The Glory of Shirdi Sai - Issue 21--2006 from Saidarbar.

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THE GLORY OF SHIRDI SAI

Fourth Year of Publication

Published as Bi-Weekly

Issue 21 / 2006

12- 10 -2006

 

DIWALI SPECIAL ISSUE

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GURUR-BRAHMA, GURUR-VISHNUH; GURU-DEVO MAHESWARAHA;

 

GURUR-SAKSHATH PARAM BRAHMA; THASMAI SREE GURAVE NAMAHA:

 

http://www.saidarbar.org/dattatreya/saidatta.htm

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Diwali

The festival marks the victory of good over evil. The Sanskrit word

Deepavali means array of lights that stands for victory of brightness

over darkness. As the knowledge of Sanskrit diminished, the name was

popularly modified to Diwali.

 

On the day of Diwali, many wear new clothes, share sweets and light

firecrackers. The Indian business community usually starts their

financial new year on Diwali and new account books are opened on this

day.

Hindus find cause to celebrate this festival for different reasons:

 

* As per sacred texts, according to Skandha Purana, the goddess

Shakti observed 21 days of austerity starting from ashtami of shukla

paksha (waxing period of moon) to get half part of the body of Lord

Shiva. This vrata is known as kedhara vrata. Deepavali is the

completion day of this austerity. This is the day Lord Shiva accepted

Shakti into the left half of the form and appeared as Ardhanarishvara.

The ardent devotees observe this 21 days vrata by making a kalasha

with 21 threads on it and 21 types of offerings for 35 days. The final

day is celebrated as kedhara gauri vrata.

 

* Diwali also celebrates the return of Lord Rama, King of Ayodhya,

with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana to Ayodhya from a war in

which he killed the demon king Ravana. It is believed that the people

lit oil lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness.

 

* It commemorates the killing of Narakasura, an evil demon who

created havoc, by Lord Krishna's wife Sathyabhama. This happened in

the Dwapara Yuga during this time of Lord Krishna's avatar. In another

version, the demon was killed by Lord Krishna himself. In South India,

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