Diwali General Knowledge

So on Wednesday night (not the actual night) my mother hosted her Bhai beej dinner. According to the Hindu version i read, Bhai Beej falls on the second day of the New Year, that is, AFTER Diwali, and basically originated in Yamunaji inviting her brother Yamaraja, the God of Death to dinner and he was only able to make it on that day. She fed and welcomed him and he gave her gifts and granted her a boon. She asked that he have a meal in her house every year on this day and that he release prisoners from hell and grant happiness to all those who eat at their sisters on this day. He granted the wish and in turn stated that those who bathed in the Yamuna, appeased their ancestors, performed puja and ate at their sisters' would not reach hell. According to this version, all married sisters invite their brothers over. Well, I guess that made sense then, not as much now since families are all nuclear and disjointed now. The Jain version states that Bhai Beej began when Sudarshana, Mahavir swami's sister, called their brother King Nandivardhana over to her place to comfort him for he was grieving about Mahavira swami's Nirvana (salvation is the closest translation).

So sweet no? Quite fascinating stories. So there are all these minor days besides Diwali and New Years. I shall read them and find out about my own traditions for myself.

The Hindu calendar is based on the lunar calendar - the 15 days each of the waxing and waning moon. Vad is teh word used for the days the moon wanes (from full moon to new) and Sud is used for the fortnight the moon waxes (from new moon to full). It consists of 12 months, strating from the new year: Kartik, Magshar, Posh, Maha Falgun Chaitra Vaishakh, Jeth, Ashad, Shravan, Bhadarvo and Aso.

Diwali is apparently the festival for the Vaisyas, Merchant caste, as Shravan is for the Brahmins, Vijayadashami for the Kshatriyas, and Holi for the Shudras. So the Diwali week comprises 8 auspicious days/festivals.

1. Rama ekadashi: No one really mentions anything about this. But if Ram killed Ravana on Dassehra and about 17 days after is this day, they will be on their way back to Ayodhya. Maybe they reinstate Sugriva on his throne today?

2. Vagh Baaras: This has to do with worshipping cows and calves. vagh means settling financial debts and all business ledgers are shut on this day and new ones opened after Labh Paacham. No Vagh has nothing to do with tigers :p

3. DhanTeras: The thirteenth day (teras), meant to worship dhan (wealth) and particularly its giver, Lakshmi, consort of Vishnu, to invite her to stay with us all year round and purify our earnings so that we may use our wealth with discrmination. Lakshmi is basically wealth acquired through fair, honest means, and is the kind that lasts. Wealth used for self is Dhan, for others is Lakshmi, for God is Mahalakshmi, and for wrong deeds (bad bad!) is Alakshmi. It is also a big festival for health practitioners because on the day, Dhanvantary emerged out of the Samundar Manthan (churning of the ocean) carrying the pot of Amrit (nectar of immortality). Lord Yama is also worshipped today for a long life. People do their shopping on this day.

4. Kali Chaudas/Narak Chaturdashi or Chhoti Diwali: On this day, Lord Krishna is worshipped because he killed Narkasur, a king who had confiscated all the beutiful objects in the 3 worlds. He and Satyabhama released his 16,000 women captives and before dying Narkasur asked that those who bathed before sunrise on that day not go to hell. The Devas celebrated his death by lighting lamps or diyas. Lord Yama is also worshipped, as is Hanuman for getting rid of inauspiciousness and evil spirits and beings. Many people fast on this day to become Brahmarupa (enlightened from within).

5. Diwali (on Amaas, last day of the calendar year in the month Aso). This is significant for Jains as well as the 24th tirthankara Mahavir swami attained Nirvana at Pavapuri on that day. Many things happened on this day. The Pandavas of the Mahabharats returned to Hastinapura from exile and after the 11 day mahayudha victorious. Rama returned to Ayodhya on this night after vanquishing Ravana in Lanka and rescuing Sita. All of Ayodhya lit diyas in his honour, making the city shine as bright as daylight. The Krishna story carries over to this day as well. Lord Pruthu also extracted goodness from the earth on this day. Lakshmi emerged from the Samudra Manthan (wow that went on for a while!) The diyas lit outside homes are meant to symbolise unity in situation, eradicating difference between the rich and the poor, and to exhort us to manifest our inner light outwards. Rangolis, patterns made of colourful powder are placed at doors to welcome Lakshmi. Businessmen do puja of their new ledgers.

6. New Years (Nutan varsha) on the first day of the month of Kartik . For Jains, again this is significant because Mahavir swami's first disciple Indrabhuti Gautama swami attained enlightenment after a brief period of grief following Mahavirswami's Nirvana. Also, on this day, Lord Vaman (Vishnu in one of his avatars) asked King Bali for 3 strides of land. Bali offered him everything, and pleased, Vishnu offered him this day as balipratipada. Indra, Lord of rain used to be given thanks for the monsoons which would have ended by now and food is cooked from this new crop. When Sri Krishna heard of this he commanded that this worship fo Indra be stopped and Govardhan Parvat be worshipped instead. When Indra unleashed a deluge upin the village of Gokul, Krishna protected the village by raising Govardhan Parvat with his little finger. On Bestu Varash people meet friends and relatives. Happiness on this day augurs happiness for the whole year.

7. Bhai Beej (second day of Kartik month), explained above.

8. Labh Paacham (5th day of the Kartik Month)

For Jains, this is also known as Jnan Panchami or worshipping pure knowledge and cleaning religious texts. Some people who don't open their newledgers on Diwali do so on this day.

Diwali is essentially about enlightenment, about cleansing oneself from evil. It is best embodied by this mantra:

Asato Maa Sadgamaya

Tamso Maa Jyotirgamaya

Mrityo Maa Amritamgamaya

Lead me from Untruth to Truth,

From Darkness to Light

From Death to Immortality.