Anon, Don't be so hard on FFL. It's a tremendous dump.
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, anonymousff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > don't spam us, we are not a dump. > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Ron F <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Note: forwarded message attached. > > > > Hey Ron, > > Please post this message to all Lists. > > > > > Jason > > > > -------------------OriginalMessage------------------ > > Deepavali - the Festival of Lights > > > > India is a land of festivals where you will see at least one > major festival each > > month. Deepavali (or Diwali) which literally means "rows of lamps" > is one of the > > four main festivals of India. Throughout the world all Hindus > celebrate Deepavali or > > Diwali with great pomp and enthusiasm. > > > > The celebration of Diwali lasts six days, beginning on the 12th > day of the month > > of Kartik (as per the North Indian lunar calendar). The day before > Diwali, in order > > to evoke the grace of God, women fast. It is not that God wants > you to go hungry or > > takes pleasure in your suffering - the principle is that you gain > only by giving up. > > That evening, devotees worship Gomata (the cow) and her calf and > feed them special > > food. Women pray for the welfare of the entire family. This holy > day is called > > Vasubaras. > > > > The first official day of Diwali falls on the 13th of Kartik. > People set about > > cleaning houses and shops, and decorating doorsteps and courtyards > with rangoli or > > multi-coloured designs. They purchase gold ornaments, new vessels, > clothes, and > > other such items. Devotees arise early in the morning before > sunrise and take oil > > baths. If possible, they wear new clothes. In the evening, people > worship coins > > representing wealth. Houses and courtyards glow from the lights, > and families > > decorate with lanterns. This day of celebration is called > Dhantrayodashi or > > Dhanteras. > > > > The second day is called Naraka Chaturdashi. People take an oil > bath in the early > > morning and then in the night they light lamps and burn > firecrackers. People visit > > their relatives and friends, exchanging love and sweets. > > > > On the third day, people worship Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. > People decorate > > their houses with lit lamps and lanterns to welcome Lakshmi to > their home and > > hearts. On this day businessmen close old accounts and open new > accounts. The earth > > is lit up by lamps and the skies are coloured by the multi-hued > lights of fireworks. > > > > > > In North India, the Govardhana Puja occurs on the fourth day of > Diwali. Devotees > > in the North build hillocks made of cow dung, symbolising > Govardhana, and decorate > > and worship them. North Indians observe this day as Annakoot, or > the mountain of > > food. > > > > The fifth day of the festival called Bhaiyya Dooj celebrates > unique and fun > > customs. Every man dines in his sister's house, and, in return, > presents her with > > gifts. North India calls it Yama Dwitiya. Thousands of brothers > and sisters join > > hands and have a sacred bath in the river Yamuna. > > > > The Legends > > Dhanteras > > The scriptures mention the divinity called Dhanvantari emerging > from the churning of > > the ocean with a kalash (pot) filled with Amrit (ambrosia). Due to > the fact that > > Dhanvantari, who revealed the science of Ayurveda to the world, > first manifested on > > this day, all over India, doctors following the Ayurvedic system > of medicine > > organise joyful celebrations of the annual Dhanvantari festival. > > > > Naraka Chaturdashi > > There is a legend about a king of Prag-Jyotishpur, named > Narakasura. He was a > > powerful king who misused power to harass his subjects. Sri > Krishna destroyed this > > oppressive asura king on this day. Unjustly imprisoned people > celebrated their > > freedom with friends and family. The citizens celebrated > deliverance from > > Narkasura's reign by lighting lamps. > > > > Sri Rama > > Deepavali falls on a no-moon day - in fact the darkest day of > the year. The > > illuminations and fireworks, joy and festivities, are to signify > the victory of > > divine forces over the powers of darkness. On Deepavali day, > triumphant Sri Rama is > > said to have returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the asura > king of Lanka. > > > > Goddess Lakshmi Devi The Puranas say that it was on this day > that Goddess Lakshmi, > > who emerged from the churning of the ocean of milk, married Lord > Vishnu, the > > repository of all divine qualities. > > > > Govardhana Puja > > In order to shelter the gopis and gopas and their cows from the > torrential rains > > sent by Indra, Krishna lifted a hill near Mathura called > Govardhana with his finger > > and sheltered all the people for a period of seven days under it. > By then Indra saw > > Krishna's greatness and asked him for forgiveness. > > > > Bhaiyya Dooj > > The river Yamuna and Yama the God of Death were brother and > sister. As they grew > > up they went their different ways. On this day Yama supposedly > visited his sister > > Yamuna, who in her joy at seeing her brother after such a long > interlude set up a > > feast for him. Pleased, Yama granted her a boon. He declared that > every man that > > receives a tilak or vermilion mark on the forehead from his sister > and presents her > > with lovely gifts on this day would attain higher worlds. > > > > The message of Deepavali The traditional name of India is > Bharata and Indians are > > Bharatias - or those who revel in light. During the night of > Deepavali the myriad > > little clay lamps (diyas) seem to silently send forth message of > Deepavali: "Come, > > let us remove darkness from the face of the earth." > > > > The dharma of the fire is the same wherever it is: in a poor > man's house, in a > > rich man's house, in America, in Antarctica, or in the Himalayas. > It gives light and > > heat. The flame of the light is always turned up. Even if we keep > the lamp upside > > down, the flame will burn upwards. The message is that our mind > should be focused on > > Atman, the Self wherever we are. The lamps remind us of our dharma > of realising our > > divine nature. > > > > "The Self is self-luminous being pure Consciousness. The > cognition of all objects > > arises from the light of pure Consciousness." -says > Bhrihadaranyaka Upanishad > > > > One lamp can light several others. You can even light another > 1000 lamps, still > > the flame and the light of the first lamp will remain as it is. It > loses nothing. By > > becoming manifold, the light loses nothing. The lights of > Deepavali represent > > Brahman and the creation. It conveys the message of the mantra: > > > > "Purnamada Purnamidam Purnaat purnamudachyate > > Purnasya Purnamadaya Purnamevasishyate" > > > > The rows of lamps teach yet another important lesson and that is > of unity. The > > light that shines forth from the Sun, the moon, the stars, the > fire is all the same. > > To see and recognise that one light, the light of consciousness, > which is > > manifesting and pulsating in and through all of creation is the > goal of life. Thus > > recognising all of creation to be an __expression of your true > Self spread the light > > of love and compassion. > > > > The lights of Deepavali are displayed at the entrance doors, by > the walls of > > houses, in the streets and lanes. This means that the inner > spiritual light of the > > individual must be reflected outside. It should benefit society. > Passer-by may > > thereby be prevented from stumbling on their way to reach their > destination. > > > > Feeding empty stomachs, lighting blown-out diyas and bringing > light to those > > whose lives are in darkness is the true spirit of Deepavali. This > is true prayer. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ > > Yahoo! FareChase: Search multiple travel sites in one click. > > http://farechase.yahoo.com > > > > Hey Ron, > > Please post this message to all Lists. > > > > > Jason > > > > -------------------OriginalMessage------------------ > > Deepavali - the Festival of Lights > > > > India is a land of festivals where you will see at least one > major festival each month. Deepavali (or Diwali) which literally > means "rows of lamps" is one of the four main festivals of India. > Throughout the world all Hindus celebrate Deepavali or Diwali with > great pomp and enthusiasm. > > > > The celebration of Diwali lasts six days, beginning on the 12th > day of the month of Kartik (as per the North Indian lunar calendar). > The day before Diwali, in order to evoke the grace of God, women > fast. It is not that God wants you to go hungry or takes pleasure in > your suffering - the principle is that you gain only by giving up. > That evening, devotees worship Gomata (the cow) and her calf and > feed them special food. Women pray for the welfare of the entire > family. This holy day is called Vasubaras. > > > > The first official day of Diwali falls on the 13th of Kartik. > People set about cleaning houses and shops, and decorating doorsteps > and courtyards with rangoli or multi-coloured designs. They purchase > gold ornaments, new vessels, clothes, and other such items. Devotees > arise early in the morning before sunrise and take oil baths. If > possible, they wear new clothes. In the evening, people worship > coins representing wealth. Houses and courtyards glow from the > lights, and families decorate with lanterns. This day of celebration > is called Dhantrayodashi or Dhanteras. > > > > The second day is called Naraka Chaturdashi. People take an oil > bath in the early morning and then in the night they light lamps and > burn firecrackers. People visit their relatives and friends, > exchanging love and sweets. > > > > On the third day, people worship Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. > People decorate their houses with lit lamps and lanterns to welcome > Lakshmi to their home and hearts. On this day businessmen close old > accounts and open new accounts. The earth is lit up by lamps and the > skies are coloured by the multi-hued lights of fireworks. > > > > In North India, the Govardhana Puja occurs on the fourth day of > Diwali. Devotees in the North build hillocks made of cow dung, > symbolising Govardhana, and decorate and worship them. North Indians > observe this day as Annakoot, or the mountain of food. > > > > The fifth day of the festival called Bhaiyya Dooj celebrates > unique and fun customs. Every man dines in his sister's house, and, > in return, presents her with gifts. North India calls it Yama > Dwitiya. Thousands of brothers and sisters join hands and have a > sacred bath in the river Yamuna. > > > > The Legends > > Dhanteras > > The scriptures mention the divinity called Dhanvantari emerging > from the churning of the ocean with a kalash (pot) filled with Amrit > (ambrosia). Due to the fact that Dhanvantari, who revealed the > science of Ayurveda to the world, first manifested on this day, all > over India, doctors following the Ayurvedic system of medicine > organise joyful celebrations of the annual Dhanvantari festival. > > > > Naraka Chaturdashi > > There is a legend about a king of Prag-Jyotishpur, named > Narakasura. He was a powerful king who misused power to harass his > subjects. Sri Krishna destroyed this oppressive asura king on this > day. Unjustly imprisoned people celebrated their freedom with > friends and family. The citizens celebrated deliverance from > Narkasura's reign by lighting lamps. > > > > Sri Rama > > Deepavali falls on a no-moon day - in fact the darkest day of > the year. The illuminations and fireworks, joy and festivities, are > to signify the victory of divine forces over the powers of darkness. > On Deepavali day, triumphant Sri Rama is said to have returned to > Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the asura king of Lanka. > > > > Goddess Lakshmi Devi The Puranas say that it was on this day > that Goddess Lakshmi, who emerged from the churning of the ocean of > milk, married Lord Vishnu, the repository of all divine qualities. > > > > Govardhana Puja > > In order to shelter the gopis and gopas and their cows from the > torrential rains sent by Indra, Krishna lifted a hill near Mathura > called Govardhana with his finger and sheltered all the people for a > period of seven days under it. By then Indra saw Krishna's greatness > and asked him for forgiveness. > > > > Bhaiyya Dooj > > The river Yamuna and Yama the God of Death were brother and > sister. As they grew up they went their different ways. On this day > Yama supposedly visited his sister Yamuna, who in her joy at seeing > her brother after such a long interlude set up a feast for him. > Pleased, Yama granted her a boon. He declared that every man that > receives a tilak or vermilion mark on the forehead from his sister > and presents her with lovely gifts on this day would attain higher > worlds. > > > > The message of Deepavali The traditional name of India is > Bharata and Indians are Bharatias - or those who revel in light. > During the night of Deepavali the myriad little clay lamps (diyas) > seem to silently send forth message of Deepavali: "Come, let us > remove darkness from the face of the earth." > > > > The dharma of the fire is the same wherever it is: in a poor > man's house, in a rich man's house, in America, in Antarctica, or in > the Himalayas. It gives light and heat. The flame of the light is > always turned up. Even if we keep the lamp upside down, the flame > will burn upwards. The message is that our mind should be focused on > Atman, the Self wherever we are. The lamps remind us of our dharma > of realising our divine nature. > > > > "The Self is self-luminous being pure Consciousness. The > cognition of all objects arises from the light of pure > Consciousness." -says Bhrihadaranyaka Upanishad > > > > One lamp can light several others. You can even light another > 1000 lamps, still the flame and the light of the first lamp will > remain as it is. It loses nothing. By becoming manifold, the light > loses nothing. The lights of Deepavali represent Brahman and the > creation. It conveys the message of the mantra: > > > > "Purnamada Purnamidam Purnaat purnamudachyate > > Purnasya Purnamadaya Purnamevasishyate" > > > > The rows of lamps teach yet another important lesson and that is > of unity. The light that shines forth from the Sun, the moon, the > stars, the fire is all the same. To see and recognise that one > light, the light of consciousness, which is manifesting and > pulsating in and through all of creation is the goal of life. Thus > recognising all of creation to be an _expression of your true Self > spread the light of love and compassion. > > > > The lights of Deepavali are displayed at the entrance doors, by > the walls of houses, in the streets and lanes. This means that the > inner spiritual light of the individual must be reflected outside. > It should benefit society. Passer-by may thereby be prevented from > stumbling on their way to reach their destination. > > > > Feeding empty stomachs, lighting blown-out diyas and bringing > light to those whose lives are in darkness is the true spirit of > Deepavali. This is true prayer. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. 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