Come 'Deepavali', also known as Diwali, the entire country rejoices celebrating the festival of Lights. The festival has significance in that "the evil is warded off, ignorance is cleared, and darkness ends"! This is the day of worship of machines, tools, and weapons that produce, protect, and help us to preserve ourselves. Naraka chaturdashi, Bali padyami are significant in that Vishnu and Lakshimi are worshiped. Vishnu came as, Vamana, a dwarf brahmin boy and asked three feet of land from the arrogant King Bali (of Indonesia?). His pride was annihilated when he gladly acceded to His request and offered him three feet. To his astonishment, one foot covered heavens, the other earth and the third one had no place but the head of King Bali. Thus, King Bali's pride ended! In fact these three paduka, feet are there even today- one in Bali Is., one in Gaya and, the third one under the Kaba in Mecca, the ancient site of Vishnu pada!
This has a good lesson for us, too. Our ignorance is cleared by knowledge,darkness is cleared by Light, and pride by sacrifice.
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