Deepavali - The Festival of Lights
~ by Sadhana
Deepavali signifies the victory of good over evil and is the most celebrated festival in India and in countries with an Indian populous. The name may be spelled in various ways such as Diwali or Deepavali. In all these spelling variations, the key translation is “the festival of lights”. Light is understood to be the shining lamp of knowledge that illuminates our beings with higher knowledge of the self. Sometimes the term used is “from darkness unto light” —the light empowers us to commit ourselves to good deeds and brings us closer to divinity. So, during Deepavali, lights illuminate every corner of India, rangolis are laid in front of doors and the spirit of joy and friendship to all is the mood of the heart.The most epic and all-time immortal tale of good overcoming evil is told in the Vedic text- The Ramayana, written originally by the ancient sage Valmiki. The event marks the glorious victory of Lord Ram over the demon Ravana. It’s a story of love, separation, greed, lust, heroes, and more, but most of all the righteous actions that help navigate through life’s turmoil.Who has not weathered the storms of life and wondered what was the right thing to do? The epic story is inspiring in this regard and has been retold in dance, song, and various languages including Balinese and Thai. It has been told for centuries and is an everlasting tale.The story begins with a beloved King Dasarath who rules the prosperous city of Ayodhya. He has three wives of which Kaikayi was his favorite. She was granted two favors by the King after she saved his life during a war.He also had four sons, the eldest, and everyone’s favorite was Rama. Rama was married to Sita, a beautiful and very devoted wife. Soon the time came for the King to pass on the throne to his heir Rama. Just before the coronation. Kaikayi reminds King Dasarath of her two favors and demands that her son Bharat be crowned as King, and Ram be banished to the jungle for fourteen years. The King agrees due to righteousness and becomes very weak and heartbroken. Ram is agreeable as he wants to maintain the honor, and he sets forth with Sita and his younger brother Laksman who wished to accompany him. Thus, the story of Ram with his wife Sita and Laksman takes place as they traverse the challenges through the fourteen years. The main plot is the abduction of Sita by Ravana who was filled with greed, envy, and lust. The Bhagavad Gita says that these three vices are often the cause of much suffering. Also, that we, as conditioned beings in this world, have these propensities and must guard against them to be “righteous” in our actions so that we may be liberated from its clutches.The story highlights the roles of some heroic figures such as Hanuman, who show how these righteous behaviors and devotion to a higher Divine source will empower us to always win over evil within us.The story ends with the destruction of Ravana during a very epic battle filled with courage and grace. Eventually, after fourteen years, Sita, Ram, and Lakshman return to the city of Ayodhya, and this marks the day on which Deepavali is celebrated. The context of Deepavali is a powerful story and the underlying message for embodied souls who must guard against greed, lust, and envy.Rama is Lord Ramacandra is an incarnation of Lord Sri Krsna, who is considered to be the “avatari”, or the source of all incarnations, according to Srimad Bhagavatam, or the Bhagavat Purana.A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami has given us very insightful understanding through a verse found in the Srimad Bhagavatam:
ŚB 9.10.50
अग्रहीदासनं भ्रात्रा प्रणिपत्य प्रसादित: ।प्रजा: स्वधर्मनिरता वर्णाश्रमगुणान्विता: ।जुगोप पितृवद् रामो मेनिरे पितरं च तम् ॥ ५० ॥
agrahīd āsanaṁ bhrātrāpraṇipatya prasāditaḥprajāḥ sva-dharma-niratāvarṇāśrama-guṇānvitāḥjugopa pitṛvad rāmomenire pitaraṁ ca tam
Translation: Being pleased by the full surrender and submission of Lord Bharata, Lord Rāmacandra then accepted the throne of the state. He cared for the citizens exactly like a father, and the citizens, being fully engaged in their occupational duties of varṇa and āśrama, accepted Him as their father.A summary from A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s purport of this verse reads ‘It is sometimes said that people want the kingdom of God without God. Such an aspiration, however, is never to be fulfilled. Good government can exist when the relationship between the citizens and the government is like that exemplified by Lord Rāmacandra and His citizens. Lord Rāmacandra ruled His kingdom exactly as a father takes care of his children, and the citizens, being obliged to the good government of Lord Rāmacandra, accepted the Lord as their father. Thus, the relationship between the citizens and the government should be exactly like that between father and son.’To inspire the devotional mood, here are my favorite recordings of an old bhajan, Kirtan, worshiping Lord Ram and Srimati Sita Devi by Gaura Vani. It can be found at AyodhyaVasiRam or AtHomeVersionThe lyrics are as follows and are the different names of Lord Name, Srimati Sita Devi which are simply worshiped with love and devotion in this song. It is in a call-and-response, so sing along!
Ayodhya Vasi Ram, Ram Ram Dasharatha Nandana RamPateetha Pavana Janaki Jeevana Seeta Mohana RamAyodhya Vasi Ram, Ram Ram Dasharatha Nandana RamPateetha Pavana Janaki Jeevana Seeta Mohana Ram
--------------By Sadhana