By Gandhari dasi
Diwali comes from the word Dipavali which has two words dipa means light and avali means carrier. Therefore Dipa or Diya (1) signifies 'coming to light'. In the Vedic Literature it is mentioned: "Tamasa Ma, Jyotir Gamaya" means 'Do not remain in Darkness, Come to Light', meaning 'come to spiritual awareness or awakening'. In the Bhagavat Gita Chapter four verse seven and eight Lord Krsna says: 'yada yada hi dharmasya glani bhavati bharata, abhyudhan dharmasya, tadatmana srijyamya ham, Pavitranaya sadhunam, vinasaya ca duscritam'. Translation is 'Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious principles and predominant rise in irreligion, I descend Myself again and again to kill the miscreants and to re-establish the principles of Dharma' This is illustrated in the Diwali celebrations which are in the rememberace of Lord Krsna's various pastimes. Unless the true meanings of these celebrations are understood they will become merely commercialized These events have been celebrated for millions of years. E.g. Lord Rama and his whole entourage had appeared on earth in Treta Yuga