This year Diwali falls on a Sunday, hence it is during this week that most of us would rush with our shopping as well as return home from all over, as far as possible, to join in the Lakshmi Puja. Now that Diwali has become a global festival of lights, it is interesting to find how “light” is referred to in some traditions.
The profound Sanskrit lines that we as young students were familiar with, read: “Asato ma sad gamaya, tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, mrityor ma amritam gamaya (Lead us from ignorance to truth, Lead us from darkness to light, Lead us from death to immortality)”. This prayer from the Upanishad did inspire a whole lot of us.
Once while visiting a Centre of Brahma Kumaris at Mount Abu, a sister led me to one bright painting of light with its rays in all directions, and explained to me that they regard God as incorporeal being and as a point of living light. Coming to know that I was preparing to embrace priesthood in the Church, she was quick to point out to me the connection of light with Jesus who said: “I am the light of the world”. John in his gospel, describing Jesus writes, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”.
Again, one also reads in the Holy Quran, “Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth… light upon light. Allah guides to His light whomever He wishes”.
Undoubtedly the above references from various sources all refer to, both, divine night and the divine as light. In the humdrum of our Diwali celebrations, however, we may find little time to meditate on the significance of “light” that illuminates our soul.
Such pondering thoughts pertaining to the spiritual side of our life are often put aside by us to some auspicious moment or simply postponed to another day, little realising that the goals of our life are easier to arrive at when we allow our day to day life to be enkindled by divine light.
Rabindranath Tagore did one such mediation and came up with this insightful prayer: “In my house, with thine own hands, light the lamp of thy love!… Change my darkness to thy light, lord!… And my evil into good!… All the sense lamps that I did light; Sooted into worries; Sitting at the door of my soul; Light Thy resurrecting lamp!”
One reason among others why we rejoice at Diwali is to celebrate the victory of good over evil. And what better way to defeat evil that comes our way than to let the divine light, rule our life.
