The
Festival
of
Lights
Dīvālī
Veeraswamy Krishnaraj
The story behind Divali, the
Festival of Lights
The Triumph of Good over Evil
Naraka was born of Earth goddess Bhudevi (Bhumi)
and Varaha (third avatar of Vishnu).
He usurped the kingdom of Pragjyotisha from
Ghatakasura and chased Indra from earth to heaven by usurping kingdoms
of earth and heaven. Having become the Lord of Earth and Svargaloka, he
stole the earrings of Aditi, the Mother Goddess of gods.
The gods went to Vishnu and begged Him to rescue
them from Narakasura. Vishnu promised when he takes avatar on earth as
Krishna, He will defeat Narakasura. Aditi appealed to Krishna's wife
Satyabhama for help to defeat Narakasura.
Krishna and Satyabhama mounted his ornithoid vehicle Garuda, attacked the fortress in Pragjyotisha and killed the soldiers and General Mura with Krishna earning the name Murari (Killer of Mura). Naraka fired missiles against Krishna, who neutralized them with anti-missiles. The USA is still perfecting anti-missile missiles (Oct. 2017). Narakasura rushed towards Krishna with a trident and Krishna beheaded him with his discus and rescued Parijata tree and 16K princesses hidden in the harem of Narakasura. Naraka requested Krishna that lights should grace his death anniversary. That was the beginning of the Divali Lights. Pārijāta tree is Indian Coral Tree-Erythrina indica. This tree came out of the milk ocean. It grows in Indira's gardens. Śacī, Indira's wife loves the flowers. Krishna's wife Satyabhama loved the tree and its flowers so much Krishna stole the tree from Indira's gardens. Indira's gardener informed Indira of the stealth of the tree by Krishna. A fight ensued. Indira stood alone with no weapons before Krishna. Krishna let him live and took the tree to Dwaraka with a promise that the tree will be returned to the paradise after his death. The trifoliate leaves represent the divine Triad, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, the middle leaflet representing Vishnu and the right and left Brahma and Siva. (Harper's Dictionary of Hinduism)
The earth goddess Naraka's mother gave the stolen
objects: Golden bowl, Aditi's earrings, Varuna's umbrella, and jewels.
Bhumi Devi begged Krishna to spare the life of her grandson Bagadatta,
the son of Naraka. Krishna installed Bagadatta as the king of
Pragjyotisha.
The picture shows: Left to right and below:
Krishna and Satyabhma seated on Garuda. Krishna with his forgiving left
hand shows mercy to supplicating Bagadatta with opposed hands. Behind
him, Mother Earth Bhumi Devi presenting to Krishna the golden bowl with
stolen earrings… Below Bhumi Devi is the Lotus pond. Above and middle:
The parijata tree against the black background. Right side: Bagadatta
with his grandma Bhumi Devi, the attendant behind Bhumi Devi. Right and
below: the garden.
Divali and
Hanukkah: Festival Of Lights have similarities.
Hanukkah is an
eight-day Jewish festival of lighting of the menorah, commemorating the
rededication of the Second Temple in the second century B.C. in
Jerusalem by Maccabean victory over the Syrians under Antiochus IV
Epiphanes.
The nine-candle
menorah has eight candles at one level and the Shamash (Helper or
Servant) The ninth candle only - in the center and taller - can be used
to light the other eight candles.
The eight-day
miracle. The Greeks destroyed the temple and very little oil, enough for
one day, was available. Then the miracle happened. The oil lasted for
eight days.
The Maccabees
later brought in more oil for lights. The two cultures (Greek and
Judaism) did not mix just like oil does not mix with water. If oil mixed
with another liquid, it is absorption, assimilation, and integration,
which is what Jews did not want. Eventually, the Oil of Judaism won over
Hellenistic water and stayed pure as a distinct and separate culture.
The soldiers,
The hidden Books, The spinning Dreidel
Dreidel is a
quadrilateral spinning top with letters on the sides saying, "nun,
gimmel, hay, and shin or pey, which means, 'a great miracle happened
there/here. Spinning tops
made in Israel has pey on them. The phrase is reminiscent of the
Maccabees' fight for freedom. Eating latke (fried potato pancakes) is a
reminder of the miracle of the oil. The words on the sides of the top
have a value assigned to them: nun is none; gimmel is all; hey is half;
shin means to put one in. During King Antiochus reign, the Jews,
forbidden to read Torah, read Torah secretly with Dreidel by the side;
as the soldiers came crashing in, they hide the books and play the
Dreidel, which is made of wood, clay, metals, paper.
The menorah, a
candelabrum having nine branches, is lit in the Jewish homes and
synagogues to celebrate the joyous holiday.
Shamash, the
ninth candle on the menorah, occupying the center and remaining taller
than the rest, is lit first and the others receive their flames on
successive days.
