the attempt to overcome human foibles.

Beginning today I will learn something new; I will try something different; I will savor all the various flavors life has to offer. I will change what I can and the rest I will let go. I will strive to become the best me I can possibly be.

                                                                                                                                BY STEPHEN 

LOVE YOUR PARENTS

When we were in the womb of our mother and had yet not completely formed, we were loved and cared for. We were small, helpless and dependent on the love and care of our parents to bring us into this world. They undertook pain and sacrifice to make sure that we had all the comforts. They welcomed our birth and celebrated it in their own way. They made sure that we had the right kind of nourishment for body and mind. They inculcated good values and provided for our education. They fiercely guarded and protected us during our infant years.

Yes, our parents who have done so much for us deserve our love and gratefulness for everything. Every parent loves their child tremendously and selflessly. They have no expectations in return. They are ever willing to give up their luxuries and comforts to address our every single need. They were our first teachers patiently explaining everything to us and satisfying our curiosity. We learnt how to express ourselves by watching them and imitating them…

Our entire existence is a debt to our parents which can never be fully repaid. The least we can do is to love them and care for them when they need us the most. By telling them how much we appreciate what they have done for us, we can make them feel good. By taking care of their needs, by giving them company and by talking to them and listening to them esp. in their old age, we are doing our duty. Just as they were there for us when we need them, we should be there for them always.

As they grow older, it is but natural that they may suffer from some health problems or develop habits which are unusual. Sometimes they may have memory lapses and may not be as sharp as they used to be. We need to be patient and not get vexed. We need to remember that they too were patient with us and took care of us during all our illness. We need to be extra careful not to hurt them or their sentiments.

Parents are divine. They are verily our God for having created and nurtured us. As per Hindu scriptures, in the order of importance, it is the Mother who comes first followed by the Father, Teacher and God. Therefore, when we shower our parents with love, even the Gods will be pleased and will appreciate us.

COURTESY:VALUES FOR LIFE