Deepawali - Deepest Lessons on the Darkest Night of Year

The Mantra


This is the Shanti Mantra from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.3.28) that depicts the journey of human life form that seeks to progress from the unreal, temporary, falsehood to real, permanent and towards sat - the truth. Search of Light amidst the darkness, a search for Sattva (equilibrium) amidst Tamas (extreme attachment), search of Vidya (True knowledge) amidst Avidya (Ignorance). Quest from death to Immortality, the realization that body, mind, ego are temporary, whilst Atman (Soul) is enduring and permanent.


Deepawali - the prominent and most Auspicious festival for humanity signifies rise of Goddess Lakshmi, returning of Lord Shree Ram, Mata Sita and Lakshaman Ji to AyodhyaJi, trimuph of Lord Shri Krishna, Goddess Satyabhama over demon Narakasura depicting, that evil can be mighty, hugely deceptive, may seem unassailable but finally pays for its deeds and eventually comes to a full collapse.

Other Sects that are part of Sanatan - like Jains or Sikhs also celebrate a special historic milestone on the auspicious day of Deepawali.

On Deepwali day, Lord Mahavira attained Nirvana, enlightenment and wholesome knowledge.

Similarly on Deepawali day, in 1619, 6th Sikh Guru - Guru Hargobind Singh ji managed to free 52 Hindu kings from the captivity of Jahangir, son of Akbar - the Evil lineage of invaders, popularly described by woke historians as Mughals. (The word “Mughal” find its roots in “Mogul”, that originated or distorted from the word “Mangol” and the word “Mogul” was used to describe and distinguish low level plunderers from Elite Afghans of that time).

Swinging back to Deepawali.

The Prologue

Though the context of the festival of Deepawali is galore and innumerable, primarily Deepawali emanates from the Epic Ramayana, our ancestral story of returning of Lord Shree Ram and Mata Sita back to their kingdom and when the people lit diyas and lamps to celebrate their favourite king's and queen's arrival. The legend of Good over Evil, the apologue of devotion of Lord Hanuman, the history of innocent Shabri feeding tasty berries to her beloved God, Ramayana has innumerable learnings

This history, this story, some of the moral lessons have been narrated in every Bharatiya household by grandmothers and these lessons have found their way through generations.

However, the perspective of Ramayana can be taken beyond these and can encapsulate much wider wisdom. (New Era, New thoughts, New learnings but same Story).

1. Following rules & adhering to the spirit behind it - During Treta Yuga when Lord Shree Ram was born, One’s Word mattered more than Life.

“Pran jaye par vachan na Jaye”.

We see two instances of this in Ramayana.

(i) Shree Ram was King Dashrath’s favourite son and he knew he couldn’t live without him as Shree Ram was born to King Dashrath after many years of prayers and blessings from Sage Shringi. When King Dashrath's third wife asked for Bharat, her real son, to be King of Ayodhya Ji and Shree Ram to be sent to Vanvas outside the boundaries of Ayodhya Ji for 14 years, King Dashrath could have dishonoured his word or could have shifted his kingdom to the territory where Shree Ram stayed. But he didn't do that. He followed the custom & kept his word.

(ii) Another instance where mortals gave more importance to their Words than their mortality can be seen at the time of marriage between Lord Shree Ram & Mata Sita. Shree Ram gave his word to Mata Sita that she will be his only wife and under no circumstance he will marry any other.

As per the tradition of Ayodhya, it was mandatory for person to be anointed as King only if he is married and had to sit for Yagna with his wife. Shree Ram, after coming back from 14 years of Vanvas, had to leave Mata Sita as one of his subjects didn't approve of it. Sages and Brahmins requested Lord Shree Ram to remarry but he stuck to his word and in spirit got a golden statue made of Mata Sita to sit next to him for Yagna.

In the materialistic world of Kalyuga, humans try and deceive each other by bringing out the loopholes in the written document or agreement, forgetting about spoken words or verbal commitments.

The Judiciary, take cognizance of documents rather than essence and morality. Sometimes one may win as well using these loopholes and succeed in snatching Power or Wealth, but it brings Asuri Shakti or Alakhmi, both of it is harmful to oneself beyond destroying others.

2. Principle of Detachment -

Mata Sita had the power that no man could touch her without her will. Entire world and the subjects of Ayodhya ji knew this. Despite this, Mata Sita took the Agni Pariksha, or trial by fire, to prove her purity as she had spent years in Ravan’s captivity.

Lord Brahma the Creator of Universe also certified Mata Sita’s innocence and purity. But that was not enough for some people to accept Mata Sita as pure. Lord Shree Ram, a Principled King, asked Mata Sita to go away from him and from worldly comforts and pleasures.
The reason was not that Lord Shree Ram doubted Mata Sita but that as a King and patriarch of his subjects, his role as king was far greater than as a husband. So he needed to project to his subjects that Dharma, Pursuing Dharma was more important than the person he loved most in his life.

In present world, humans err, humans undertake malpractices, humans cheat to get their children and families procure and secure comfort, wealth and possessions and when tables turn on the person, the same children, the same family, the same social circle abandon for whom the person has done some or many ill deeds.

3. Principle of Stewardship -

The Ramayana teaches us that everything in this world has been created by the Almighty and he is the ultimate owner. Bharata, the younger brother of Lord Shree Ram, ruled Ayodhya Ji by keeping Shree Ram's paduka (Wooden slip-ons) on the throne, ruling on behalf of Lord Shree Ram. This teaches us that deeds may be ours but not the outcome.

The outcome is directed by the Universal grand plan. If you go deeper into the process of ideation or thoughts, the ideas to do good themselves come from the Universe or Providence which chooses you to do that act. Many rely on mortal intelligence believing that they are responsible for what is happening with them or around them.

The most notable thing in life, whether wealthy or poor, heroic or commoner or Saint or thief is that the event that changes the trajectory of the journey called life, or the inflexion point whether up or down was neither planned nor envisaged by oneself.

Thus one's deeds are determined by one's thoughts, and the outcome of such deeds, such actions, such behavior at some point in time determines one's destiny.

Hence Wealth or Power or Resources be acquired in a manner, that is not harmful, deceitful or catastrophic for others.

4. Tough times bring out the best in You -

In the forest, Mata Sita found herself stronger for her children in the womb. She not only gave birth to two beautiful children but made them capable and strong. This is reflected by the fact that Luv and Kush, both at a very tender age, defeated Lord Shree Ram's army and Lakshman Ji, one of the best archers in the world. Thus, one can decipher that Mata Sita’s hardships helped her to make Luv and Kush acquire capabilities much earlier than other privileged ones could have.

Deepawali reminds us of lessons which are pertinent for happiness and success. In essence, Deepawali helps us recollect the virtues which Lord Shree Ram had and which till today help us have a better and more fulfilled life.

Deepawali is a festival celebrated across the globe, symbolizing the defeat of hopelessness over hope, silent wisdom over mere words, and resilience and discipline over fickle-mindedness. Deepawali falls on No Moon day, the darkest night of the Hindu Lunisolar holy month of Kartika in the Vikram Samvat calendar. The epic of Ramayana says, on Deepawali day, Lord Rama returned to his kingdom Ayodhya after defeating Ravan, the demon king of Lanka.

The Question, the Query, the Quest?

The interesting question to ask here is - "Why does Deepawali fall on the darkest night of the year. The biggest festival on the darkest night."

Let’s step back and analyze.

Moon symbolizes human heart (mann), and depicts calmness, cool benevolent thoughts. Sun is the Soul giving us strength and energy and stars are our guiding path. All these are missing on Deepwali night, which has only one source of light.

The light of the Diya. This small flame of goodness and righteousness, flame of Dharma is enough to guide a human being on the right path!

Life is to be led in a way that it helps others. The difference between animals and humans is that the former only live for themselves whilst humans live for others.

Our basic nature is to help others and derive happiness from it. That is the single biggest reason why only Philanthropy gives ultimate happiness, while the pursuit for material things only keeps you busy chasing a dream and often when you achieve that dream it doesn’t give happiness and pushes you to pursue the next.

Ever wonder why feeding a poor child biscuits or helping a blind man or an old man cross the road gives happiness which you don’t experience even earning millions?

Siddhartha Rastogi gives you a point to ponder this Deepawali – Why keep interminably running the race for more and more until you make “enough” money to give back?