Happy தீபாவளி / दीपावलि (deepaavaLi/ dīpāvali) to all.
• தீபாவளி (dheepaavaLi): The triumph of light/goodness/wisdom over darkness/evil/ignorance symbolized by the conquest of नरकासूर. (narakāsūra)
• தீபாவளி (dheepaavaLi): भगवान् श्री रामचन्द्र मूर्ति (bhagavān śrī rāmacandra mūrti)’s returning back to अयोध्य (ayodhya) after his triumphant victory over இராவனன் (iraavanan).
• केदाiर गौरी व्रत / கேதார கௌரி நோன்பு (kedāra gaurī vrata / kEdhaara gauri nONbu): The grand communion - परम संमेलन (parama saṁmelana – grand union) of the जीवात्मा (jīvātmā – embodied soul) with his beloved परमात्मा (paramātmā – Divine Soul)
• महा निर्वाण दिन (mahā nirvāṇa dina – grand liberation day): The महा निर्वाण (mahā nirvāṇa – grand liberation) of the soul from its viscous cycle of entanglements.
According to one of the most popular accounts, narrated in the sacred महा पुराण शास्त्र (mahā purāṇa śāstra) like हरिवंश पूराण (harivaṁśa pūrāṇa), विष्णु पुराण (viṣṇu purāṇa), श्रीमद् भागवत पुराण (śrīmad bhāgavata purāṇa), पद्म पूराण (padma pūrāṇa), etc.,the event is associated with नरकासुर वधः (narakāsura vadhaḥ - slaying of narakasura).
During the legendary द्वापर युग (dvāpara yuga), a deadly demon king by name भौम (bhauma), was ruling the ancient kingdom called प्राग्ज्योतिष (prāgjyotiṣa – lighted from the east), also known as, कामरूप (kāmarūpa – desire form). As the name indicates, भौम (bhauma), was the son of Goddess श्री भूमी देवी (śrī bhūmī devī – earth goddess), who in turn was the धर्म पत्नी (dharma patnī - divine consort) of Lord श्री वराह (śrī varāha) - the महा विभव अवतार (mahā vibhava avatāra – supreme glorious incarnation) of Lord महा विष्णु (mahā viṣṇu) during the सत्य युग (satya yuga).
Although a Divine offspring, भौम (bhauma – earth born) had somewhere down the line, lost his inherent divine qualities and began to unleash a reign of terror, during his times. He is known to have kidnapped and sabotaged thousands of young women, grabbed away the precious வெண்கொற்றக்கொடை (veNkoRRakkodai – royal umbrella) from the देव (deva - gods), as well as, stole the sacred शृङ्ग हृत्वान् मणिपर्वतम् (śṛṅga hṛtvān maṇiparvatam - jewel mountain crust of mandhara), as well as, the अमृत स्त्राविणी (amṛta strāviṇī) -the celestial nectar giving earrings of अदिति (aditi). In fact, his tyranny was so notorious, that he was referred as the नरकासूर. (narakāsūra – lord of hell).
The devas lead by इन्द्रदेव (indradeva) sought refuge (surrendered) at the holy feet of भगवान् श्री कृष्ण परमात्मा (bhagavān śrī kṛṣṇa paramātmā) who is the महा विभव अवतार (mahā vibhava avatāra – supreme glorious incarnation) of Lord महा विष्णु (mahā viṣṇu). The all-merciful भगवान् (bhagavān) then protected them and restored back धर्म (dharma - righteousness) by वध (vadha - slaying) the sinful नरकासूर. (narakāsūra – lord of hell). Historically this event of नरकासुर वधः (narakāsura vadhaḥ - assassination of narakasura) is what is celebrated as தீபாவளி / दीपावलि (deepaavaLi/ dīpāvali), as it symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.
Esoterically नरकासूर.(narakāsūra – lord of hell) represents the असूर (asūra - demon) from the नरक (naraka - hell) in our own minds. He was called भौम (bhauma – earth born) because he in spite of being inherent divinity (please remember he was child of God), his mind and desires were predominantly materialistic or earthly focused. Please remember that पृथ्वी तत्त्व (pṛthvī tattva – earth principle) is the most स्थूल रूप (sthūla rūpa – gross form) of phenomenal realms, according to Hindu ontological classifications. In other words, even though every man is potentially divine, yet many a time, he forgets, (or ignores or neglects, however we look at it), his inherent higher realms of spiritual divinity and begins to operate from the grossest form of materialistic and sensual desires and passions. Again, that is why the kingdom ruled by भौम (bhauma – earth born) is also called कामरूप (kāmarūpa – form of desire/lust).
But why is this event associated with the ‘festival of lights’? Well, from time immemorial, Light always symbolizes enlightenment in spirituality. दीपावलि (dīpāvaḻi – festival of lights) symbolizes burning of अविद्या / अज्ञान (avidyā / ajñāna ignorance/nescience) by the lamp of विद्या / ज्ञान (vidyā / jñāna – knowledge / wisdom). Etymologically, the term दीपावलि / தீபாவளி (dīpāvaḻi / deepaavaLi) is derived from the terms दीप / தீபம் (dīpa /dIpam – light/lamp) and आवलि / ஆவளி (āvali/aavaLi – sequence / flow / stream). Thus, it symbolizes the flow of Divine Light by burning of ignorance reflecting the wisdom from the sacred बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् (bṛhadāraṇyaka upaniṣad)
असतो म सत्गमय
तमसो म ज्योतिर्गमय
म्र्त्योर् म अम्र्तन्गमय
ॐ शान्ति शान्ति शान्तिः
(asato ma satgamaya
tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
mrtyor ma amrtangamaya
om śānti śānti śāntiḥ
Lead me from the unreal to the Real,
Lead me from darkness to Light,
Lead me from death to Immortality
In the name of the Eternal,
Peace! Peace! Peace! )
Again, கந்தழி வழிபாடு (kandhazhi vazhipaadu – light / fire worship) was very popular among the ancient Tamils, as testified in the ancient treatise on Tamil Grammar viz. தொல்காபியம் (tholkaapiyam) as well as, other சங்க இலக்கிய நூல்கள் (sanga ilakkiya nUlgaL – classical Tamil literatures). Moreover, the triumph of Light (Truth/Godliness) over Darkness (Falsehood/Evilness) is what is very beautifully dramatized in the ऋग् वेद (ṛg veda) as the victory of इन्द्र (indra – sacred/hero/positivity) who rescued ज्योति (jyoti - light) from the clutches of वृत्र(vṛtra – profane/villain/negativity) representing तमस् (tamas - darkness). In the महा पुराण (mahā purāṇas), the same theme is reflected as नरकासूर. (narakāsūra) who represents the असूर (asūra - demon) from the नरक (naraka - hell) in our minds being destroyed by the Lord महा विष्णू (mahā viśnu) within us.
Astrologically, the event दीपावलि (dīpāvaḻi – festival of lights) occurred on कृष्ण पक्ष चतुर्दशि तिथी / தேய்பிறை சதுர்தசி திதி (kṛṣṇa pakṣa caturdaśi tithī / thEi piRai chathurdasi thithi – fourteenth lunar day of dark fortnight) during the Tamil month of ஐப்பசி (aippasi – mid October - mid November). Hence this festival is also called as नरक चतुर्दशी (naraka caturdaśī) in memory of the demon king नरकासुर. (narakāsūra).
Again celebrating the event of नरकासुर वधः (narakāsura vadhaḥ - slaying of narakasura) specifically on a चतुर्दशी तिथी (caturdaśī tithī – fourteenth lunar day) also has deeper esoteric significance. चतुर्दश कल (caturdaśa kala – fourteen parts) of तिथि/चक्र (tithi cakra – lunation cycle), excluding पौर्णिम (paurṇima – full Moon) & अमावस्य (amāvasya – new moon) phases in the cycle of a पक्ष (pakṣa - fortnight). According to occult yogic doctrine of correspondence between the macrocosmic celestial and the microcosmic phenomena – "as above, so below", in this context the चन्द्र (candra – moon) corresponds to the अतित्मिक पशु / जीवात्म तत्त्व / (atiātmika paśu / jīvātma tattva – soul dominated animal /embodied soul principle) while the सूर्य (sūrya - sun) corresponds to अतिदैविक पति / परमात्म तत्त्व (atidaivika pati / paramātma tattva – divinity dominated spirit/lord principle) and the चतुर्दश कल तिथी चक्र (caturdaśa kala tithī cakra – fourteen parts of lunation cycle) corresponds to प्राणाग्नि होत्र (prāṇāgni hotra – sacrificial vital fire) better known as the कुण्डलिनी शक्ति (kuṇḍalinī śakti) gradually traversing through चतुर्दश योग नाड्यो (caturdaśa yoga nāḍyo – fourteen yogic nerve channels) as spiritual milestones in the பிண்டாண்டம் / पिण्डाण्ड (piNdaaNdam/ piṇḍāṇḍa - microcosm) that in turn fractally correspond to the legendary चतुर्दश माया लोक (caturdaśa māyā loka – fourteen illusory universes) as spiritual milestones in the பிரமாண்டம் / ब्रह्माण्ड (biramaaNdam /brahmāṇḍa - macrocosm) in the pilgrims progress.
Each क्षय तिथि/ (kṣaya tithi – waning lunar day) represents the क्रमेण अहङ्कार (krameṇa kṣaya ahaṅkāra – gradually waning ego) of the जीवात्मा (jīvātmā – corporeal soul) by the ब्रह्मज्ञानायुध / सम्बोधि (brahma jñānāyudha/ sambodhi – tools of spiritual wisdom / enlightenment) which is प्राग्ज्योतिष (prāgjyotiṣa – lighted from the east). Please recollect from above that प्राग्ज्योतिष (prāgjyotiṣa) was the name of kingdom originally ruled by भौम (bhauma – earth born). In this name the term प्राच्य (prācya – east) is esoterically overloaded and represents the सूर्य (sūrya - sun) which in turn corresponds to अतिदैविक पति / परमात्म तत्त्व (atidaivika pati / paramātma tattva – divinity dominated spirit/lord principle). Similarly, the tools/weapons here correspond to प्राणाग्नि होत्र (prāṇāgni hotra – vital fire sacrifice), also known as வாசி யோகம் (vaasi yOgam). The चतुर्दशी तिथी (caturdaśī tithī – fourteenth lunar day) symbolizes the grand finale for the क्रमेण अहङ्कार (krameṇa kṣaya ahaṅkāra – gradually waning ego) and the following day i.e. अमावस्य तिथि/ (amāvasya tithī – new moon day) represents the complete योग समाधि (yoga samādhi – conjunctional atonement) of the चन्द्र / जीवात्मा (candra / jīvātmā – moon / embodied soul) with the सूर्य / परमात् त्मा (sūrya / paramātma – sun/ divine soul).
Interestingly, according to another popular mythological legend, the festival of दीपावलि (dīpāvali) is also celebrated in memory of the auspicious event of भगवान् श्री रामचन्द्र मूर्ति (bhagavān śrī rāmacandra mūrti)’s returning back to अयोध्या (ayodhyā) his own parental hometown after successfully रावण वध (rāvaṇa vadha – slaying Ravana) and also completing his चतुर्दश वर्षाः वनवास (caturdaśa varṣāḥ vanavāsa – fourteen years of forest dwelling). Please remember that भगवान् श्री रामचन्द्र मूर्ति (bhagavān śrī rāmacandra mūrti) is also an important महा विभव अवतार (mahā vibhava avatāra – supreme glorious incarnation) of Lord महा विष्णु (mahā viṣṇu) during the त्रेतायुग (tretāyuga). In this legend as well, the esoteric significance of चतुर्दश (caturdaśa – fourteen) is the same.
In शैव मठ संप्रदाय (śaiva maṭha saṁpradāya - Shaiva theological tradition), the above mentioned योग समाधि (yoga samādhi – conjunctional atonement) on the अमावस्य तिथि/ (amāvasya tithī – new moon day) during தீபாவளி / दीपावलि (deepaavaLi/ dīpāvali) corresponds to the परम संमेलन (parama saṁmelana – grand union) of the जीवात्मा (jīvātmā – embodied soul) with his beloved परमात्मा (paramātmā – Divine Soul), theologized as पराशक्ति (parāśakti) & परमशिव (paramaśiva) respectively. This परम संमेलन (parama saṁmelana – grand union) is what is iconographically represented as श्री अर्धनारीश्वर (śrī ardhanārīśvara – androgynous divinity). In fact, even according to astrology (astronomy), the அம்மவாசை திதி (ammavaasai thithi – nomoon day) corresponds to the मनस् / चन्द्र (manas / candra – mind / moon)’s atonement with the सूर्य (sūrya – sun / soul)
Interestingly, in many religious customs in India, this अमावस्य तिथि (amāvasya tithī – new moon day) during दीपावलि (dīpāvali) is also observed as the grand finale of the sacred twenty-one day केदाiर गौरी व्रत / கேதார கௌரி நோன்பு (kedāra gaurī vrata / kEdhaara gauri nONbu). According to Hindu religious calendar, this एकविंशति दिन (ekaviṁśati dina – twentyone day) period begins from புரட்டாசி மாதம் ஷுக்லபக்ஷ அஷ்டம திதி (purattaasi maadham shuklapaksha ashtama thithi – eight lunar day in the growing fortnight in mid Sep) and culminates on ஐப்பசி மாத தீபாவளி அம்மவாசை திதி (aippasi maadha ammavaasai thithi – no moon day in October during Diwali). According to the Hindu mythology, Goddess श्री केदारगौरी देवी (śrī kedāragaurī devī) originally observed this व्रत (vrata – religious vow) and finally united with Lord परमशिव (paramaśiva) as His other half - श्री अर्धनारीश्वर (śrī ardhanārīśvara – androgynous divinity).
In soteriological terms, it represents the महा समाधि (mahā samādhi – supreme atonement) or in other words the परम संमेलन (parama saṁmelana – grand union) of the जीवात्मा (jīvātmā – embodied soul) with his beloved परमात्मा (paramātmā – Divine Soul), as testified in the महावाक्य (mahāvākya – supreme verdicts)
• तत्त्वमसि (tattvamasi – That Thou Art)
• प्रज्नानम् ब्रह्म (prajnānam brahma – consciousness is God) ।
• अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि (aham brahmāsmi – I am God)
• अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म।(ayam ātmā brahma – My self is Divine)
.Again, अमावस्य तिथि (amāvasya tithī – new moon day) during दीपावलि (dīpāvali) is also very significant in Jainism as well. It it was on this sacred day that वर्धमान् महावीर (vardhamān mahāvīr) - the eminent चतुर्विंशतिः जीन तीर्तन्कर (caturviṁśatiḥ jīna tīrtankara – twenty fourth Jain preacher) attained महा निर्वान (mahā nirvāna – grand liberation)
This day, अमावस्य तिथि (amāvasya tithī – new moon day) during दीपावलि (dīpāvali) is celebrated as महा निर्वाण दिन (mahā nirvāṇa dina – grand liberation day) of the great saint Lord श्री वर्धमान् महावीर् (śrī vardhamān mahāvīr), the 24th जीन तीर्थंकर (jīna tīrthaṁkara). Let us pay our humble homages to this noble soul and his mission. He is definitely one of greatest saints who walked on earth.... As the 24th and the last of the जीन तीर्थंकर (jīna tīrthaṁkara - Divinely Perfected Souls), He played an unparalleled role in spreading message of Jainism. Jainism is one of the oldest religions of world, hailing from the sacred soils of Indian sub-continent, spreading the noble values of अहिंसा (ahiṁsā - nonviolence): Wow! What a noble doctrine! Jains are considered to be one of the pioneers in formally its doctrines as a fundamental part of its core religious धर्म (dharma - duties). Many religions later adopted the same. Even Mahatma Gandhi and his unparalleled non-violent retaliation against British colonization of Mother India, was greatly influenced by this philosophy.
Next greatest contribution, in my humble opinion, is the twin doctrines of अनेक अन्त वाद (aneka anta vāda – doctrine of multiple endpoints) & स्याद् वाद (syād vāda – doctrine of relative postulates) to mankind. Etymologically, the term is derived from the root words अनेक (aneka - multiple), अन्त (anta - final) & वाद (vāda – interpretation/doctrine). Thus, varieties of spiritual conclusions are equally probable, true and valid. In fact, according to this school, from an epistemological perspective, each of these spiritual दर्शन (darśanz – philosophies) is a kind of स्याद (syād –predication/ probability event) that one may or may not experience as part of their spiritual journey. The term स्याद (syād) literally means “may be” or “perhaps”.
Moreover, every such experience is only a नय (naya – relative aspect) of truth or a specific viewpoint of reality which can be interpreted under the following scenarios as postulated by the revered Jain monk आचार्य बद्रबहुर (ācārya badrabahur), in his conceptual framework called सप्तभन्गिनय (saptabhanginaya – seven dimensional aspects)
- स्याद् अस्ति (syād asti – May be it is)
- स्याद् नास्ति (syād nāsti – May be it is not)
- स्याद् अस्ति नास्ति (syād asti nāsti – May be it is and it is not)
- स्याद् अस्ति अवक्तव्यः (syād asti avaktavyaḥ - May be it is but not determinable)
- स्याद् अवक्तव्यः (syād avaktavyaḥ - May be it is not determinable)
- स्याद् नास्ति अवक्तव्यः (syād nāsti avaktavyaḥ - May be it is not and not determinable)
- स्याद् अस्ति नास्ति अवक्तव्यः (syād asti nāsti avaktavyaḥ - May be it is, it is not, and is indeterminate)
I would like to refer here the following verses of the आचार्य कुन्दकुन्द (ācārya kundakunda) concisely explaining the whole concept of अनेकान्त वाद (anekāntavāda) in a nutshell.
द्रव्यार्थिकेन सर्वम् ध्रव्यम् तत् पर्व्यायातिह्केन पुनः।
भवति चान्यद् अन्यत् तत्काले तन् मयात्वत्॥
स्याद् अस्ति नास्ति उभयम् अव्यक्तव्यम् पुनश् च तत् त्रितयम्।
द्रव्यम् खलु सप्त बन्घम् आधेशवाशेन सम्भवति॥
(dravyārthikena sarvam dhravyam tat parvyāyātihkena punaḥ|
bhavati cānyad anyat tatkāle tan mayātvat||
syād asti nāsti ubhayam avyaktavyam punaś ca tat tritayam|
dravyam khalu sapta bangham ādheśavāśena sambhavati||)
(All objects are fundamentally the same in the absolute
but are different from the relative view points
influenced by the individual observer’s mindset.
Each of these relative interpretations can be classified under the following
seven probability events – may be it is, may be not,
may be both (is and is not), may be indefinable (as is or is not),
may be it is but yet indefinable,
may be indefinable because it is not,
may be both and yet indefinable.)
- प्रवचन सार (pravacana sāra)
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