Diwali
Let this Diwali enlighten you with light of love. You yourself are the lamps which burn high and don’t get pressed by the cover. They become much more powerful than the cover. It is their own asset. When they are hit upon, they are disturbed and extinguished.
Why are our lamps disturbed? You should think over it. Is there no transparent sheath around them? Have you forgotten your Mother’s love and therefore you are so disturbed? As the glass protects the lamp, in the same way my love will protect you. But the glass should be kept clean.
How can I explain? Have I to say like Shri Krishna, “Leave all religions and surrender to me,” or as Shri Jesus, “I am the way. I am the door.”? I want to tell that I am that destination. But will you people accept it? Will this fact go to your hearts? Although what I say is distorted, the truth will always stand. You cannot change what it is….
Diwali is the day of real aspirations. Invoke the whole universe. Many lamps have to be lit, and looked after. Add the oil of love – Kundalini is the wick – and awaken the Kundalini of others with light of the spirit within you. This flame of Kundalini will be kindled, and one within you will become the torch. Torch is not extinguished. Then there will be spotless sheath of my love. It will neither have any limits nor any end. I will be watching you. My love for you is showering as many, many blessings.
Excerpt from a letter from Shri Mataji to Sahaja yogis in New York in 1976
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
Purity is your Mother’s name [1]. You know that my name is purity. And this purity is such that it purifies everything. It just purifies. The purity should be such that it should purify; otherwise that purity has no meaning.
For example, a soap purifies, but you don’t purify the soap … Water is the purifier. Water purifies us physically. And also all our poisons are driven out of our liver by water. Water is a very great element in removing all problems [2]. You use water for so many things. You know how it works out.
So this Lakshmi [3], which is purification, was born out of water. That’s why she was called as Mary [4]. And I’m also called Nira [5], meaning “born out of water”.
So one has to understand … that we inculcate purity. We should not cheat ourselves. It is easy to cheat, but we should inculcate purity within ourselves as a matter of our own maturity, as our own decoration, as our own beauty and not just because it’s a laborious thing or it is a very hard thing. It is not like that. It should be achieved with great pleasure and happiness…
We like to have a bath or to be clean and to be presentable. In the same way, we should try to clean our thoughts. Just by paying attention to them, we can clean them. Thoughts must be made clean. First of all, why have thoughts at all? But even if you have, have clean and pure thoughts. Even if you have to have, don’t have thoughts full of arrogance, aggression or of fear…
Our purification of our mind comes through certain methods of understanding. First of the understandings one has to have is that we are born in a family, born in a society … So all these fixations have put into us a certain amount of impurities, which may give us ego, superego. Anything it might give us. So to keep it pure and simple, take to the water element [5] as much as you can. It helps both ways. It helps the ego. It helps the superego. Take to the water element. And that is what Lakshmi is…
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Diwali Puja, 1981
Notes:
1. Shri Mataji’s name, “Nirmala”, means “pure”.
2. The element of water is used in simple cleansing practices in Sahaja Yoga.
3. The Goddess, Lakshmi, is worshipped at the time of Diwali Puja. Lakshmi was born out of the sea.
4. The name, “Mary”, comes from the Latin word for sea.
5. “Nira” comes from Shri Mataji’s name, “Nirmala”.
Diwali, the Festival of Lights, was celebrated recently around the world. Although a Hindu tradition originating in India, it is interesting to see the many connections between Diwali and other religious thought. For example, while Christmas is celebrated as the birthday of Jesus Christ, His real birthday coincides with Diwali. Also, Shri Mahalakshmi who is worshipped during Diwali celebrations has a close connection with Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
Obama celebrates Diwali
It is interesting that President Obama celebrated Diwali in person in the White House by lighting a ceremonial lamp to the accompaniment of mantras seeking world peace. In so doing, he became the first American President to celebrate Diwali in this way.
For more information about Diwali, including Shri Mataji’s comments on the meaning of Diwali, and a video of President Obama’s Diwali message, you can visit the Canadian Sahaja Yoga website here.
Please enjoy the experience!