Diwali, the Festival of Lights is a fitting time for the Hindu
New Year. One of the main stories behind
this day is the return of Rama to Ayodhya. Rama and the monkey forces had
defeated Ravana and his Raksasa hordes. Ravana had superior weapons and
superior forces. The monkeys had only crude weapons – trees, rocks and clubs –
but they won nevertheless. By the grace of Lord Rama, the monkeys were
unstoppable. Having faith in Rama, we also have to be unstoppable in our
efforts to serve Rama and glorify Him.
Several weeks later after the victory, Rama, Sita, Laksman
and Hanuman boarded a flower airplane which took them back to Ayodhya. The
citizens there waited in great anticipation. The city was bedecked with candles
shining from every home. After so many long years the people were eager to see
their Lord once again. His return would mark a new era for them - RamRaj. And
we also must light the candles. Not only in our homes, but in our hearts. To renew
our faith in the Lord and, at this time of year, welcome Him back into our
lives. But why every year? Indeed, we
must welcome Him every day and every moment.
The day after Diwali is Govardhana Lila, and so, the
devotees delight in worshiping Sri Rama and Sri Krishna back to back. They are
one and the same. Krishna, as a child, growing up in Vrindaban, was very
mischievous. One day, Krishna’s father Nanda
and the residents there were getting ready to worship King Indra who brought
the much needed rain to the land. But in the middle of getting ready for one
event, Krishna asked them to make another type of sacrifice – to worship
Govardhana Hill instead. Krishna sometimes does that to us. You know what I’m
talking about.
There’s a saying attributed to John Lennon: “Life is what
happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” We’ve all experienced
this in one way or other. Earlier this month my wife and I were a little
concerned since Hurricane Sandy was supposed to brush by us (we had heard about
the disruption in New York and New Jersey – and I pray for everyone in that
area) And so Sandy came, leaving us
without electricity for only four hours. What a relief! That wasn’t so bad (especially
since at the beginning of the summer we had no power for eight days).
My wife and I thought that now we could get on with our
lives. But even though the power went back on, our house remained without water
for four days. For four days we had to fetch water to bathe and clean and cook.
Normally, we get water from our own well. Now we were worried that the pump in
the well stopped working, or worse yet, that the well caved in (which happened
to us before). But Krishna was merciful. It was only a bad pressure tank in the
basement, which our plumber fixed in several hours.
Krishna often calls upon us to make some sacrifice. We’re
expecting to do one thing, but something happens and we’re forced to do
something else. So we could do it begrudgingly and curse our circumstances. Or
we could find the strength to say “Thank you Krishna for giving me this
opportunity to surrender to Your will.”
These holy-days can give us clues on how to live everyday.
Hare Krishna Hare
Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
