Divali Message by Swami Brahmadeo ( Brahmavairaagy ) of Kashi , India

Divali, Deepavali and Deep Ratri are synonymous words that denote the lighted night and

enlightenment in life, in lights to be delighted and to achieve higher consciousness in this human body through this celebration of lights.

In our tradition we celebrate three types of ratri (nights). They are "Shivratri", "Navratri" and "Deepratri". In "Shivratri" Lord Shiva is the centre.   It signifies conquering Kam (desires) and (sensuality).   We celebrate Navratri where Goddess Durga is in the centre.   This explains how to control Krod (anger) and Ahamkar (ego).   In Deep Ratri, Goddess Shri Lakshmi is at the centre.   This connotes the removal of Lobh (greed).   These three distortions of human nature, (Kam, Krodh , Lobh ) are the obstacles for developing humanity into divinity.  

During Divali, we present deyas in front of Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth, prosperity and property). The deya is made up of a clay pot, ghee, bati (wick) and a flame.   That is the complete lighted deya.   The clay pot is a symbol of our body and represents the way of action, (Karma Yog).   The ghee signifies devotion, the path of devotion (Bhakti Yog). The bati (wick) and flame represents the way of knowledge, (Gyan yog).

The clay pot is Sat (truth), the ghee Chit (consciousness) and the flame or light Anand (blissfulness).   When truth and consciousness will be realized in this body, the darkness of the nights of our life will be finished and we will achieve blissfulness.

Deepratri means the deya for the night. Night means illusion, delusion, demonic power, negativity, ignorance.   The lighted bati with flame denotes learning, knowledge, wisdom, intuition, enlightenment and consciousness. In this night we worship Goddess Lakshmi to remove all negativity and to achieve positivity.

Shri Lakshmi is the highest stage of wealth, richness and prosperity.     The first stage of wealth is materials and money, i.e. (Dhan ).   With money we can achieve the needs of daily life.   Money can give comfort but not happiness.   Money can be earned by self effort but happiness by the grace and mercy of God and Guru (spiritual personality).  

If we are able to get mental peace through money, then that becomes Sampati (wealth).   If we use this money for social activities it becomes Sampada (prosperity).   When money goes in Service of God, Guru and Dharma and spirituality then that is Lakshmi .   In this state we get anand (blissfulness), then money, materials and mind help to promote divine consciousness, i.e. Lakshmi.   That is the message of the Divali festival.  

From Satyug to Kaliyug, this festival is very important and of great significance for our perfect living and integrated life with material richness and spiritual richness or outer richness and inner richness.   During this festival, we clean our premises, homes, villages, cities etc. thus on Divali day it is our duty to clean all corners of our entire body, mind, heart and soul.   That is shuddh (purification).   Then we will be able to achieve the goal of life.   That is siddha. Lakshmi is sitting on the lotus flower.   Our life should also be like a lotus flower with its own beauty, fragrance and softness with dispassion and detachment as a lotus leaf sits on the water.     

Sri Lakshmi has two elephants.   One elephant's name is Anand and the other is called Chicklit .   Chicklit means to achieve more and more, more and more but don't forget your Anand , your blissfulness, your full richness.  

In our tradition there are eight types of Lakshmi: Vir Lakshmi, Vijay Lakshmi, Adhi Lakshmi, Gaja Lakshmi, Dhan Lakshmi, Sanatan Lakshmi, Dhaanya Lakshmi, Aishwarya Lakshmi.

We achieve eight (8) "siddhas" (complete achievement in life) with the blessing of Mother Lakshmi. They are:   Anima, Garima, Laghima, Ishitva, Vishitva, Praapti and Praakaamya .   These siddhis with the grace of Mother Lakshmi changes into 9 (nidhi).   They are:   padma, mahapadma shankh, maker, kachhap, mukund, kund, neel, varch (as written in Markanday Puranam ).

Through worship of Goddess Lakshmi, all mantras (embodiment of powerful divine sound) become alive so we worship all night to awaken the power of the Mantra with Yantra and Tantra.   So Mother Lakshmi puja exemplifies the highest spiritual values of divinity for the holistic development o f the individual, social, national and global life with human values.