Dīpāvalī – Letting in the Light in Absolute Darkness
Happy Dīpāvalī everyone, The festival of lights, firecrackers and New clothes, jewelry or all things that add value to us and welcoming the Goddess of every wealth – Mahalakshmi and letting go for the negativity accumulated for the year, is upon us
Although Dīpāvalī is literally celebrated from 5 days before the actual Diwali which is October 31st ,The last three days are particularly important. Another thing that is important is to be able to not recycle old things/gifts to farm to other people. That’s not a great energy to circulate last 5 days leading to Diwali.
Dīpāvalī is celebrated on the Chaturdashi fourteenth day of the dark half of Kārtika – in this year, 30th October 2024.It is when the Sun and Moon is in Libra (New Moon) when Sun is debilited. This makes Saturn very very strong, as it is the exaltation of Shani.
It is for this reason, that one of the key ritual is the bathing ritual on the day of Amavasya is a must, before Sunrise. After massaging with Sesasme oil, as Sani resides in sesame oil which will cleanse of all negative energies in the body to cleanse with ganges water which is Lakshmi herself is a must. The difference you may feel in this ritual is at par with none, as this really pleases Shani and helps his best friend Shukra charya to help with cleansing. Nothing pleases Maha Lakshmi more than cleaning and purity.
That is also the reason the importance of getting rid of old brooms, old boxes, kitchen broken utensils or broken cutlery etc. This is important. And the other thing of importance is of ensuring that the bedrooms and bed linen are clean and washed well every few days. To make one’s bed well and beautifully will please Mahalakshmi. Three things need to be kept pure at all times, garments one wears, bed linen and food containers and food.
Interesting that we are always talking of purity and cleanliness of all sorts, as all the three goddess, Saraswati, Durga and Maha Lakshmi, will bless only if you administer cleanliness.
Any sadhanas will only be sidh (manifest) if you have the power of deep clean in oneself, in one’s mind and body.
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता।
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना॥
या ब्रह्माच्युत शंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता।
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥
yā vīṇāvaradaṇḍamaṇḍitakarā yā śvetapadmāsanā .
yā brahmācyuta śaṃkaraprabhṛtibhirdevaiḥ sadā pūjitā
sā māṃ pātu sarasvati bhagavatī niḥśeṣajāḍyāpahā ..1..
Purity, calmness and harmonious mind cannot be achieved without the help of the body. Hence this rids of the toxins which is physio-somatic in nature. That is why the importance of this ritual.
Oct 29th Dhanateras
Moon will be in Uttara phalguni with Ketu, bringing a sense of chaos internally, especially if you have ketu or rahu in this placement or Sun, Moon or Ascendant it will highlight the whole feeling of ‘being off with the fairies’. Mars is debilitated ands ready to go retorgrade, and having dhristi on this New Moon Diwali in Libra. So Scorpio.
Dīpāvalī is literally celebrated from during the New Moon thirteenth day of the dark half of Kārtika – which is called dhanateras, where as name suggests, is dedicated as the birth anniversary of Lord Dhanvantari, the teacher and the father of Ayurveda. Lord Dhanvantari is the physician of Gods and considered one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The day of Dhanvantari Trayodashi is also known as Dhanvantari Jayanti. Here we are asking for the blessings of good health, wealth and keep lord of death Yama Raj – at bay. Hence lighting the lamp at the door is of utmost importance, as mentioned in Padma Purana Section 6 – Uttara-Khaṇḍa
Kārtikeya said:1-2. O lord, now tell me in particular the fruit of Dīpāvalī. Why is it celebrated? What would be its deity? O lord, tell me what should be and should not be given during the festival. What (kind of) exultation is indicated during it? What sport is mentioned?
Śrī Śiva said: 4-20. O Kārtikeya, on the thirteenth day of the dark half of Kārtika, a man should offer a light to Yama outside (his house). Thereby untimely death is avoided. “May the Sun’s son, with Death having a noose in his hand and with his wife, be pleased due to this offering of the light”.
Mumbai India
Dhanteras Puja on Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Dhanteras Puja Muhurat – 07:04 PM to 08:37 PM
Duration – 01 Hour 32 Mins
Yama Deepam on Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Pradosh Kaal – 06:06 PM to 08:37 PM
Vrishabha Kaal – 07:04 PM to 09:04 PM
Trayodashi Tithi Begins – 10:31 AM on Oct 29, 2024
Trayodashi Tithi Ends – 01:15 PM on Oct 30, 2024
London United Kingdom
Chaturdashi fourteenth day of the dark half of Kārtika 30th – 31st October 2024
The Lakshmi – Ganesa puja is ideally done when the lagna is fixed signs, i.e. so the fleeting nature of Laksmi stays with you.
Hence it is recommended for you to choose the following below.
Deepavali Lagna Puja on Thursday, October 31, 2024
Vrishabha Lagna Muhurat (evening) – 06:57 PM to 08:56 PM
Duration – 02 Hours 00 Mins
Simha Lagna Muhurat (midnight) – 01:22 AM to 03:30 AM, Nov 01
Duration – 02 Hours 08 Mins
GANGA SNANA – BATH RITUAL ON BRMHA MUHURAT
The Ritual of Bath in the morning with Sesame oil and washing off with ganges water is a must, this has to be done on the night /early morning of 1st NoV, .e. 31st October when it is Amavasya on the wee hours of the morning.
From Padma Purana it states –
Those who are scared of sins, should necessarily bathe at moon-rise on the fourteenth day of the dark half of Kārtika. He, being careful, should bathe early in the morning on the fourteenth day pierced (i.e. mixed) with the previous day of the dark half of Kārtika. Lakṣmī (resides) in oil and Gaṅgā in water. He who would bathe in the morning on Caturdaśī in Dīpāvalī does not see Yama’s world. To destroy (i.e. to avoid) hell, he should whirl (round himself) apāmārga, tumbī, prapunnāṭa, vāhvala (twigs) while bathing. “O Apāmārga, being with a clod of furrowed land and with thorn and leaf, remove my sin, when repeatedly whirled.” He should swirl over his head apāmārga and prapunnāṭa.
Then with (i.e. by reciting) Yama’s names, he should offer libations of water. “Salutation to Yama, Dharmarāja, Mṛtyu, Antaka, Vaivasvata, Kāla and Sarvabhūtakṣaya (Destroyer of all beings), Audumbara, Dadhna, Nīla, Parameṣṭhin, Vṛkodara, Citra, Citragupta.”
Having worshipped the deities, he (i.e. the king) should offer a light to Naraka. Then at the break of night he should offer pleasing lights at the temples of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva etc., and especially at apartments on the tops of the houses, sanctuaries, assembly halls, rivers. ramparts, gardens, wells, streets, pleasure-groves near houses, stables and abodes of elephants also.
O Kārtikeya, having, like this, bathed in the morning on the new-moon day, and having devoutly worshipped and saluted deities and dead ancestors, and having offered the pārvaṇa śrāddha with curd, ghee, milk etc., he should feed brāhmaṇas with various kinds of food, and apologise to them. Then, O dear one, in the afternoon the king should gratify the citizens. Having chitchatted with them, honoured them he should converse with them. O Kārtikeya, for one year love is generated among those who talk. Before Viṣṇu has got up, he should awaken Lakṣmī through the women.
21-32. When a man has awakened Lakṣmī at the time of her getting up through a good woman, for one-year Lakṣmī does not leave him.
The haters of gods (i.e. the demons) scared of Viṣṇu obtained fearlessness from the brāhmaṇas, after knowing (that Viṣṇu) was asleep in the Milky Ocean, and Lakṣmī had resorted to the lotus. “You are the lustre, Śrī Ravi (i.e. the Sun), the Moon, the Lightning, the Golden Star; the lustre occurring in the lustre of the lamp is the lustre of all the lustres.
That Lakṣmī that lives on the earth, in the cowpen on the auspicious day of Dīpāvalī in Kārtika, may grant me a boon.”
Playing games on Diwali night 31st Oct 2024
Śiva and Bhavānī took to playing with dice as a sport. Lakṣmī, propitiated by Bhavānī remained in the form of a cow. Formerly Pārvatī vanquished Śiva in the game of dice, and sent him away naked. So this Śiva is unhappy. Gaurī always remains happy. He who gets victory first (passes) the year happily. When the night passes like this, and people have their eyes half-closed, Alakṣmī is driven out of the courtyard of the house by the joyful city-women by means of sounding the musical instruments and drums.
In the case of a defeat (in the game of dice) opposite will be the case. On the first day, when the sun has risen, Govardhana should be worshipped in the morning and one should play the game of dice at night.
Then cows should be decorated; and they should not be used to carry (loads etc.) or should not be milked. “O Govardhana, O support of the earth, O protector of Gokula, O you who were lifted by the hand of Viṣṇu, give (us) crores of cows. That Lakṣmī who remains in the form of the cow of the regents of the quarter, and that carries ghee for the sacrifice, may remove my sin. May cows stand before me. May cows be behind me. May cows be in my heart. I live among cows.” Thus, worship of Govardhana (should be done).