Diipavali, is an ancient Festival of Lights, which falls on the new moon night of October.

The ancient history of Diipavali was the celebration of the victory of Satyabhama, the wife of Krsna, who saved her kingdom (in his absence) from the evil ruler Narakasura who tried to invade her kingdom while Krnsa was absent. The courageous queen led the troops in a surprise attack on the evening of the new moon and won. Upon her victorious return, the villagers lit the path with lamps made of clay.
However, the true spiritual essence of Diipavali is the internal victory of light over darkness. Light dispels the darkness of ignorance and allows us to find our true path. On the spiritual path, the moment of initiation is called Diiksa – and the first part of the word comes from “Diipani” meaning torchlight, because initiation shines light on the spiritual path and shows us how to move forward.
When we are initiated and receive mantra, it is like we have received a precious seed. But for the seed to sprout, it needs nurturing and the right environment to awaken the inner vitality of the plant sleeping within it.

In a similar way, mere repetition of the mantra without awakening it’s inner vibration of love in our heart doesn’t automatically lead to spiritual progress. We must cultivate our practice, and most importantly, the devotion that fuels it, with careful attention.

To awaken that inner vibration, try to repeat the universal mantra “Baba Nam Kevalam” or your “Ista mantra” (if you have received diiksa) very slowly in your mind, letting it’s sound fill you and saturate you with it’s vibration and meaning – that Loving Infinite Consciousness is your very essence and it is the essence of everything in the universe – that you are surrounded by that infinite luminous consciousness. Actually, a mantra is not simply repeated, it is “chanted” – it is a song that you sing to your Beloved within.

Here is a song written by the spiritual master Shrii Shrii Annandamurtii for Diipavali, which we will sing together at Morningstar on Thursday. In this song, mantra is reffered to symbolically – talking about how the Beloved comes into the mind with rhythm, dance and song.

DIIPÁVALII SÁJÁYECHI PRABHU
TOMÁRE KARITE VARAN’ 2
ESO TUMI HRIDI MÁJHE, NITI NITI NAVA SÁJE
DHIIRE DHIIRE PHELIYÁ CARAN’
DIIPÁVALII SÁJÁYECHI PRABHU
TOMÁRE KARITE VARAN’
ESO TUMI MANA MÁJHE, ÁRO GÁNE ÁRO NÁCE
MRIDU HÁSI KARI VIKIRAN’
DIIPÁVALII SÁJÁYECHI PRABHU
TOMÁRE KARITE VARAN’
ESO TUMI BHÁVA LOKE, CHANDE O NAVÁLOKE
JÁGÁYE MOHAN SPANDAN
DIIPÁVALII SÁJÁYECHI PRABHU
TOMÁRE KARITE VARAN’

I have arranged the lights to welcome You, Beloved.
Now come and take your seat in my heart,
with slow steps, in garments ever-new.

Come in my mind with more songs
and more dance,
radiating Your tender smile.

Come in my mind with rhythm and new delight,
exuding Your charming vibration