There are four pivotal ideas associated with Diwali, and they are cleaning, kindling, sharing and connecting. People clean their homes before Diwali day, they kindle lamps on the day itself [which happens to be a dark night], they share food and sweets, and they connect with their age old past. You and I too, in an effort to celebrate, must sweep the floor of our heart and clear away the dust of lust, anger and greed. Before kindling our deeyaas, we must understand that the darkness outside is also inside of us in the form of blinding ignorance. When we actually kindle, we must pray to be led away from untruth to truth, from darkness to light, and from daily death to deathlessness. We die every moment we subject ourselves to anger and greed. After doing Havan and kindling deeyaas, we must share food and sweets with our neighbors and friends, especially those who are marginalized. Removing hunger and generating sweet relationships must be high on our priority list. And finally, we must research and connect with our past. Several incidents took place on Diwali day. One of them is the passing of the soul of Mahaa Rishi Swami Dayananda. Before he gave up his mortal coil, he kindled millions of deeyaa-hearts. You and I must do the same – we must help bring light to dark hearts – they are afraid and crying out for help. And, finally, let’s use Diwali in these modern times to connect with 1.9 billion years of Vedic-Hindu history. Namaste from Guyana. Happy Diwali!!!!
DR SATISH PRAKASH