Significant of the lighting of fireworks and lamps

August 11, 2005

Aum Sai Ram

Does anybody have information on the significant of the lighting of fireworks

and lamps during the period of Deepavali? I am looking for what Swami has to

say about it.

Sai Ram

Ashish

August 11, 2005

Dear Ashish, it is a pleasure to share what I have collected from this forum

some time ago. I hope I send this the correct way.

Hope you enjoy. Deepavali is usually end of October beginning November. Maybe

someone else on this forum can tell you more about the date.

Lots of sisterly love from Sai Sister Gitta

Today is the day on which Naraka, the demon was killed. What does this event

signify? It signifies killing the demon in man. 'Nara' means man and 'Asura'

means demon. This demon is present in every human being. It is not necessary to

acquire great Astras and Sastras (weapons) to kill this demon. Man is called

'Nara' because there is Atma in him. That Atma is the embodiment of love. It is

possible to kill the demons only through love. Therefore, realise the Atma

Tathva and develop love. This is true Bhakti (devotion). We are celebrating

such a sacred event of killing the demon Narakasura as a festival by preparing

so many delicious dishes and feasting on them. But, we are not making any

effort to understand the inner meaning of this sacred event. In order to

understand the sanctity of this great event, we must join Satsanga (good

company). You should not lead a life of selfishness. That is the life of a

Vyashti (individual). That is a wasteful life. It is only in Samashti

(community) life, can you realise divinity. You must lead a happy life by

identifying yourself with Samashti (society). In fact, Samashti is the

embodiment of divinity. Give happiness and take happiness. Happiness is not a

one-way traffic, it is a two-way process of give and take. Speak good words.

Develop Samyak Drishti (sacred vision). Lead a life of purity. Make your life

sanctified.

Divine Discourse: November 4, 2002

All festivals of Bharat have an inner divine significance. In Bharat the

festivals are celebrated to prove the immanent divinity in humanity. This day's

festival, Deepavali, teaches a sacred inner meaning to humanity. 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. Even if a lamp is kept in a pit, the

flame is directed upwards. The ancients have taught that the upward movement of

the flame denotes the path to wisdom and the path to divinity. However, the

external light can dispel only the external darkness, but not the darkness of

ignorance in man.

When Narakasura was killed all those who suffered under him were overjoyed.

Having led a life of darkness till then, both internally and externally, they

celebrated the occasion by lighting lamps. There is significance in lighting

lamps. The flame of one lamp can light the whole array of lamps. That one lamp

symbolizes the Paramjyothi (supreme effulgence). The others symbolize the

Jeevana Jyothis (light in individual selves). Deepavail is celebrated in order

to teach this truth to the world. People celebrate this festival by bursting

firecrackers signifying the victory of good over evil.

The inner meaning underlying the Bharatiya festivals should be rightly

understood. On each festival day people have a sacred bath early in the morning

and wear new clothes, keep their houses and surroundings clean. Thus the

festivals teach us the importance of internal and external cleanliness. The

Vedas declare, "Anthar Bahischa Tat Sarvam Vyapya Narayana Stithaha", God is

present within and around. So one has to be pure both internally and

externally. It is the water that helps to keep your body clean. But it is love

that keeps your heart clean. You should celebrate the festivals in full

realization of their inner significance.

Divine Discourse: October 19, 1998

Naraka Chathurdhasi is the day on which you resolve to get rid of your bad

qualities and follow the path of righteousness. Deepaavali is celebrated today

as a festival of lights, with the firing of crackers and display of fireworks.

In olden days the ancients rejoiced over the destruction of the demon

Narakaasura and let off fireworks.

There is another meaning in the burning of crackers on Deepaavali day This is

the rainy season. All kinds of germs fill the atmosphere. The smoke from the

crackers destroys these germs. The joy derived from the burning of crackers

should really come from the elimination of bad qualities within one. For this,

it is essential to meditate on God. Listen to Divine discourses. Participate in

Bhajans.

Divine Discourse: October 23, 1995

Deepavali means "the array of lights.Thamasomaa jyotirgamaya" (Lead me from

darkness to light) is an Upanishadic prayer: This means that where there is

darkness light is needed. What is this darkness? Sorrow is one form of

darkness. Peacelessness is another. Loss is another. Disappointment is one form

of darkness. Misery is yet another. Lack of enthusiasm is another. All these are

different forms of darkness. To get rid of the darkness of sorrow, you have to

light the lamp of happiness. To dispel the darkness of disease, you have to

install the light of health. To get over the darkness of losses and failures,

you have to usher in the light of prosperity.

Looking at the Deepavali festival from the scientific point of view, it should

be noted that at one time in the distant past, our ancestors lived in the

Arctic region (the polar region). In this region, darkness prevailed for six

months. The sun appears on Mesha Sankranthi day (the sun entering the Aries

sign of the Zodiac). The sun sets in this region on Tula Sankranthi day (when

the sun enters Libra). In the movement between these two signs, there is an

interval of six months. After the sun sets in Libra, the dark half-year starts.

Today is Chathurdasi (the fourteenth day) in the month of Karthik. It is

Amavasya (New Moon day). The month is called Kaumudi. The people in the polar

region used to start lighting their lamps from this day. The lighting of the

lamp is not without other significance. As they would be in darkness for a long

period, they described the lamp that was lit as Nithyajyothi (the perennial

light).

It was on Deepavali day that Sri Rama's coronation took place after his

victorious return to Ayodhya from Lanka vanquishing Ravana and his Rakshasa

brood. For a long period Ayodhya had been plunged in darkness when Rama was in

exile in the forest. In the absence of the effulgent Rama, Ayodhya was a city

of darkness. The forests were filled with light. The return of Rama was hailed

by the people of Ayodhya as the return of divine effulgence and hence they

celebrated the event by the lighting of lamps everywhere.

Nor is that all. Today's festival is marked by other significant features. This

is the day on which the Lord in His Vamana incarnation sent the Emperor Bali to

the Nether World after He got the promise of three feet of ground (measured by

the Lord's foot) from Bali. Vamana (as the incarnation of Vishnu) used the gift

of three feet of land to put down the Ahamkara (egoism) of Bali.

Deepavali is a festival which is designed to celebrate the suppression of the

Ego by the Higher Self. Man is plunged in the darkness of ignorance and has

lost the power of discrimination between the permanent and the evanescent. When

the darkness of ignorance caused by Ahamkara (the ego-feeling) is dispelled by

the light of Divine knowledge, the effulgence of the Divine is experienced.

Deepavali is also the day on which Emperor Vikramaditya ascended the throne.

If the darkness of ignorance is to be dispelled, man needs a container, oil,

wick and a matchbox corresponding to what an external lamp needs. For man, the

heart is the container. The mind is the wick. Love is the oil and vairagya

(sacrifice) is the matchbox. When you have these four, Atma-jyothi (the Divine

flame of the Spirit) shines effulgently. When the light of the Spirit is

aflame, the Light of Knowledge appears and dispels the darkness of ignorance.

The inner significance of Deepavali is to lead man from darkness to light. Man

is perpetually plunged in darkness. Every time he is enveloped in darkness, he

should light a lamp that is ever shining within him. Carry that lamp wherever

you go. It will light your path wherever you may be.

Divine Discourse: November 5, 1991

When we inquire into the significance of the Deepavali festival which we are

celebrating today, we find that traditionally it is a joyous festival to

celebrate the destruction of the demon Narakasura by Sri Krishna. It is only

when we first understand the meaning of the Krishna Principle will we be able

to understand the significance of the Naraka principle. Krishna is the

embodiment of the Five Elements: ether, air, fire, water and earth. He is also

the embodiment of five life breaths--Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana and Vyana.

"Kleem-Krishnaaya-Govindaaya-Gopijanavallabhaaya Swaah." This mantra contains

the essence of the Bhagavatha. The five names represent the Five Pranas (vital

airs). Kleem refers to the earth. Krishnaaya refers to water. Govindaaya refers

to Agni (the Fire-God). Gopijanavallabhaaya refers to Vayu (Air). Swaah refers

to ether.

When we recognize that the Divine is immanent in the five elements, we will

realize that there is no place in the cosmos where these five are not present.

The human body is composed of the five elements. These elements, because they

constitute the body, can affect only the body but cannot affect the Atma in any

way.

Krishna's encounter with the demon Naraka has to be understood against this

background. "Nara-ka" means one who is opposed to the Atma. The celebration of

Deepavali as the day of deliverance from Narakasura commemorates Krishna's

victory. The day is observed as an occasion when the Divine leads mankind from

darkness to light.

The legendary version of the Narakasura episode describes the demon as master of

Praagjyothishapura. The symbolic meaning of Praagjyothishapura is that it is a

place which has forgotten the Atma. The inner meaning of this is that demonic

forces dwell in any place where the Atma is forgotten. All the chaos and evil

in the world today are due to the fact that men have forgotten the Atma (the

Supreme Spirit). Every man is conscious of the body and of the individual soul,

but is not conscious of the Paramatma (Divinity) within him.

On Deepavali day, we light numerous lamps with one candle. The light with which

other lamps are lit is a Symbol of the Divine. The other lamps are

Jivanajyothis (individual lamps). They derive their light from the One Supreme

Light. It is to teach this truth to men that the Festival of Lights is

observed.

Divine Discourse: October 28, 1989

The city in which the demon Narakasura had his capital was known as

'Praagjyotishapuram.' The name consists of four syllables: Praag, jyoti, sha

and puram. Praag means former; jyoti means light; sha means forgetting and

puram means the body. Together the term refers to the heart. The inner meaning

of the term is that the man in his body is forgetting the light, the

Atmajyothi, in him. Nara has various meanings. One is Atma. Another meaning is

that which is not permanent. As Nara, man has forgotten his true spiritual

state. When bad qualities enter the city of nara, man becomes Narakasura (a

demonic being). The term Narakasura also means one who carries people to Naraka

(hell).

The inner meaning underlying the Bharatiya festivals should be rightly

understood. Note, for instance, the fact that the whole array of lamps are lit

by the light from one lamp. That one lamp symbolizes the Supreme Effulgent

Lord. The others symbolize the light in individual selves. The truth of the

Vedic saying, "The One willed to become the Many" is exemplified by the

lighting of lamps by the flame of one. The Deepavali festival thus bears out

the profoundest spiritual truth.

Deepavali has to be observed as a day for getting rid of all the bad qualities

in us, symbolized by the demon Narakaasura. The Gopikas who were freed on that

day represent the imprisoned good qualities in us. They should be manifested

effulgently. This is the inner significance of the festival. As long as the

demonic qualities remain in man, he will be immersed in darkness. Bad qualities

and thoughts have to be got rid of altogether.

I desire that our festivals and the holy days should be observed in the right

spirit, with an understanding of their inner significance. The destruction of

the Narakaasura symbolizes the destruction of evil and the restoration of what

is good.

Divine Discourse: November 9, 1988

Deepavali means a garland or festoon of lights, the most characteristic way in

which the festival is observed by all. Deepavali is the day when old clothes

are discarded and new ones worn; when the home and its precincts are swept

clean, given a new look and made to appear fresh and fine. But even while doing

all this, attention has to be paid to the discarding of worn out prejudices, the

adoption of new habits of love and mutual respect, the freshening of one's

attitude towards one's kith and kin, brothers and sisters of all creeds and

castes, the hanging of festoons of friendship and fraternity over the door sill

of the heart. This will make the festival really meaningful and fruitful.

Deepavali is also a day dedicated to the goodness of riches called Dhanalakshmi.

They celebrate the day as Dhanalakshmi Puja in many states in India. But, riches

when one comes by them, have to be revered as something given on trust and must

be used for the amelioration of the wants of society and not for personal

aggrandizement. Riches may come or riches may go; scholarship may be acquired

or may not be acquired; even joy may come and go. Whatever happens, man must be

unmoved, he must not swerve from the path that he has chosen towards the goal.

Divine Discourse: October 25, 1973

The human being is a composite of man and beast and God, and in the inevitable

struggle between the three for ascendency, you must ensure that God wins,

suppressing the merely human and the lowly beast. This festival of Deepavali is

to express gratitude at the defeat of naraka tendencies in man, which drag him

down from divinity. Naraka is the name for hell and the Asura, whose death at

the hands of Krishna is celebrated today, is called Narakasura, the

personification of all the traits of character that obstruct the upward

impulses of man.

He is said to be the son of Bhumi (the earth) and he is also called Bhauma. This

is very appropriate, for the earth and all attachments for things earthly lead

us down into the regions of pain and grief. Earthly domains, earthly riches are

powerless before the spiritual domain over the senses, spiritual riches of self

knowledge and self confidence.

On this Deepavali day, resolve to light the lamp of Namasmarana and place it at

your doorstep, the lips. Feed it with the oil of devotion; have steadiness as

the wick. Let the lamp illumine every minute of your life. The splendor of the

Name will drive away darkness from outside you as well as from inside you. You

will spread joy and peace among all who come near you.

Divine Discourse: October 24, 1965

Thema:

[saibabanews] Light of Diwali

Datum:

11.11.04 21:07:05 GMT Normalzeit

Von:

Beantworten:

saibabanews

An:

saibabanews

Internet-eMail: (Details)

Light and Love Happy, light and prosperious Diwali to all members of

'saibabanews' group. Diwali signifies many different events and

happenings in different parts of ancient India. In the Northern and the

Western regions of India, Diwali festival is attributed to the return of Lord

Rama to his kingdom's capital Ayodhya and his coronation after defeating the

demon king Ravana. Rama was the greatest of the hero-kings of India, and is

considered as the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In the Eastern

states, Diwali is associated with the story of Narakasura who had menaced his

people with tyranny. In the regions of Maharashtra and Mysore, Diwali is

linked with the legendary king Bali who was immensely popular with his subjects

for his generosity. However, king Bali had become arrogant and conceited, and

provoked the wrath of godly people. Lord Vishnu punished the king and pushed

him to the netherland. However, lord Vishnu allowed him to visit his kingdom

once a year. Since then, his people celebrated his arrival on this day, locally

called Bali Padyami. By historical perspectives, it is believed that Diwali

marks the coronation of King Vikramaditya. This famous Indian king inspired many

ancient tales. The era that goes by his name forty-eight year older that the

Christian era. Diwali also reminds Hindus of Swami Dayananda, the great

reformer and the torchbearer of the Hindu renaissance during the last century,

who died on this time. It is also a remembrance day for Swami Ramatirtha, the

great spiritual leader who carried the massage of Hindu Dharma to the western

world. In general, Diwali is a festival the renewal of life, the approach

of winter and the beginning of the sowing season. It is a festival of harvest

the second crop, joy for people of all ages, throughout India. On this day

farmers express thanksgiving to the Almighty. For Sai devotees it is the

time to become closer towards Swami's Divine Light and to experience its

reflection within. "The Self is self-luminous being pure Consciousness. The

cognition of all objects arises from the light of pure Consciousness."

(Bhrihadaranyaka Upanishad). Swami's Teaching and His Divine vibrations are the

pinpointers towards the Light of humans' Selves - as Unity in diverse forms.

Many stories about Diwali have represented. I shall add to them the ancient

legends connected with Diwali. I have studied the different variations of the

different legends. The represented seems to be more easy to comprehend.

Diwali is a time when every establishment is illuminated with â€œDeepsâ€- oil

lamps. Lamp or â€œDeepâ€ is the symbol of knowledge. Lighting the lamp of

knowledge within us means to understand and reflect upon the significant

purpose of each of the days of festivities and to bring those thoughts in to

our day-to-day lives. The illuminations and fireworks, joy and

festivities, are to signify the victory of divine forces over the powers of

darkness. The first day of celebration is called Dhantrayodashi or

Dhanteras. The scriptures mention the divinity called Dhanvantari emerging from

the churning of the ocean with a kalash (pot) filled with Amrit (ambrosia). Due

to the fact that Dhanvantari, who revealed the science of Ayurveda to the

world, first manifested on this day, all over India, doctors following the

Ayurvedic system of medicine organize joyful celebrations of the annual

Dhanvantari festival. The second day is called Naraka Chaturdashi. The

story goes that Narakasur, the ill famed king of Pragjyotishpur was creating

havoc in the society by the excessive use of his powers. He was responsible

for the imprisonment of 16000 young women. Lord Krishna had decided to destroy

this evil dictator. Satyabhama (wife of lord Krishna) took up the challenge of

rescuing the innocent women and Lord Krishna fully supported Satyabhama in her

mission. This day is celebrated as freedom from the tyranny of the evil king.

People free from atrocities of the evil ruler joyously celebrated the event by

taking an oil bath in the early morning and then in the night they lighting

lamps to illuminate the night sky. By the other legend, the second day is

celebrated as â€œKali Chaudasâ€, the day to worship Kali, the goddess of

Strength. (The strength to protect others is referred as Kali). On the

third day, people worship Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. The Puranas say that

it was on this day that Goddess Lakshmi, who emerged from the churning of the

ocean of milk, married Lord Vishnu, the repository of all divine qualities.

People decorate their houses with lit lamps and lanterns to welcome Lakshmi to

their home and hearts. On this day businessmen close old accounts and open new

accounts. The multi-hued lights of fireworks color lamps light up the earth and

the skies. In North India, the Govardhana Puja occurs on the fourth

day of Diwali. By legend in order to shelter the gopis and gopas and their cows

from the torrential rains sent by Indra, Krishna lifted a hill near Mathura

called Govardhana with his finger and sheltered all the people for a period of

seven days under it. By then Indra saw Krishna's greatness and asked him for

forgiveness. Devotees in the North build hillocks made of cow dung,

symbolizing Govardhana, and decorate and worship them. North Indians observe

this day as Annakoot, or the mountain of food. The fifth day of the

festival called Bhaiyya Dooj celebrates unique and fun customs. Every man dines

in his sister's house, and, in return, presents her with gifts. North India

calls it Yama Dwitiya. Thousands of brothers and sisters join hands and have a

sacred bath in the river Yamuna. The river Yamuna and Yama the God of Death

were brother and sister. As they grew up they went their different ways. On

this day, Yama supposedly visited his sister Yamuna, who in her joy at seeing

her brother after such a long interlude set up a feast for him. Pleased, Yama

granted her a boon. He declared that every man that receives a tilak or

vermilion mark on the forehead from his sister and presents her with lovely

gifts on this day would attain higher worlds. The message of Diwali is a

call to remove the darkness from within and from without. One lamp can light

several others. The lights of Diwali pictorially in this relative world

represent Atman (Brahman)* and the eternal creation. The light is always the

same, be it from celestial bodies or candles or oil lamps...it is as the symbol

for the Oneness of Cosmic Consciousness, (Atman, Brahman) what is always in

motion, creation. Its manifestation reflected (consciously or unconsciously)

through the Self. The inner spiritual light the individual Self longs for the

reflection outside into unity of other Selves. *Anybody cannot explain

what Atman is, as, it is beyond humans mind. All scriptures and explanations of

Atman are not objective reality but relative reality on the level of humans'

consciousness. We live in the relative world and our actions are relative

according to to Atmic Reality. Anybody from us do not know what exactly the

Atmic Reality is. Imagine a huge balloon of ether with created by ether special

forms of ants. Suppose that ants are capable to speak. Ask ants to describe the

ether and to find the edge of balloon. Try as they will, scurrying around, the

ants will never reach an edge and cannot describe the ether, as they have

nothing in the balloon to compare with the ether. (All is the same content and

they are too express the same content). So human beings: they have objectively

nothing for comparison of Atman and they never cannot look beyond Atman (alias

balloon). It is a frustrating aspect to our mind-boggling Universe. However,

humans have a divine spark within as reflection of the Self. They 'create' the

pinpointers for comparison from relative world as an imitation of the process

of Creation by Almighty in nano or in pico or more, more less amounts. It

is Cosmic Consciousness, Atman what 'works' by such way through human's Self.

It is as a play of the free will under pulsation of the Divine Will.

Reet Priman

References: http://www.amritapuri.org/cultural/bharat/deepavali.htm

http://www.gsia.cmu.edu/afs/andrew/gsia/rb/issues/1999/oct29/diwali.html

http://www.durgajyoti.com/dewali.htm

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August 18, 2005

Sairam.

While deepavali we used to keep lights all around our home, basically we light

one lamp and by making use of this lamp we will glow all other lamps likewise

we came from one God that is the source lamp and from that source all human

being are turned up.

The significance of lightening of fireworks is to remember Narakasura in order

to cut our ego. Whoever has done wrong, definitely gets panished.

The message from our divine on Deepavali is as follows