***Happy Diwali***

mnx12

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Posted: 11 years ago

#1

Fireworks graphics

Edited by mnx12 - 11 years ago

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mnx12

@mnx12

Channel Moderator

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Posted: 11 years ago

#2

Diwali, the festival if light, reminds us of, "Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya" (From darkness unto Light). Symbolically, it represents our divine nature and reminds us of our primary responsibility to pursue the path of light and find the divine.

The great Goddess Maha Lakshmi, who symbolizes all the positive forces of life and the divine nature of wealth, is the principal deity of this remarkably unique festival.

The first day of the festival is known as Dhanteras or Dhantrayodashi. Dhan means wealth and Trayodashi means 13th day. On this day, it is believed that, Lord Dhanwantari emerged from the waters of the ocean holding the knowledge of the spiritual medicines of Aayurveda, to help the mankind fight against sickness, disease and death.

The second day of the festival is known as Naraka Chaturdasi. On this day Lord Krishna with his consort Satyabhama killed Narakasura & freed 16000 women abducted by him. Religiously, the day marks the end of an evil empire in some prehistoric past and the beginning of a new era of Light and Knowledge.

The actual Diwali is celebrated on the third day of the festival, when the moon completely wanes and total darkness sets in the night sky. It is in this darkness, that Diwali finds its true expression. On this day people worship Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and express their gratitude for previous favors.

Usually the pooja is performed both in the morning and again in the evening when the sun is ready to set or has already set. It is believed that the Goddess would not visit a devotee's house, if it is not kept clean and properly lighted. So every one strives to keep their houses clean, the doors and windows open and all the lights and lamps glowing brightly.

The fourth day is variously known as Padwa, Varshapratipada and Kartika Shudda Padyami. According to a legend, at the behest of Lord Krishna the people of Braj worshipped the hillock Govardhan on this day to save themselves from an impending storm unleashed by the fury of Indra, the Lord of Heaven.

Even now, in northern India, in the region of Braj, people continue the tradition of worshipping Govardhan on this auspicious day.In a sense, this is an act of invocation to appease the forces of Nature to prevent the occurrence of floods and cyclonic storms, a tradition that is probably rooted in the vedic times.

On the fifth and final day of the festival, which is known as Bhayiduj, Bhayyaduj, Bhavbij or Bhayitika, brothers and sisters meet to express their love and affection for each other. Sisters put a ceremonial mark, usually with vermillion, on their brothers' foreheads and wish them long lives. According to a legend, the tradition began when Yamuna, the sister of Lord Yama honored her brother with a tilak on his forehead and wished him long life.

Edited by mnx12 - 11 years ago

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