Deepāvali Tamaso Mā Jyotirgamaya. Deepāvali Also known as Diwāli Literal meaning, a row of lamps...
Transcript of Deepāvali Tamaso Mā Jyotirgamaya. Deepāvali Also known as Diwāli Literal meaning, a row of lamps...
DeepāvaliDeepāvali
Tamaso Mā Jyotirgamaya
Deepāvali
• Also known as Diwāli
• Literal meaning, a row of lamps
• One of the biggest festival of Hindus
• Celebrated all over India– In Kenya, Thailand, Trinidad and in many
more countries
The festival of Lights
• Celebrated for 5 days
• Customs vary but lighting lamps is common
• Fireworks, Rangoli, Lamps
• Lights, Sparkles, Glitters!
Dhana-trayodashi
• Dhanteras, Yama Deepdān
• 13th day of Kārtika month
• Houses, business premises decorated
• Auspicious to buy gold, silver, new utensils
• Lamps lit and kept burning all night
• Cattles adorned and worshipped in villages
Dhana-trayodashi - Stories• Son of King Hima, as per horoscope,
was doomed to die on this night
• His wife did not allow him to sleep
• She kept all ornaments, gold, silver at the entrance of the room
• Yama, God of death, gets blinded by the dazzle of brilliant lights and leaves
• Hence, the tradition of buying gold and the name Yama Deepdān
Narak-chaturdashi
• Chhoti Diwāli, or little Diwāli
• Falls on 14th day of Kārtika month
• Tradition is to get very early and have an oil bath before the sunrise
• Earthen lamps are lit
Narak-chaturdashi - Stories
• Narakāsur, the demon king of Prāgjyotishpur, was killed by Lord Krishna
• After defeating the demon, Krishna returned early in the morning and had scented oil bath
• King Bali was pushed to pātāl, or nether regions, by Vāmanāvatār
Lakshmi Pujā
• Diwāli, Kaumudi Mahotsam
• Amāvasyā, or no moon night
• Day of Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth
• Millions of lamps lit
• Amāvasyā becomes brighter than Poornimā, or full moon night
Lakshmi Pujā - Stories
• Lot of stories associated with this day
• Lord Rāma return to Ayodhyā after defeating Rāvana
• Lord Krishna delivers knowledge of Gitā to Arjuna
• Lord Krishna also attains “nirvāna” this day
• Nachiketa attains knowledge from Yama and returns back to earth
Bali Padya
• Pādwa, Varsha Pratipadā, Govardhan Pujā, Annakoot
• In northern part of India, the hill of Govardhan is worshipped
• Annakoot, meaning “mountain of food”, is observed for all deities
• Variety of sweets are made and shared among all
Bali Padya - Stories• Vikramāditya the great, held his
coronation and started a hindu calendar, vikram samvat
• Lord Krishna, uprooted Govardhan hill and held it up to save residents of Gokul from rains
• Bali came back from pātāl and given boon to return from nether regions once a year
Bhāi Dooj
• Bhāv Beej, Bhāi Tika, Yama Dwiteeyā
• Sisters put tilak on forehead of brothers and wish for their success
• Originates from the legend that Yama went to see his sister Yami on this day
• Yama announced that anyone who receives tilak from his sister this day, will never suffer
More on Diwāli
• Sikh also celebrate Diwāli to commemorate return of 6th Guru, Guru Hargobind from captivity
• Lord Mahāvir, who established Jainism, obtained nirvāna on this day
Significance of Diwāli
• Celebration of rise of knowledge
• Celebration of victory of dharma
• Occasion for self-enlightment
• Prosperity, peace, and progress for all