31 Oct 2024, Amritapuri Ashram โ Diwali Celebrations
This yearโs Festival of Lights at Amritapuri Ashram began with a resplendent morning puja dedicated to Lakshmi Devi, filled with the sounds of chants and bhajans. According to legend, the Goddess Mahalakshmi emerged from the Ocean of Milk on Deepavali day, bringing blessings and prosperity.
In the evening, during arati, the main hall sparkled as thousands of devotees held small lamps in their hands, moving in a circular motion, creating a luminous ocean of light. With joy and tears, everyone waved a clay lamp and did arati to Amma from wherever they stand. Taking the arati plate from the Swami which is used daily for Amma’s arati, Amma lovingly performed arati to her children, symbolizing the unity between the devotee and the Divine. It was a beautiful moment, as Ammaโs gesture reminded all of the boundless love that transcends the duality between devotee and Lord.
After the arati, Amma playfully waved sparklers, her radiant smile bringing even more joy to her children, who watched her in awe.
Amma then addressed the gathering, saying, โThere are many wars happening around the world today. Let us all sincerely pray for universal peace and harmony.โ She asked everyone to join in three minutes of prayer, chanting Lokah Samastah Sukhino BhavantuโMay all beings everywhere be happy and peaceful.
Leading up to this union of hearts, Amma spoke about the light of knowledge within each person. She reminded everyone that true strength and courage arise from focusing on the quest to realize the Universal SelfโParamatman.
“Fire is a symbol of knowledge. Fire first burns its fuel and then dies itself. Similarly, knowledge burns away ignorance and then disappears. Fire is also considered as spoken word (vฤk) and as pure consciousness (bodham),โ Amma said.
“When we light a candle, the flame always moves upwards, no matter how you hold it. Bodham is like this; it will take us upwards. But our mind is like water in a hose. Even if we hold it upwards, the water flows downwards. We should become like the flame. With the heat, you can convert the water into a steam.”
Amma explained that often, our words are like a dampened banana stemโproducing heat and smoke but no light. โInstead, our words should be like camphor, giving light and warmth while disappearing in service to others. When we bring awareness to our words, they become a true source of light.โ
She emphasized that the true light of Diwali is not external but within. โWe need to light the lamp of knowledge within. The heartโs door must be unlocked from within; the key is inside.โ
Amma continued, โWhen this Bodham [awareness of the Self] is awakened, one becomes like a compass always pointing to the North Pole, always directed towards Paramatman. When the mind is one-pointed and focused, the spiritual journey becomes as swift as an expressway, rather than winding through cutroads.โ
As Ammaโs words filled the hearts of those gathered, everyone felt that the Diwali lamps had lit not only the outside but also the inner space within each one.
Happy Diwali.
-KaliCharan
see more photos…
