Naraka Chaturdashi is an auspicious day that falls on the second day of five day long Diwali festival, after Dhanteras.
Namaste!
Welcome to the world of resolute readings at www.onindianpath.com. Today I am going to discuss Narak Chaturdashi: Diwali series part 4. As you must have been observing that I am introducing the grandest festival of Hindus, Diwali in a series of blogs to make you aware more vividly about its significance and traditions.
Introduction
Naraka Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas, Naraka Nivaran Chaturdashi, Roop Chaudas- these are different names of this day. Also known as Choti Diwali, it is celebrated on the second day of the five-day-long Diwali festival. Diwali begins with Dhanteras and ends with Bhai Dooj. Infact, Naraka Chaturdashi is celebrated a day before Diwali and comes a day after Dhanteras or Dhantrayodashi.
Date of Naraka Chaturdashi
We are going to celebrate the festival on 31 October 2024. As per Hindu panchang, it falls on the chaturdashi of Krishan paksha of Kartik maas.
Also, the titthi of Naraka Chaturdashi will start at 15 on 30 October 2024 and ends at 3: 52 PM on 31 October 2024.
Symbolizes Union of Female & Male Energies
However, Naraka Chaturdashi is a day to celebrate the victory of good over evil. What I see is that it pass on the message of gender equality in a marriage. Why am I saying this? I will prove it by telling the story.
According to Bhagwad Purana, Narakasura was a great king Hirankashya in his previous birth and had a fight with Lord Vishnu. He was very powerful and rebellious in nature. To prove his worth and his vigour, he pushed back the Earth (bhudevi) from its axis to the ocean of water. After seeing this, Lord Vishnu took the birth of Varah Awatar and killed him and saved Bhudevi. At this moment of saving the Earth, Narakasura was born.
Further, Narakasura was a demon king. And he had a boon that he will be killed only by his mother. He was powerful and dominanting all the three lokas. He forcefully had 16000 unmarried girls kept as his slaves. On this perplexities of this demon, Lord Indra asked Lord Krishna to save the world from his torture.
Furthermore, Lord Krishna, one of the most widely revered and most popular of all Hindu gods, promised to help Indra. Satyabhama, the fiery wife of Shri Krishna, became indignant on this incident and asked Lord Krishna to accompany the fight. Lord Krishna allowed her to join.
Apparently, Satyabhama is said to be human reincarnation of mother Earth (bhudevi). She was killing the soldiers of Demon king Narakasura during the fight. Suddenly, she was attacked by an arrow hit by Narakasura. Revengeful Satyabhama, took out the arrow from her hand and hit it back to the devil. And Narakasura lost his strength and power.
Hence, he was killed by his own mother and Lord Krishna with his Sudarshan Chakra.
Now, you must conclude it that it is a day of rejoicing cooperation and association of male and female counterparts.
Significance of Naraka Chaturdashi
Specifically Naraka Chaturdashi is the day to be rejoiced and celebrated for goddess of time, and death.
Hence it is referred as Kali Chaudas also as kali is a form of shakti, representing abolishing laziness and evil which creates hell in human life on Earth.
What to do on Naraka Chaturdashi
Hindus perform various rituals on this day
- People get up early and celebrate this day with oil baths (seasame oil).
- People also celebrate this day as Roop chaudas, a popular believe that when you wash your face and your head with a holy water stored in an earthen pot on the day of Ahoi Ashtmi till now, the stored water becomes pious and it brightens up your beauty.
- On this day, in many parts of country, people apply kajal in the eyes, to keep away the nazar or evil eye.
- People worship lord Vishnu and Yamaraj with oil, flowers and sandalwood. Various dishes are prepared using the rice taken from the fresh harvest available at that time.
- People also light houses with lamps in the evening.
What not to do on Naraka Chaturdashi
- Do not kill any living being on this day as Yamraj is worshipped on Naraka Chaturdashi.
- Do not keep the south direction of the house dirty on this day.
- One should not donate Oil on Narak Chaturdashi.
- Meat should not be consumed on this day.
Conclusion
Thus we know the religious and social value of this great festival. Have a blessed day ahead.
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