Diwali

Diwali, also called Deepavali, is a major Indian festival that is very significant in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. Known as the "Festival of Lights," it symbolises the victory of good over evil, and lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for humankind. Celebrations focus on lights and lamps, particularly traditional dīpa or deeya (earthen lamp, as illustrated). Fireworks are associated with the festival. Diwali is a colloquial name used in North India, while the festival is formally called Deepavali in South India.
	Diwali is celebrated for three consecutive days at the end of Hindu month of Ashwayuja. It usually occurs in October/November, and is one of the most popular and eagerly awaited festivals in India. Diwali comes exactly twenty days after Dussehra. Hindus and Sikhs alike regard it as a celebration of life and use the occasion to strengthen family and social relationships. For Hindus it is one of the most important festivals, and beginning of the year in some Hindu calendars. There are several beliefs regarding the origin of the holiday. The most repeated version is that Hindus celebrate Diwali to mark the time when Lord Rama achieved victory over Ravana. Some also view it as the day Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura or in honor of the day Bali went to rule the nether-world, obeying the order of Vishnu. It is also a significant festival for the Sikh faith. In India, Diwali is now considered to be more of a national festival, and the aesthetic aspect of the festival is enjoyed by most Indians regardless of faith.
Dates in various calendars: The festival is celebrated for a differing number of days by different communities. In Maharashtra and Karnataka, the celebrations start from Vasubaras, 12th day of the second fortnight of Ashvin (going on for 6 days) while in Northern India the celebrations start from Laxmi Puja the no moon day of the same month (going on for 2-3 days). Though the core days are common and fall on exactly the same set of days across India, they fall in different months depending on the version of the Hindu calendar being used in the given region. The Amanta ("ending on the no-moon") version of the Hindu Calendar has been adopted as the Indian national calendar. According to this calendar, which is prevalent in southern India and Maharashtra, the 6-day celebration is spread over the last four days of the month of Ashwayuja and the first two days of the new month of Kartika. According to the Purnimanta ("ending on the full-moon") version prevalent in northern India, it falls in the middle of the month of Ashwayuja/Ashvin. In the Gregorian calendar, it falls generally in the months of October or November. In 2006, it was celebrated on October 21 (Saturday).
Significance in Hinduism: The festival marks the victory of good over evil. The Sanskrit word Deepavali means an array of lights that stands for victory of brightness over darkness. As the knowledge of Sanskrit diminished, the name was popularly modified to Diwali, especially in northern India. In South India, Diwali does not coincide with the beginning of a new year as South Indians follow a different calendar, the Shalivahana calendar. On the day of Diwali, many wear new clothes, share sweets and snacks, and light firecrackers. Some North Indian business communities start their financial year on Diwali and new account books are opened on this day. Hindus find cause to celebrate this festival for different reasons: It commemorates the killing of Narakasura, an evil demon who created havoc, by Lord Krishna's wife Satyabhama. This happened in the Dwapara Yuga during this time of Lord Krishna's avatar. In another version, the demon was killed by Lord Krishna himself. Before Narakasura's death, he requested a boon from his mother, Satyabhama (believed to be an Avatar of Bhudevi - Narakasura' mother), that everyone should celebrate his death with colorful light.
According to the Skanda Purana, the goddess Shakti observed 21 days of austerity starting from ashtami of shukla paksha (eighth day of the waxing period of moon) to get half of the body of Lord Shiva. This vrata (austerity) is known as kedhara vrata. Deepavali is the completion day of this austerity. This is the day Lord Shiva accepted Shakti into the left half of the form and appeared as Ardhanarishvara. The ardent devotees observe this 21 days vrata by making a kalasha with 21 threads on it and 21 types of offerings for 35 days. The final day is celebrated as kedhara gauri vrata. Read More.....

Tav-Prasad Savaiye

 

Tav-Prasad Savaiye is a short hymn of 10 stanzas. It is a part of Guru Gobind Singh ji's classic composition 'Akal Ustat' which means 'The praise of God'. In the last line of the 9th stanza, Gobind Singh has declared that 'only those who love sincerely and honestly, realise God'. This Bani appears in the Dasam Granth on pages 13 to 15.

Below is the English transliteration and translation:

• Ik Oangkar waheguru ji ki fateh.
• God is One, Wonderful Preceptor God is always victorious

• patsahi 10
• composed by the 10th Guru

• tav prasad saviaye
• By God’s blessings - Name of the Hymn Swaiye

• Sravag sudh samuh sidhan ke dekh phirio ghar Jog jati ke.
• Groups of monks, saints, jogis, and jatti’s of Jain and budha’s sects and their schools have been studied

• Sur surardan sudh sudhadik sant samuh anek mati ke.
• Groups of undaunted brave men, gods, demons, and all other sects of saints have been studied.

• Sare hi des ko dekh rahio mat kou na dekhiat pran pati ke.
• All the ideoligies of all the countries have been also studied but the Lord of souls is still unseen.

• Siri bhagwan ki bhai kripa hu te ek rati bin ek rati ke.
• All such are of no use if there is no faith in God and the blessing and grace of God is not achieved.(1)

• Mate matang jare jar sang anup utang surang savare.
• If invaluable elephants of very large size, decorated with most costly ornaments of gold, are being possessed.

• Kot turang kurang se kudat paun ko gaun ke jat nivare.
• If the fleet of millions of galloping horses have the speed faster than wind, are being possessed.

• Bhari bhujan ke bhup bhali bidh niavat sis na jat bichare.
• If innumerable kings have very strong arms, are loyal and they bow their heads.

• Ete bhae tu kaha bhae bhupat ant ko nange hi pane padhare.
• If such transcendent emperors exist that does not matter as everyone has to depart nakedly.(2)

• Jit pherai sabh des disan ko bajat dhol mridang nagare.
• If all the countries are conquered and various kinds of big drums are beaten.

• Gunjat gur gajan ke sundar hinsat hi hayraj hajare.
• If herds of millions of decorated elephants trumpet and millions of galloping horses are neighing.

• Bhut bhavikh bhavan ke bhupat kaun ganai nahi jat bichare.
• Such emperors of the past, present, and future cannot be counted.

• Siri pat siri bhagvan bhaje bin ant kao ant ke dham sidhare.
• Without adorning God, even such emperors must go to hell in the end.(3)

• Tirath nan daya dam dan su sanjam nem anek bisekhai.
• If baths may be taken at places of pilgrimage, all acts of kindness and mercy may be practiced and may types of performances for self continence with charities are performed.

• Beyd puraan kateb kuran jamin jaman saban ke pekhai.
• If the vedas, puranas, the quran and all other holy books of the world are studied.

• Paun ahar jati jat dhar sabai su bichar hajark dekhai.
• If subsisting upon air may be practiced and many other such performances be performed.

• Siri Bhagvan bhaje bin bhupat ek rati bin ek na lekhai.
• In spite of all this, all such performances are useless without recitation and adoration of God.(4)

• Sudh sipah durant dubah su saj sanah durjan dalainge.
• If the tested indefatiguable and unconquerable soldiers, wearings tabards, have the power to crush enemies.

• Bhari guman bhare man mai kar parbat pankh hale na halainge.
• If they are confident that the mountain may move from its position by acquiring wings but their steps cannot turn back upon the battle field.

• Tor areen maror mavasan mate matangan man malainge.
• If they crush the strong enemies by cutting their necks and demolish the pride of the frantic elephants.

• Siri pat siri bhagvan kripa bin tiag jahan nidan chalainge.
• They will depart from this world empty handed without the blessing of the Lord of the Universe.(5)

• Bir apar bade bariar ab chareh sar ki dhar bhachhaya.
• Numerous indefatiguable and brave soldiers have the courage and strength to face the attack of swords and other arms.

• Torath des malind mavasan mate gajan ke man malayya.
• Many countries are conquered and the revolting foes are being crushed along with the frantic elephants.

• Gare garan ko toranhar su batan hin chak char lavayya.
• Strong forts may be seized and the whole world may be conquered merely by a single threat.

• Sahib siri sabh ko sirnaik jachak anek su ek divayya.
• God is the only donor and supreme. Lord of all who are beggers before Him.(6)

• Danav dev phanind nisachar bhut bhavik bhavan japainge.
• The demons, the gods, king of cobras, ghosts, spirits have been reciting God’s Name since the past and they will recite in the future.Read more....

Shri Guru Amardas Ji

Name: Shri Guru Amardas Ji
Date of Birth: May 5, 1479 A.D.
Place of Birth: Village Basarke in Dist. Amritsar
Father: Bhai Tej Bhan
Mother: Mata Sulakhani
Mahal (Wife): Bibi Mansa Devi
Sons: Baba Mohan, Baba Mohari
Daughters: Bibi Dani, Bibi Bhani
Accession to Gurugaddi: 1552 A.D. at Khachir Sahib.
Bani: Total number of hymns 869 in 17 Ragas
City Founded: Goindval on the banks of river Bias in 1552 A.D.
Succession to Gurugaddi: Guru Sahib nominated Bhai Jetha, his son-in law, with the name of Guru Ram Das, as the fourth Guru of the Sikhs.
Date of Eternal Rest: September 1, 1574 A.D.
Place of Eternal Rest: Goindval, Dist. Amritsar.

Guru Amardas Sahib, the Third Nanak was born at village Basarke Gillan in Amritsar district on Vaisakh Sudi 14th, (8th Jeth), Samvat 1536 (5th May 1479). (Some chronicles mention the month of April 1479). His father Tej Bhan Bhalla and mother Bakht Kaur (also reffered as Sulakhani and Lakhmi Devi) were orhtodox Hindus and used to pay annual visits to the Ganges river at Haridwar. Guru Amadas Sahib was married to Mata Mansa Devi ji and had four childern: two daughters; Bibi Dani ji and Bibi Bhani ji (she was married to Guru Ramdass Sahib), and two sons; Mohan ji and Mohri ji.

Once Guru Amardas Sahib heard some hyms of Guru Nanak Sahib from Bibi Amro Ji, the daughter of Guru Angad Sahib. He became too much impressed and immediately went to see Guru Angad Sahib at Khadur Sahib. Under the impact of the teachings of Guru Angad Sahib, Guru Amardas Sahib adopted him as his spiritual guide (Guru). Then he started living at Khadur Sahib. He used to rise early in the morning, bring water from the Bias River for Guru's bath and fetch wood from the Jungle for 'Guru ka Langar'.

Guru Angad Sahib appointed Guru Amardas Sahib as third Nanak in March 1552 at the age of 73. This was a result of his services and devotion to Guru Angad Sahib and his teachings. He established his headquarters at newly built town Goindwal. There he propagated the Sikh faith in a very planned manner. He divided the Sikh Sangat area into 22 preaching centres. (Manjis), each under the charge of a devout Sikh.He himself visited and sent Sikh missionaries to different parts of India to spread Sikhism.Read more...

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji - Pehli Patshai

Name: Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji
 Date of Birth: October 20, 1469
 Place of Birth: Talwandi - Nankana Sahib (Pakistan)
 Father: Shri Kalyan Das Mehta (Shri Kalu Mehta)
 Mother: Mata Tripta
 Mahal(Wife): Mata Sulakhani
 Sons: Baba Shri Chand, Baba Lakhimi Das
 Year of Gurgadi: 1469
 Duration of Gurgadi: Entire life
 Ruler of the Time: Babar, Behol Lodhi, Sikandar Lodhi
 Date of Eternal Rest: September 22, 1539
 Place of Eternal Rest: Shri Kartarpur Sahib (Punjab)
 Total Age: 70 Years, 5 Months, 7 Days

It was during the time when the world was plunged into the dark world of ignorance, feudal tyranny and oppression, religious and cultural strife, that Siri Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, was born. His birthday is celebrated on the full moon night which mostly falls within November. Celestial music resounded in heaven. Almighty host of gods, thus, hailed his birth, "God has come to save the trouble peace to the people of all communities, preached brotherhood and humanitarianism irrespective of caste, creed, color and economic status. Guru Nanak Dev brought vision of a common humanity to a society which had become a heaven of violence and strife. He had faith in humanity. According to him, love of God implied love for his creation. Service of humanity indicates one's love for God.

"Miti Dhundh Jag Chanan Hoa,
Mitya Andhera Chan Charya"

That is "With the appearance if Guru Nanak Dev, the mist of ignorance disappeared and there was the light of righteousness, just as darkness is dispelled instantly when the sun rises and stars disappear".

According to Alfonso Di Nola, "Like many of Indian Saints and Prophets, Guru Nanak's birth was accompanied by supernatural signs and by celestial music. He lived his childhood in freedom of nature, but manifested very soon an exceptional tendency to mediation and isolation, refusing the company of his contemporaries."Read More.....