Deepavali:
The festivals of Bharat portray the eminence of its timeless culture and have profound inner meaning. The Deepavali festival is intended to celebrate the incarnation of Krishna Avatar and to mark the destruction of the evil and the wicked force of Narakasura.

Bhoomi Devi (mother Earth) had a son named Naraka. Even though Naraka was the son of a divine entity, he had the nature of a demon. Naraka was powerful and he took pleasure in terrorising the inhabitants of the three worlds.

Narakasura would raid and plunder the kingdoms of the three worlds. He would not even spare women and would kidnap them for his own personal harem. Once, Narakasura had heard that Indra, the king of the Devas, had thousands of divine elephants in his army. Narakasura, developing greed to possess everything, attacked the heavens.

Indra was helpless as he watched Naraka's minions plunder the heavens. Naraka himself began the persecution of the Devas. While thus engaged, a glimmering object at a distance caught his attention. Upon inspection, he realised that the glimmering object was mother Aditi's (the mother of the Devas) earring. He assaulted mother Aditi and grabbed her earrings.

Indra, feeling humiliated at his loss and even worse that his mother was assaulted, wanted to take revenge and he thought that Krishna was the only person who could take on Naraka.

Indra went to Krishna's palace where Krishna was spending quality time with his wife Satyabhama. He narrated Naraka’s misdeeds to Krishna and begged him for his help. Krishna was enraged that Naraka dared to lay his hands on mother Aditi and declared that Naraka must die for his insolence.

Satyabhama seemed annoyed that Krishna would be leaving her. In order to please both Satyabhama and Indra, Krishna decided to take Satyabhama with him to battle.

Krishna summoned his mount Garuda (a giant eagle) and flew towards Naraka's fortress. An impenetrable barrier of magic mountains surrounded Naraka's fortress. The mountains were such that a barrier would come up from any side that Krishna tried to enter the fortress. Krishna, unperturbed, hurled his mace at the barrier and shattered the entire mountain range in one blow. A downpour of magical weapons then rained on them. Krishna fired multiple arrows and destroyed all the weapons. In this manner Krishna destroyed countless other magical barriers and finally reached Naraka's fortress.

Naraka's palace was guarded by the five-headed demon Mura. Mura hurled countless weapons at Krishna, but Krishna shot each one down with his bow and arrow. Then Krishna picked up his flying discus and hurled it towards Mura severing Mura's five heads. Mura fell to the ground, dead.

Krishna challenged Naraka to a battle and soon killed him. Bhoomi Devi then sang hymns in praise of Krishna and begged him to take Naraka's son Bhagadatta under his protection. Krishna placed Bhagadatta on the throne and then freed all of Naraka's prisoners. The devas showered flowers on Krishna from the heavens.

Meaning of Naraka Chaturdasi

The city in which the demon Narakasura had his capital was known as 'Praagjyotishapuram.' The name consists of four syllables: Praag, jyoti, sha and puram. Praag means former; jyoti means light; sha means forgetting and puram means the body. Together the term refers to the heart. The inner meaning of the term is that the man in his body is forgetting the light, the Atmajyothi, in him. Nara has various meanings. One is Atma. Another meaning is that which is not permanent. As Nara, man has forgotten his true spiritual state. When bad qualities enter the city of nara, man becomes Narakasura (a demonic being). The term Narakasura also means one who carries people to Naraka (hell).

The life-story of Narakasura reveals the magnitude of his wickedness. His entire realm was in darkness. No lights burned in the homes or in the streets. No woman could be seen anywhere in the open. He imprisoned thousands of princesses and tortured innumerable women. Unable to bear these indignities, the women appealed to Krishna for succour. As Narakasura had inflicted sufferings on women, he had to be punished by a woman. For this reason, Krishna took Satyabhama with Him and destroyed Narakasura in battle. Deepavali celebrates the victory of Krishna over Narakasura which is why it is also known as Naraka Chaturdasi.

The following day is Amavasya (New Moon Day). Krishna freed from Narakasura’s prison 16,000 women and asked them to go back to their respective homes. But all of them fell at Krishna's feet and pleaded that it would not be possible for them to live in dignity in their old homes after having been prisoners of Narakasura and that they would prefer to end their lives at His feet rather than go back. "You are the Protector of the Universe, can't you protect us?" they pleaded. Krishna agreed to protect them. Because of the reassurance that he had given to them that He would bear the responsibility of protecting them, He was called their Bhartha (Supporter). This has been wrongly interpreted to mean that He was their husband. It is a slur on the name of Krishna to say that He was married to 16000 women.

Why do we light lamps on Deepavali day?

This Amavasya day is the day of liberation for women. It is a moonless day (New Moon day) when the night is utterly dark. The women imprisoned by Narakasura had prayed that, since on that day they had got the light of freedom, it should be marked by illuminations which would make everyone rejoice as on a full moon night. It is for this reason that the day, which is a New Moon Day, is illumined by lamps and fireworks and transformed into a Full Moon Night.

There is a scientific reason also for this celebration. With the end of the rainy season water stagnates in many places and the surrounding areas teem with mosquitoes and other insects. The smoke from the crackers and fireworks destroys these insects and disinfects the atmosphere.

The inner meaning underlying the Bharatiya festivals should be rightly understood. Note, for instance, the fact that the whole array of lamps are lit by the light from a single lamp. That one lamp symbolizes the Supreme Effulgent Lord. The other lamps symbolize the light in individual selves. The truth of the Vedic saying, "The One willed to become the Many" is exemplified by the lighting of lamps by the flame of one. The Deepavali festival thus bears out the profoundest spiritual truth.

The lamp points to another significant fact. Wherever it may be placed, the flame goes upwards only and never moves down. Likewise, the flame of Jnana (Spiritual Wisdom) leads one to a sublime level through the path of Righteousness.

The four elements required to light the inner lamp

If you want to light a lamp, you need four things. First a container, second oil, third a wick and fourth a match box. If anyone of these is lacking, you cannot light the lamp. This lamp can, however, remove only the outside darkness. How is the darkness in the heart to be removed? It can be removed only by Jnana Jyoti (the Light of Wisdom) and by nothing else. How is this Light of Wisdom, this spiritual light, to be lit? This also needs four elements. Vairagya (detachment) is the container. Bhakti (devotion) is the oil. Ekaagrata (one-pointed concentration) is the wick. Jnana (Knowledge of the Supreme Truth) is the match stick. Without all the four, the Light of Spiritual Wisdom cannot be realized

Of the four, the primary requisite is the spirit of vairagya (detachment). Without this detachment, the knowledge of scriptures is of no avail. What is this detachment? It is the absence of attachment to the body. The feeling of ego, which makes one think of the "I' all the time, should be given up. The sense of mamakara (possessiveness) and the feeling of ego are the causes of raga (attachment). How is this disease of attachment to be eradicated? By the process of self-enquiry. When you realize the impermanence of the body and all the sensory experiences, you acquire the sense of vairagya (detachment). It only means you should discharge your duties, treating the body as a God-given instrument for this purpose. "Paropakaaraartham idam sareeram" ("This body is for the purpose of helping others"). It should not be used solely for selfish ends.

Deepavali has to be observed as a day for getting rid of all the bad qualities in us, symbolized by the demon Narakasura. The women prisoners who were freed on that day represent the imprisoned good qualities in us. They should be manifested effulgently. This is the inner significance of the festival. As long as the demonic qualities remain in man, he will be immersed in darkness. Bad qualities and thoughts have to be got rid of altogether.

The festivals should be observed in the right spirit, with an understanding of their inner significance. The destruction of Narakasura symbolizes the destruction of evil and the restoration of good. Hence, cultivate noble thoughts, remove the stains of impurity from the heart and, unless the impurities are cleansed from the body and the mind, the inner-atman, does not attain liberation. The enlightenment of the self is the true significance of Deepavali.

Sri Sathya Sai