Celebrate an ideal Deepavali (Diwali)

​Satvik acts that awaken pride for Dharma

1. Let the rangoli be satvik and not cartoons of Deities !

During Deepavali rangoli is drawn in front of every house. Many people, unaware of the science behind these rangolis, draw cartoons or denigrating forms of Deities as rangolis. This denigration is like sin!Draw rangolis which are satvik and stop denigration of Dharma caused due to cartoon like rangolis of Deities!If we happen to come across such denigration anywhere, then we must protect Hindu Dharma by explaining the sin that is being committed due to this.

2. Avoid firecrackers, stop noise and air pollution

My friends, Deepavali is a festival which is not only meant for merrymaking, but the main purpose behind the celebration is to protect our Dharma, culture and heritage ! Deepavali is a time to spread happiness everywhere. When we burst loud firecrackers, do we make people happy ? Many people prefer to go out of town during these days to avoid the noise and environmental pollution caused by firecrackers. In school we learn about ‘how to protect the environment’. Keeping that in mind, let us take a firm decision to protect the environment during this year’s Deepavali.

3. Ill-effects of crackers

A. Physical and mental distress

The harsh sound of crackers causes hearing loss or even deafness. Elderly people and asthmatics suffer due to the smoke from burning crackers. Small children and domestic animals feel distressed sure to the loud irregular bangs of fireworks.

B. Dangers of fire

‘Rockets’,crackers which shoot like arrows when ignited might cause fires. If they accidently enter houses, they can set fire to the curtains, cots and cause losses! Crops which have been harvested, have been destroyed, due to firecrackers which have landed on them and caused fires.

C. Waste of money

Our country is facing an economic crisis. Crores of people are don’t have access to even one square meal a day, while we burn money in the form of firecrackers! We are citizens of this country. We must put a stop to wasteful expenditure and exercise thrift when it comes to our national resources. So we should resolve not to waste money on firecrackers during this Deepavali.

D. Avoid firecrackers with images of Deities or patriots

Many children burn crackers which have Deities’ pictures. Whenever a Lakshmi brand cracker or Krushna brand cracker is blown up, the image of the Deity also gets blown to bits. The next day, these bits are seen strewn all over the place. This is a great sin. Would you like to your parents’ pictures strewn like this ? If your answer is no, then you should feel agitated when you see this happening to our beloved Deities, is it not ?

Deities get attracted to Bhajans praising Them, so also towards ‘Arati’. When the sound of crackers cause so much distress to people, would Deities feel like coming there to bless us ? Never, is it not ? Friends, resolve to stop this unholy tradition of bursting firecrackers during Deepavali !

4. Celebrate an internal Deepavali by removing personality defects !

We light lamps during Deepavali. The lamp destroys the darkness around it; we should ask ‘what kind of darkness exists in our life ?’ We feel unhappy due to our personality defects and ego. Light is a symbol of Bliss and happiness. If we try to eradicate our personality defects and ego, that amounts to celebrating an internal Deepavali !We can get Bliss only when the shroud of ego disintegrates.Feeling that, ‘I am intelligent and I know everything, but others do not know anything’, is a sign of ego. Instead, we must accept that God is the one who does everything.He is the one who performs every act through us. If we have this thought consistently, then we will humbly submit to God and our ego will reduce.

‘O Shreekrushna, let this Deepavali celebration be as per Your expectations. Bestow the energy and intellect to curb any malpractice that occurs during Deepavali’. This is our humble prayer to You.’

– Shri.Rajendra Pavaskar (Guruji), Panvel.