Diwali or Deepavali is a festival of lights. India is a vibrant country and Hinduism a dynamic religion. Diwali, the most celebrated festival of Hindus, is the celebration of hope over hopelessness, conservation over consumption, sharing over greed, loving over hating, saving over borrowing, and being over having.
Mythologically, Diwali is the reliving of the euphoria of Lord Rama's decisive victory over demon Ravana. Historically Diwali signifies the integration of India into the Vedic paradigm. Hence Diwali celebrates India's unity and self-awareness as a unique culture and civilization.
For the individual seeker, Ravana represent his/her ego and Rama the higher self. The ego clouds the higher self and using the ensuing confusion abducts the helpless mind into the island of pleasure and pomp. Finally the higher self asserts itself with the help of self-discipline (Lakshmana) and selfless work (Hanuman) and rescues the mind from ego's captivity and restores the union of freedom and joy.
Swami Bodhananda
10 November 2012
The Sambodh Society Inc., San Francisco