This week the Indian Subcontinent & the global Indian Diaspora celebrated Diwali (Deepavali) and welcomed in the New Year. 
The Sanskrut word Deepavali means a “Vali” (row) of “Deep” (light or lamps). This name was shortened to more colloquial Diwali over the past several centuries. So light is both a physical and spiritual embodiment of Diwali. And Diwali is the embodiment of the victory of light over darkness, the success of the eternal invocation:
तमसो मा ज्योतिर् गमय
Lead me from darkness to Light
Diwali is celebrated as the festival of colors, bright noble colors. We see that in the pictures below:
Diwali or Deepavali is a joyous occasion. It is a time to get together with family and friends. Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. No victory is ever achieved without a war and no war is ever won without soldiers who risk their lives to protect the light of freedom.
So as we get together with our family and friends, it is important to remember the people who forgo celebrating Diwali with their families to stand guard at the frontiers. This is our core belief and that is why we are delighted to bring you the message of the army that is protecting India against the spreaders of darkness of terrorism:
ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY @adgpi –
As we write this, brave soldiers of the US Military are fighting the forces of evil darkness that are on the march in Iraq & Syria, forces that seek to destroy the light of freedom everywhere in the world. We don’t have a Diwali card to celebrate their bravery, their sacrifice. So we do it with words.
None are more important to a free society, none are more noble than soldiers, warriors who fight forces of darkness with all they have mentally and physically. That is the message of all Indian texts and that message is exceedingly important today.
Now imagine a world, imagine your own state from which all mental & physical darkness has fled, the darkness of war, the darkness of unhappiness, the darkness of ill-will, the darkness of pain, the darkness of ill-health, the darkness of financial needs, the darkness of any negative aspect in any part of life.
What does your mind, body and life look like then? What does society look like when all people experience such a complete absence of darkness?
That state of sublime light, that blissful peace of soul, mind, and body is called Svasti. This is why the central symbol of Indian Culture is the Invocator of Svasti or the Svastik. We celebrate Diwali for the eternal light that will bring Svasti to us all.
स्वस्ति अस्तु भवतु
Let Svasti be Yours
स्वस्ति अस्तु भवतु
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स्वस्ति अस्तु भवतु तमसो मा ज्योतिर् गमय
MacroViewpoints on Twitter अस्तु भवतु
