DIWALI

- KRISHNA, NARAGASURA & MARTIN SELIGMAN...

“Man is a social animal. He who lives without society is either a beast or God” wrote Aristotle! Festivals have been greasing the wheels of togetherness for many centuries…

LET THE FIREWORKS BEGIN:

Diwali is an Indian festival of lights celebrated by some (predominantly the north Indians) to honour Lord Rama’s return after an exile of 14 long years; while to the people of the south Diwali commemorates Krishna’s victory over the despot king Naragasura!

To most folks today, Diwali is simply a beautiful bundle of joy - new clothes, fireworks, get-togethers, loads of sweets (oh yeah, the gym can always wait) and above all - a day off from the boredom of routine! 

There is a child within each one of us and fireworks are indeed an interesting way to keep the inner child alive and kicking!

WHERE ARE YOU OH NARAGASURA?:

In many villages, people celebrate Diwali by burning effigies of Naragasura! In some parts, the rituals are elaborate where they enact a long battle between Lord Krishna and Naragasura, at the end of which the huge effigy of Naragasura is set to fire and people rejoice as the effigy slowly reduces to a pile of ash…

There is indeed a deeper meaning to these rituals! There is both - a Krishna and a Naragasura within each one of us… Love, compassion, empathy and all such virtues spring forth from the Krishna in us! Envy, hatred, anger and all such vices ooze out from the Naragasura in us!

I can hear some of you musing “alright, I understand all of this; But who on earth is Martin Seligman? Was he Rama’s best buddy? Or was he to Krishna what Kattappa was to Bahubali? What does he have to do with Diwali?”

Read on friends…

MARTIN SELIGMAN:

Prof Martin Seligman was one of the vanguards of positive psychology. He expounded a formula for happiness:

Happiness = pleasure + Engagement + Meaning.

pleasure is the ephemeral sense pleasures like movies, good food etc:

Engagement is our profession or vocation that makes keeps us engaged in meaningful pursuits.

Meaning is the higher purpose we define for our lives!

Martin Seligman says that while pleasures make life interesting and are hence essential, the happiness we derive from pleasures is very short lived! The happiness we derive from engagement lasts longer! The secret to eternal happiness is to define a higher purpose for our lives and to live that higher purpose!

In the context of Diwali: the fireworks, sweets, new clothes, the fun and frolic are the pleasure components. Though they add colours to our life (or at least to the sky), the happiness is fleeting!

To make this joy last forever, we need to define a higher purpose to our life! And this is where Diwali attains true significance!!!

Diwali is a reminder to all of us, of the Naragasura deeply rooted within the dark corners of our hearts; a reminder of the arduous battle that awaits us! Diwali is also a reassurance that if we dedicate ourselves to the battle with utmost sincerity, the good in us will eventually win!!!

Friends, let the quest of nurturing all that is good in us and destroying all that is evil in us be the higher purpose of our life!

Ladies and gentlemen, let the fireworks begin!!! 

Wish you all a very happy diwali and an amazing year ahead!!!