| Happy Diwali from mynangal.com |
| Written by SSCHUG |
| Tuesday, 02 November 2010 13:41 |
With Diwali round the corner, you can already feel festivities in the air. Families are upbeat about the ‘National Festival’ and are busy in cleaning and decorating their houses for the big day. But, let us all, for a moment, reflect on something very important. Do we really know what Diwali means? The Significance of Diwali According to Hindu mythology, Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom of Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the ruler of Lanka, in the epic Ramayana. In essence, the festival signifies the victory of good over evil. However, in Hindu philosophy, Diwali signifies "the awareness of the inner light". It is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atma or Jiva (soul). Diwali is an occasion to realise and know this inner light, which outshines all darkness, removes all obstacles, and dispels all ignorance. The realization of Atma gives us Life, Light and Love . And, when we learn to love and serve our loved ones unconditionally, without expecting anything in return, we bring ananda (joy) in our lives |