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HH Srirangam Srimath Andavan's Deepavali Message - A Translation

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venkat sreenivasan • November 13, 2001 


Srimathe Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha:
Dear Bhagavathas,
Adiyen's humble pranams.AdiyEn has made a very feeble
attempt in trying to translate Srirangam Srimath
AndavanÂ’s message on this auspicious day of Deepavali
for the benefit of all bhagavathas who cannot read
Tamil. Whatever errors may be found here is purely
adiyEnÂ’s poor interpretation. I request all the
bhagavathas to pardon adiyEn for the same. The
original message in available in the following URLs:
http:www.andavan.org and
http://www.ramanujamission.org

DAsan
Venkatanathan Sreenivasan
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi

HH Srimath Andavan – Sriranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan’s
Srimukham

Our ancestors celebrated all festivals with very good
reasons. They felt that the future generations should
celebrate these festivals with the same fervor as they
did. Most of these festivals are 
celebrated to bring prosperity or 
celebrated to stress the value of thanksgiving or 
celebrated as per wishes of certain people or
celebrated as  prescribed in scriptures and for lots
of other reasons. 

Before Deepavali, one has to take Naraka Chaturdasi
Holy Bath. As per the wishes of Narakasura who was
killed by Lord Krishna with His consort SathyaBhama,
this ritual is performed. As per Brahma purana Holy
Bath has to be taken with Gingelly Oil during the time
of Moonrise. At that auspicious time, Goddess Lakshmi
is present in the oil and Ganga is present in the
water. By doing this, one gets immensely benefited.
After the bath, Yama Tharpanam has to be performed. 

"On the day of Amavasya during the time of Pradosha,
"Ulka Dhanam" has to be performed  which translates to
bursting Firecrackers for the present day period. On
doing this, Pithrus in oneÂ’s lineage gets immensely
benefitted " as quoted in  Jyothir Nibhandham and
PrAchya Nibhandham with well laden proofs. Even in
Linga Purana,some special mentions about Deepavali can
be found. 

On the day of Deepavali, if the star happens to be
SwAthi, it is considered to be even more auspicious.
This year happens to be one of those. Also, Deepavali
is celebrated on the day of Amavasya as per the wishes
of  Bali Chakravarthi. What the kings have to do on
Deepavali has been clearly mentioned in Bhavishya
Purana. A king has to feel that his kingdom belongs to
Bali's world and his people should celebrate Deepavali
with grandeur during the later part of the day. While
his people celebrate Deepavali, he should go around
the city by walk to see their celebration and return
back to his palace with full happiness and contentment
that his kingdom belongs only to Bali. 

Also on the day of Deepavali at night, the women
should play different kind musical instruments at 
their home to ward off  poverty and bring in
prosperity to their family.

As prescribed in Aditya purAnA, during the evening
hours, they should perform Lakshmi puja in their homes
and business and also wear new clothes. New clothes
are also worn after taking Naraka Chaturdasi
SnAnA(bath).

Therefore to destroy evil forces and to bring moral
virtues in our life, we should take up the path shown
by our ancestors in celebrating these festivals in the
right way, there by bringing  prosperity and peace to
our family and our homeland.



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