Spice of life | Celebrating the Light that brings lasting happiness

Guru Purnima is celebrated in the anticipation of warding off darkness in life. Deepawali signifies success in spiritual practice or ‘sadhana’ with the realisation of the Light

The four months from July to October or ‘chaturmasya’ in the Indian calendar are special for seekers of higher possibilities in life. In the northern hemisphere, these four months come in ‘dakshinayana’ between the summer and winter solstice, while the sun is travelling towards the south. ‘Daksha’ means alert, and ‘ayana’ means path. During this period, one must carefully tread the path by seeking God’s protection to safeguard oneself against negative forces.

However big our lamp, the light goes off when the fuel runs out. But there is one Light that is not dependent on any external fuel. That Light illumines all other lights. That Light can’t be sought through any other external light like the sun, moon, stars, fire, or lightning. (PTI)

During this ‘chaturmasya’, the Supreme Lord goes into ‘yog nidra’ to mislead negative forces by making them think that they can vanquish noble people. The noble always seek the protection of the Lord and more so during this period by diving deep into their spiritual practice. To strengthen their practice, special days such as Guru Purnima, Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesha Chaturthi and Navratri are celebrated to cement the relationship with the Lord.

These four months of critical ‘sadhana (spiritual practice)’ start with Guru Purnima and culminate with Deepawali. Historically, Deepawali signifies the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after vanquishing Ravana and Kumbhakarna. At the start of ‘chaturmasya’, a student takes the blessings of a teacher on Guru Purnima for success in ‘sadhana’. The word Guru is made up of Gu and Ru. Gu means darkness and Ru light. Guru Purnima is celebrated in the anticipation of warding off darkness in life. Deepawali signifies success in spiritual practice or ‘sadhana’ with the realisation of the Light in life.

However successful we are in the material world; lasting happiness eludes us. However bright the day, it is followed by night. However healthy we are, death follows like a shadow. The seekers of higher possibilities are tired of these extremities and seek lasting happiness. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says this through the mantra:

Asatoma sad gamaya, Tamasoma jyotir gamaya, Mrutyorma amrutam gamaya - (1.2.28).

Lead me from falsehood to truth, lead me from darkness to light, and lead me from death to immortality.

However big our lamp, the light goes off when the fuel runs out. But there is one Light that is not dependent on any external fuel. That Light illumines all other lights. That Light can’t be sought through any other external light like the sun, moon, stars, fire, or lightning.

The Katopanishad says: Na tatra suryo bhati na chandra tarakam nema vidyuto bhanti kutoyam agnihi

Tameva bhantam anubhati sarvam tasya bhasa sarvam idam vibhati

Where the sun does not shine, nor the moon nor the stars, nor lightning shines, how then can this earthly fire illumine that Light? Verily everything shines by Him reflecting His glory. The whole world is illumined with His Light.

That Light is hidden deep within everyone. Once one realises it, there is always a celebration in that Light. Then Deepawali is said to have dawned on that person. Lord Shri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Geeta:

Jyotisham api taj jyotis tamasah param uchyate jnanam jneyam jnana-gamyam hridi sarvasya vishthitam 13.18

He is the source of light in all luminaries and is entirely beyond the darkness of ignorance. He is knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the goal of knowledge. He dwells within the hearts of all living beings.

At present, the world is going through a dark patch. The minds of our leaders are not illumined, and they are pushing us further towards darkness. Over 350 million people face starvation, while 64 countries are on the brink of economic ruin and the Ukraine-Russian war has aggravated the energy crisis.

Celebrating Deepawali is not confined to one religion or any country. Humanity needs hope and light for survival. Deepawali falls on a new moon day, signifying pitch darkness. Great souls are born when the world is engulfed in darkness. When one realises the inner Light, a fountain of joy springs out and one leads an illumined life. This Light enlightens the hearts of others and alone can bring lasting happiness. The unbroken chain of this Light is Deepawali. vasudevakriyayoga@gmail.com

YouTube/fb/twitter: Vasudevakriyayoga

The writer is the Melbourne-based founder of Vasudeva Kriya Yoga