"Lighting Lamp"

  When matchstick was created for the first time people were afraid of touching it, let alone keep it in their pockets! Today, people are afraid of lighting a lamp at home? What a change over times. It was inauspicious to see darkness at home. it is essential even today to keep the light in the front yard of the house, near the Tulsi plant. These keep the insects away. Advanced technology such as fire warning systems prohibit lighting a lamp that may emit smoke. Of course, it is dangerous when fire breaks out. Leaving fire unattended is also dangerous, particularly when leaving the house locked. But, apart from all these, it is necessary to keep the puja room lights on with ghee lamps (burn out soon) or oil lamps that last long. These are good for us. At least, this helps us to find a match box when suddenly electric lights go off? In fact, smoking is injurious to health and as such it is prohibited; do people care?

 It is customary to 'light a lamp' at the inauguration of any function. It augurs well and auspicious. The reason behind this dates back to the Vedic period that is almost ten thousand years, if not a million years! The Rk Veda begins with the prayer to 'Agni deva', God of Fire. agnimeelay purohitam yajnyasya devam ritvijam hotaram ratnadathamam | Actually, everything in the universe is 'Fire'. It is called 'tribandhu'- soma, surya, anala. Here, the stars that emit rays of light, energy, possess the power of creation. It is the 'Light'! The Bible says, "The Lord said,  Let there be Light, there was Light!" The stars including the Sun emit electromagnetic rays in waves or particles, wavicles. These are the potential source of all creation. The light consist of color bands that are indicative of the qualities, guna. Each color creates a particular quality reflected in our behavior in raja, tama and sattva and their multiple combinations. Our mind is the reflector. 

 The Yajurveda has agni as the deity and worship of fire god is the main theme here. There are almost sixty suktas in praise of Agni in Rk Veda. Thus, we worship fire as God. Lighting the lamp is symbolic and it is our tradition to light a lamp as part of our sanatana dharma. There are a number of ways of creating a lamp and lighting it. Cotton wicks, groundnut, sesame and other oils and ghee are used in the lamps made of silver, brass or clay. There is much symbolism in all these. The rays emitted by the lighted lamps are of many hues and colors. These create different moods in us and influence our behavior. The ghee used in lamps give a healthy, happy mood. A lamp glowing with blue color keep our mind cool. There is lot to learn in all these age-old traditions in all these. 

  It is tragic that our people are giving up all the Hindu traditions and ape the West. The jiva suffers its prarabhda and nobody can help it. The present day youth need an orientation since they have lost their way! Part of the blame lies with the invading barbarian tribes that ruled the land of Hindu Gods and purposefully destroyed our culture to loot, cheat, and enrich themselves. The Western system of education imposed by the British virtually destroyed our culture and traditions. Now, the paradox of the situation is such that neither one can go backward or forward! Hence, it is left to the sweet will and pleasure of the jiva to live as it likes?