Deepavali, also known as Diwali, is the
festival of light. Etymologically, Deepa
is a lamp. But in the religious sense, it is an earthen lamp (diya) in
which oil is poured and a cotton wick is placed in it to light up. Āvali means
‘to line up’ or placed in a row. Thus, deepavali means diyas lighted
in a line or row. The festival Deepavali connotes a symbolic of triumph of light over darkness, good over evil,
knowledge over ignorance, and prosperity over dereliction. It is celebrated by Hindus,
Sikh, Jains, Buddhists, tribals and even by Christians. For Sikhs, Deepavali
marks the release of Guru Hargobind from imprisonment in 1619. To celebrate,
they light up their homes and gurdwaras with diyas and candles, and hold
processions known as Nagar Kirtan. Jains celebrate this occasion as the
anniversary of Lord Mahavira’s attainment of moksha or liberation from the
cycle of birth and death. They offer prayers and decorate their homes with
lights and rangolis. Buddhists also have a special significance for this
festival as it marks the day Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism. They
celebrate by lighting candles in their homes and temples, offering prayers, and
meditating on the teachings of Buddha. The festival brings people together,
promoting harmony, peace, and understanding among different communities.
Though the festival is celebrated across
the country, “it is not a single festival in honour of a single god or
goddess,” but “contains several independent items” (P.V. Kane, History of
Dharmaśāstra vol.5, 194). The feast, lasting from two to five days
depending on the culture and place, is celebrated mainly for three days from 13th
to 15th of Aśvina month and beginning of Kārtika.
Scriptural Reference
The scriptural account of this great
festival (mahā-utsava) can be traced back to three Purāṇic episodes:
Bhaviśya Purāṇa (BhvP), Padma Purāṇa (PP) and Skanda Purāṇa (SkP). And all
three accounts narrate the account in similar way. The protagonist of the story
is Bali. According to the Bhaviśya Purāṇa, it is Vishnu instituted the feast to
commemorate the great generosity of the King Bali (BhvP 140.59-64; PP
124.59-46; SkP 10.51-52).
Bali was an Asura king (daitya or dānava)
who was known for his generosity and peaceful rein. In a battle, Indra kills
him; but his teacher rejuvenates him and makes invincible who in turn attacks
Indra and defeats him. Indra’s mother pleads Vishnu for help who comes to Bali
as a dwarf brahmin for alms. Bali without realizing who the person is, promises
him the gift that he wants. Bali asks three steps of land. With the first step
he covers the entire earth, with second the heaven and places his third foot on
Bali’s head and pushes him to pātāla, the nether-world (BhP 8.15-23).
The SkP specially mentions that Kaumudi
(commonly understood as lotus) to be used during celebration of festival, while
PP highlights on Yama-dvitiya (124.71-98). Thus, the feast of Deepavali is also
the Kaumudi festival. However, Ku means earth and mud refers to joy (mudita),
implying the feast to be the joy on the earth. On this day all over the earth
people give joy to one another; on this day lotus-flowers (kumudā) are
offered to Bali. As a mark of joy people place rows of lighted lamps and
illumine the houses and paths.
Three-Day Celebration
The first day begins with Yamatrayodaśī,
the 13th of Yama. This is the day of austerity and devotion: ritual
bath, the pledge of three nights of austerity to be observed in the form of
eating food without salt and sleeping on the floor and spending day in devotion
to Lord Krishna. In the evening diyā is lighted and placed outside the
door with the prayer, “May the sūryaja (the son of Sun) be pleased with
me.” The belief is, Yama, the Lord of the dead when comes to call, one is ready
to face death. Thus, the day is also seeking “protection from untimely death”
(Subhash Anand, 194). This day is also known as dhana-trayodaśī and
popularly known as dhana-teres, the day of wealth. Some also believe
that it is the birthday of Dhavantari, the divine physician who emerged with
elixir (amrita) when devas and asurs churned the ocean.
The second day is marked by Naraka-caturdaśī,
the 14th of Naraka. On this day people take oil-bath, give libation
of water to Yama, offer a lamp to Naraka and light lamps around. The belief is,
Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, who reside in the oil and the water used
for the bath in the morning. Thus, the day is known to be the day of prosperity
and wealth.
On the 15th, that is on the new moon day,
there is a ritual bath, worship of gods and ancestors and a memorial for the
departed are celebrated.
There is another interesting celebration on
this day: the Govardhana Pūja (PP 124.30-33). The puja refers to the act of
Krishna who saved the people of Gukula and their cows under the hill from the
fury of Indra’s torrential rains. On this day, cows are decorated, bathed,
oiled and allowed to move freely. This day the people neither milk the cows,
nor make them work. In some places, people make a small hillock in govar (gobar
or cow dung) as the symbolic of wealth (dhana). It may be possible,
the word ‘govardhana puja’ is the reflection of this thought.
The second day of Kartika is known as Yama-dvitiya
or Bhrātr-dvitiya or popularly known as Bhaiya-duj or Bhai-bij
(BhP 14.18-27; PP 124.88-98; SkP 11.3.-73). According to Purāṇa, Yama goes to
his sister Yamunā’s house for meal. It is advised that on this day sister
prepares a good meal for her brother and brother intern gives her good gifts.
With this Deepavali comes to an end.
The feast as a symbolic of a yonder reality
The story of Bali and Vāmana is a common
myth found in the south Indian tradition of Onam festival can also be connected
here. Vāman’s taking away of the prosperous Kingdom of Bali and his goodness,
and subsequent prayer for a ‘peaceful kingdom’ and to allowing his return for a
day or two for a review, points either to the suppression of one cult or
absorbing into the other or a combination of both. Therefore, the feast may be
a metamorphosis of a historical reality or event. G. Woodcock in his book, Kerala:
A Portrait of the Malabar Coast opines about the Onam feast, “in all
probability a south Indian emperor of cherished memory whom the Indo-Aryans
conquered” is a metaphoraization of a culture overpowering the other.
In the North Indian Culture, the feast
Deepavali is also associated with Rāmāyaṇa, where it is the feast of glorious
return of Rama from the forest dwelling and killing of Ravana, the asura king
of Lanka. It is a homecoming of Rama and thus the return of the Kingdom of
Rama.
Deepavali is celebrated after the automnal
equinox when the sun crosses the equator in its movement towards the south.
With this winter sets in the northern hemisphere, the sun shows himself for a
shorter duration. Thus, the feast represent the changing season. In the words
of Subhash Anand, it is a “rite of passage.” during this time, days become
shorter and longer nights. It is a time to remind us that we need more
artificial light to lighten our path, take away the darkness and look with hope
for a brighter tomorrow (uttara-āyana). The lights directed towards east
symbolizing this even (pūrva-diś) since the sun rises in the east. The
closure of rains and coming of winter also suggests that there is plenty of
harvest in the barn and thus prosperity and looking forward yet another
prosperous season of plentiful. The turn of season also marks the beginning of
a ‘New Year’, a fresh time to begin the life, being healed of all darkness and
look for a prosperous time ahead. Symbolic bath, other libation, ancestral
worship, etc., are some pointers to this fact.
Thus, Deepavali is commemoration of the
good rule of Bali. Along with commemoration of the past glories, the feast
looks for a hopeful future of good and prosperous time. It is also a festival
of hope how one should look at life after loosing everything (Mahabharata 12.216-17). King Bali represents the Sun who brightens
all the creation. “The myth itself is a symbol of transcendence; nature as the
sacrament of the divine, nature as the best initiator into the mystery of
life.” Being Sun himself, Bali is a symbol of cosmic harmony and ethics. By its
regular rising and setting teaches us that life here on earth is momentary. The
joys and sorrows will have their end and therefore one should look for eternal
joy and peace which comes only through the divine union.
Deepavali is also a festival of wisdom.
Wisdom enlightens the ignorance. Padma Purana gives a reason for this. When the
Shankh asura stole Vedas, the books of wisdom and took it away to the pātāla,
Vishnu took up the Mathsya avatara (fish-incarnation) and rescued them
for the humanity. Therefore, Deepavali reminds us that we should be vigilant.
The devil of ignorance is all around and even within us who can take away our
knowledge.
Protection of the weak and vulnerable,
respect love for our fellow brothers and sisters, practice of virtues, alms
giving, etc., culminates the feast of Deepavali. Being the feast of Bhaiya-dūj
one is expected to treat one’s sister, brother or neighbours as one’s own
family. Hospitality is a virtue to be practiced here. The Goverdhana pūja
reminds us of our indebtedness to the weak and vulnerable that include animals,
plants, creation and earth. Mahatma Gandhi reminds us, “Cow protection means
protection of the weak, the helpless, the dumb, and the deaf. Man becomes then
not the lord and master of all creation but he is its servant” (M.K. Gandhi, In
Search of the Supreme, Vol.3, page 202).
Let the Kingdom of God come and let us have
prosperity and love reining once again.
References
G. Wookcock, Kerala: A Portrait of the
Malabar Coast (London: Faber and Faber, 1969).
M. K. Gandhi, In Search of the Supreme,
3 vols. Ed. V.B. Kher (Ahmedabad: Navjivan Publishing House, 1961).
Pandurang Vaman Kane, History of
Dharmaśāstras, 5 vols. (Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Institute, rev. Ed.
1968-75).
Subhash Anand, Major Hindu Celebrations:
A Christian Appreciation (Indore: Satprakashan Sanchar Kendra, 2008).
NB: This article is an excerpt of the chapter on Deepavali festival by Subhash Anand.
Also, see my previous blog on Deepavali - Message for Deepavali ; for the blog on Onam - Onam Festival or copy the links given below and paste.
https://rfcrasta.blogspot.com/2017/10/let-there-be-light-message-on-deepavali.html
https://rfcrasta.blogspot.com/2011/09/onam-celebrations-t-he-feast-of-onam-is.html
Raju Felix Crasta
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