Deepavali Special
    Date : 17 Oct 2009
  THOUGHT FOR CONTEMPLATION


DEEPAVALI FESTIVAL:
Deepavali is the festival of lights(Deep) and signifies removal of darkness of ignorance by the knowledge of light. Lighting lamp on Deepavali is symbolic to this scriptural secret.

Most of the Hindus treat Deepavali as a festival which brings prosperity and towards that offer puja to Goddess Laxmi. Puja is mainly offered with the intention of seeking prosperity while some offer puja out of fear of losing whatever they have if they do not offer puja.

Seeking something always signifies insufficiency and feeling of insufficiency attracts losses because focus is on shortfall. Offering gratitude for all that which we have signifies ‘being well off’ and this feeling of ‘being well off’ attracts prosperity because focus is on abundance.

The rule is ‘What we focus on, that increases in us’.

Stop asking for more and start offering gratitude for what all you have and whatever you are; prosperity, peace and happiness will automatically flow into your life. This is the real lighting of the lamp of knowledge on Diwali and genuine puja of goddess Laxmi.

- Ramesh Jain


  Feedback from Program Participants

‘Most of us celebrate festivals by following various rituals but without really understanding the significance of the festival and the message it is trying to give. You are right when you said that every festival or puja or ritual should be understood from its knowledge aspect and then connect our emotions while performing it or celebrating it. I tried and found that it’s working wonderfully well. Thanks for giving a new direction of celebration.

  Question and Answers


Q: What is the significance of rituals such as pooja, homa, aarti, yagna, fasting etc. during religious festivals?

A: Rituals are designed to help invoke the power of our emotions during various festivals as on those particular days (days of festivals), the whole universe is in a particular format and our rishis and munis have devised rituals so as to format our emotions and synchronize them with the format of the universe. If one is able to emanate required emotions with required intensity then one need not really follow any rituals.
 
THE JOY OF SEEING OTHERS JOY IS A BIGGER JOY THAN OUR OWN JOY