Dr. KRS Murthy's Explanations of Diwali or DeepaavaLi Festival Tradition

Diwali or DeepaavaLi Festival Tradition

The five days of Diwali are as follows:

1. Dhanteras: On the first day of Diwali, people will perform rituals called puja or pooja, place tea lights around the balconies or entryways of their homes, and purchase kitchen utensils, which are believed to bring good fortune.
2. Narak Chaturdashi: Different regions celebrate this day in various ways, but many people will spend time at home and exchange sweets with friends or family. They may also decorate the floors of their home with rangolis—intricate patterns made from colored powder, rice, and flowers.
3. Lakshmi Puja: The main celebration is believed to be the most auspicious day to worship the goddess Lakshmi. Families will dress up and gather for a prayer to honor her, which is usually followed by a delicious feast, spectacular fireworks displays, and more festivities.
4. Govardhan Puja: This day is associated with Lord Krishna and the Gujarati new year. A mountain of food offerings are prepared for Puja.
5. Bhaiya Dooj: The last day is dedicated to celebrating the sibling bond. Traditionally, brothers will visit and bring gifts to their sisters, who honor them with special rituals and sweets.

Although the exact date of Lakshmi Puja changes every year, it is always held on the night of the new moon preceding the Hindu month of Kartika, according to Shipman, and on this day, Hindus will dress in new clothes and host worship services to Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. This puja often involves preparing a clean and sacred space, offering prayers to invoke the deity, plus meditative prayers, offerings like sweets, songs, and more

Maharashtrian Tradition of DIWALI for five days.

1.   VAAK BARASH

2.   DHAN TERAS

3.   KALI CHAUDASH

4.   DIWALI

5.   NEW YEAR (Financial New Year)

Each has a secret meaning.

1. VAAK BARAS: -

Most guys know this as VAGH BARAS. There is nothing like VAGH BARAS. It is VAK BARAS. 

VAK means VANI (SPEECH). This is a DAY for SARASWATI pooja.

SARASWATI stands for KNOWLEDGE / EDUCATION / STUDY.

So, the first day stands for gaining KNOWLEDGE. Without KNOWLEDGE – you are ZERO.

KNOWLEDGE means Information backed up by PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. If you just have information – then you and GOOGLE both are equal.  

2. DHAN TERAS: -

Most guys have taken the literal meaning of DHAN and they are doing LAXMI POOJAN on that day. DHAN TERAS is for DHANVANTARI, - 

God of MEDICINE.  DHAN TERAS signifies the worshipping of HEALTH. It tells you to maintain your MENTAL and PHYSICAL HEALTH.

HEALTH is the REAL WEALTH.

You will need a ROBUST health if you want to enjoy whatever money can buy. Without HEALTH there will be NO MOTIVATION to earn money.

3. KALI CHAUDASH: -

Most guys are busy removing KAL (BAD OMEN) on this day. It stands for worshipping POWER / GUTS. You need to take action / you need to learn to take RISK on this day. This is a day for PARAKRAM or POWERFUL ACTION.

ACTION and that too POWERFUL action is the MANTRA of this day. If you don’t act with a SENSE of URGENCY, your actions will lack the power. Action without power will not give you the MOMENTUM required to continue your action. 

Powerful Action comes from POWERFUL PURPOSE. The powerful purpose will come – if you have done the KNOWLEDGE PART properly. So, everything is linked.  

4.DIWALI: -

If you have gained KNOWLEDGE in the first step/ MAINTAINED YOUR HEALTH (MENTAL and PHYSICAL) in the second stage and TAKEN POWERFUL ACTIONS in the third stage – you will get LAXMI at the FOURTH STEP.

Big Money is always the result of ACTIONS.

Your action when backed up by KNOWLEDGE and SOUND HEALTH, it will always leads to positive results.

FINANCIAL NEW YEAR DAY: -

Note: Maharashtrians celebrate guDi paaDva in Chaitra month first day or Prathama as their New Year Day.

If you go on taking above mentioned 4 steps –

EACH DAY  will be A NEW YEAR for you. 

You will remain HAPPY and PROSPEROUS continuously and for  nany years to come!

Just contemplate the HIDDEN MEANING of each of the DIWALI days!

 Dr. KRS Murthy's Comments:

13th, 14th, 15th and the next poorNima and full moon days = prati pada or guDi paaDva equivalent prathama day of the Financial New Year. Karnataka tradition seems to be different.

dhanu + antari = dhanuantari = dhanvantari called guNa sandhi in samskrita and kannaDa vyaakaraNa.

ashwini dEvatas are the symbol of dhanvantari or also aayurvEda. Among paanDavas, nakula and sahadEva were amshha + avataara = amshaavataara of ashwini dEvatas. nakula specialized in aayurvEda and veterinary medicine, whereas dahadEva was a great expert of hOra shaastra, astrology and new the future. He was also a polymath. Krishna new the great knowledge of the future of sahadEva; thus krishna tricked him and took a oath from sahadEva that he will not volunteer give out predictions, which came in with Krishna's tactfulness especially during the war.

Old Mysore Tradition

In old Mysore, the celebration days are:

1. neeru tumbuva habba: The bathrooms did not have shower facility. Water was stored in copper and brass vessels. The bathroom water usage was for taking bath by pouring the water above the head with a small pale. The water was heated to suit the body temperature, by heating the water in large copper vessels using firewood burning. On this day the bathroom vessels were all cleaned. Then, oil, normally castor oil, was smeared through out the body and especially of the head, face, hands, legs, feet and the different parts of the body. The body was also massaged. Steaming hot water would be soothing with well oiled body. The effect was similar to the modern sauna and steam room treatment. All adults and children, including infants benefitted from this "royal" treatment. 
2. naraka chaturdashi: naraka asura = narakaasura was a raakshasa (demon) who was killed by Krishna, after killing naraka's team mate mura. naraka requested Krishna before being killed to bless for all humans to celebrate naraka's death, as a symbol of vistory of good over evil. The naraka chaturdasi is celebrated on the 14th day of the moon. Chathurdashi means the 14th Day.The celebration of the vistory of good over evil is celebrated by different array formations of oil lamps, thus the name deepa = light; aavaLi = array; deepa + aavaLi = deepaavaLi.
3. paaDyami: paaDyami is the first day of the new moon part of the lunar cycle that comes after the new moon day. This day is also called bali paaDyami. baLi was a chakravarti (emperor) who was very wealthy and at the same very arrogant. To show of his wealth and to show off that he had conquered the earth, he announced that he will offer charities to anyone who came with a need. Many came and asked for charity of gold, silver, grains, food etc. He gave away very openly and freely without hesitation. He grew his arrogance every time he gave away. Finally, a very young teen brahmin walked in and checked if it is true that he is giving open charity. The emperor Bali proudly asked this young brahmin of what he wants. The young brahmin, called "vaamana" asked for a land that is only three steps, the small feet brahmin's size. The emperor laughed with arrogance and said his wish is granted. Suddenly, the young brahmin grew to enormous size, practically of universal size, covering all of earth in only one step; He covered the whole sky (here it means the whole sky or the whole space with his second step; finally, he said that he has no space left on the earth, sky and the universe for his third step.