The 2020 Festival of Diwali began on Friday, November 13. Tomorrow is Lakshmi-Pujan, the central day of the 5-day Diwali festival. It is the most important and joyous celebration in the Indian Calendar and the beginning of the New Year. It signifies the victory of Light over Darkness and the victory of Good over Evil. Diwali is the colloquial term for Deepavali, which literally means a row of lights. That is why it is celebrated by lighting a row of lamps in every house, every neighborhood, every city and now virtually every country.
Diwali is already a global festival. Below is a Diwali float near Canary Wharf in London.
This year, a prominent nation joins the Diwali festival. Taiwan has been slighted by so many for so long. No more.
But above all, this Diwali has a special meaning. It is the first Diwali celebration in Ayodhya after the Bhumi Pujan for the new Ram Mandir. See how Ayodhya was decked out for this celebration.
It is critical to remember that Diwali, above all, is a Dhaarmic celebration that honors the victory of Light over Darkness, of Truth over Falsehood. This is captured in the ancient invocation:
ॐ असतो मा सत गमय – Lead me from Untruth to Truth
तमसो मा ज्योतिर् गमय – Lead me from Darkness to Light
मृत्योर मा अमृतं गमय – Lead me from Death to Immortality
That in turn leads to the Universal Good:
सर्वेऽपि सुखिन: सन्तु; – Let all be happily content
सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः – Let all be without ill-health
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु; – Let all perceive the Noble
मा कश्चित् दुक्खम् आप्नुयात् – Let no one suffer grief
This state of Universal Good is described as Svasti (Su-Asti) and the Symbol that symbolizes creation of Svasti is called Svastik. So let this Diwali deliver Svasti to you & your families.
स्वस्ति अस्तु भवतु
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