The auspicious month of Kartik commences on October 14 2008, and with it, the heralding of the festive season of Divali. The theme of this widely-celebrated occasion is “light over darkness”, a message that embraces all, regardless of colour, creed or race. The annual ritual of expressing this universal theme will be manifest in every nook and cranny of the country as our citizens seek, in various ways, to highlight the necessity to transcend the darkness.
This attempt at transforming the darkness signifies the innate Divine nature of each of us to strive towards the state of total enlightenment, of ‘swatantrataa’ or freedom. Indeed, positive attributes in the form of health, strength, harmony, stability, mobility, control of our senses, peace and love for our fellowman are clear indicators of the route to this ‘swatantrataa’. The constant striving, resilience and unyielding resolve to acquire this state are the tiny ‘deep’ or lamps that we light to guide us through the darkened marshy pathways, potholed by various acts of man’s inhumanity to man. In a most lucid manner,t he myriads of tiny lights of Divali ,send the clear message of freedom from all deficiencies and negativities.
Yet, his light remains an elusive dream to many who continuously struggle in the dark, and who remain imprisoned in their world of insecurity, trauma, depression, inertia, stress and empathic suffering. Where is the light? In which direction do I open the doors to peace and prosperity? Many cry out in pain as they scramble to eke out an existence, as they slip and fall on every rung of the ladder of life, as their world is clouded by uncertainty and daily failure.’ Bhagavan, tamaso maa jyotir gamaya’ ‘Lead me from darkness to light’…is their daily plea.
However, the simple solution is derived if one looks at a deeya that is lit. Where can the darkest spot be found? Just around the deeya, closest to it. This is most instructive as it teaches us that the light we seek must be kindled within. At whatever point we realise that the source of all our problems lies within us, just there and then will the light of knowledge and freedom dawn on us. Too often, we blame others for the difficulties we experience, for the miseries that we face and the overbearing challenges that confront us. Shri Krishna in Chapter 14 of Bhagavad Gita advises that we should be ever established in the self, taking our own woe and joy alike, regarding all and everything as equal and receiving the pleasant and the unpleasant in the same spirit.
This beautiful land of ours is in dire need of illumination. Each of us needs to fulfil our roles in doing our part to prevent the spreading darkness. As we prepare to engage in the celebration of the festival of lights we should make a resolve to take full responsibility for all of our actions, to develop reverence for each other, to treat all as extensions of ourselves, to acquire a sense of fearlessness and, most of all, to surrender at the feet of the Divine Mother, Lakshmi Maataa. It is only then that we will experience true freedom .May the swatantrataa deep be kindled brilliantly in our lives. May we be freed of all forms of darkness.
SHUBH DIVALI!
