Significance of Lighting a Lamp in Hindu Religion- Why do Hindus light lamps at home, offices and places of worship?
The essence in lighting a Lamp is to brighten one’s Life.
Gaja Lakshmi Vilakku- lamp
Light symbolizes absence of darkness, unhappiness. Light shows us a way out of problems, difficulties and tensions and brings us luck, wealth and happiness. Light a lamp daily– drive the devil out and invite 8 kinds of all conceivable wealth to you and your home.
LIGHT is the first and foremost manifestation of the ALMIGHTY. In India and wherever there are Hindus all over the world, , no function starts without lighting a lamp first. Lighting a lamp is like an invitation to the ALMIGHTY to come and bless you. Lamp jyoti worship is a very easy spiritual practice, it is very potent in bringing mangala shakti (the power of auspiciousness) to us. Before you start to say your prayer, light a lamp, pray to the LIGHT first.
The most powerful of prayers to the Lamp is
शुभं करोति कल्याणमारोग्यं धनसंपदा ।
शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तुते ॥
Shubham Karoti Kalyaannam-Aarogyam Dhana-Sampadaa |1|
Shatru-Buddhi-Vinaashaaya Diipa-Jyotir-Namostute ||2||दीपज्योतिः परब्रह्म दीपज्योतिर्जनार्दनः ।
दीपो हरतु मे पापं दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तुते ॥
Diipa-Jyotih Para-Brahma Diipa-Jyotir-Janaardanah |3|
Diipo Haratu Me Paapam Diipa-Jyotir-Namostute ||4||
Meaning:
1: (Salutations to the Light of the Lamp) Which Brings Auspiciousness, Health and Prosperity,
2: Which Destroys Inimical Feelings; Salutations to the Light of the Lamp.
3: (Salutations to the Light of the Lamp) The Light of the Lamp represents the Supreme Brahman, the Light of the Lamp represents Janardhana (Shri Vishnu),
4: Let the Light of the Lamp Remove My Sins; Salutations to the Light of the Lamp.
Light a lamp daily to drive away the devil in you and around you. This will drive out your ignorance, fear, misery, suffering. Light drives out the darkness and brings you peace prosperity and well-being. Light will help you realize the truth. The Hindu way of life accords great significance and importance to DEEPARADHANA or lighting of a lamp. It lays down clear procedures to be followed. It is not the electric lamps that are used in the sanctum sanctorum of HINDU temples in India.
The best way to light a lamp is to roll 3 wicks (baati as it is called in Hindi) of cotton together in the palm of the hand and make into one. The three wicks represents the 03 auspicious directions viz, North, East and West (South should be avoided except for a particular day) to maximize the benefits of lighting the lamp.
They are the natural oils like sesame seed oil, castor oil, til oil, cow ghee, wheat flour lamps, rahu kalam lamps, ketu kalam lamp etc. The lamp holders must not be made of Pancha – dhatu (5 alloy metal), iron, copper or steel. They can be made of earthen mud, silver, gold or brass. Stainless steel lamp holder is strictly to be avoided. In the following posts, I will enumerate on the different types of lamps that are preferred and their importance.
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