Diwali - Significance of Lamp

Author: Shri Nandan Kaluskar

Namaskar

On this special and auspicious day of Diwali, let us contemplate a little on the topic of light. Most of us have grown up in homes where lighting of the oil and/ or ghee lamp in the place of pooja/ worship was a daily practice and we tend to continue the practice to our best ability, trying to pass that tradition, culture to our next generation.

Among the many reasons and benefits of lighting the lamp, here are a couple of them which I personally found very interesting –

1. The oil/ghee lamp is a monochromatic source of light and is considered to boost the positive energies. It also wards off any negativities (including thoughts) and hence purifies the home
   
   I have very pleasant memories since my early childhood of my visits to my Guru’s (Shri Raghupathi Sir’s) home when he used to have two beautiful and sharp oil lamps lit in front of the Gods in the room. The calm and divinity couldn’t be missed even by the most agnostic person. I am sure many of my friends have experienced this as well.
   
   I remember an incident when a visitor (spiritual seeker to be precise) at Sir’s home kept looking at the oil lamp in the room and suddenly asked if Ashtami had begun. I asked him later why he had asked the question randomly and he told me that he could see eight concentric rings around the flame and hence guessed that it was Ashtami! There’s a deeper science about the kind of oil, type of lamps, the direction of the flame and its merits which has been covered in detail in the past articles by Sir.
   
   
2. Another explanation for the Nandadeep (24x7 lamps) from Shri Anna is as follows – the energies (aura) of the Siddhas, Gods and/ or higher celestial bodies cannot be directly seen or felt by most of us. Hence the Nandadeep is lit to symbolize the energies and remind us to understand/ realize them as energies than just the form.
   
   This is one of the reason why places like Shirdi, Akkalkot, Wadi, Gangapur, almost all temples have a Nandadeep.

These Nitya darshans of the external light (lamp) stimulate the inner flame (atma-jyot). By performing practices prescribed by your Guru, the darkness (of ignorance, Maya) can be eliminated and one finds the light within him/herself. Once the inner lamp is lit (by grace of the Guru of course), the seeker finds his/her own path, gets answers to all questions and is able to enjoy the eternal bliss. Faith and grace of the Guru form the oil which burn the ego & ignorance creating a pleasant light called Atma-tej.

In Osho Rajneesh’s words “jab dil ka diya jala ho, to thaali me diya jale ya na jale koi matlab nahie banta” (when the inner lamp is lit, the external lamps do not matter).

With this note, we wish you a very happy Diwali. May you experience the brilliance of the universe from the light within!