Diwali 2025

“Those men who will again see Rama along with Sita, accompanied by the mighty-armed Lakshmana, returning home will be successful.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 72.38)

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सिद्धार्थास्ते नरा राममागतं सह सीतया
लक्ष्मणं च महाबाहुं द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुनरागतम्

siddhārthāste narā rāmamāgataṃ saha sītayā
lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahābāhuṃ drakṣyanti punarāgatam

To give an understanding of the imminent nature of departure for the living being, after their birth, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada makes the comparison to visiting a foreign country on a visa that is valid for only three weeks. Just what will a person do during that time? Just what priorities will they set? Just what would they hope to accomplish? On the occasion of Diwali, we recall the opinion of a famous leader from long back. This was his take on who would actually be successful in life, siddhartha. These words also happened to be his last, as they were later relayed from his wife to their son.

If I am visiting a place for only three weeks, does it make sense to start a building project? This would be for my own use. A private office. A villa of my own, with the perfect view and no neighbors in sight. The work will take much longer than three weeks. I will be long gone when everything is finally ready. The sane person would not assign such a priority. They would think about something else. More importantly, they would be concerned with the future, in what the living conditions will be like after the visa expires.

It is not so easy to notice, at least from all that we take in starting from childhood, but the life experience is similar. We try to set up roots, to make permanent establishments, when the entire time we are flirting with danger. At every step there is some vulnerability. Be it from the heavens, interference from envious compatriots, or even diseases from within, there is never a moment of total security. Life can end at any time, as quickly as it once began.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्
ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च
तस्माद् अपरिहार्ये ऽर्थे
न त्वं शोचितुम् अर्हसि

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur
dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye ‘rthe
na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi

“For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is dead, birth is certain. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.27)

A long time ago, King Dasharatha of Ayodhya was aware of this reality. He was suffering the negative effects of a previous mistake. Just as he had accidentally caused parents to leave this world due to grief of separation from their son, so the same was happening for the esteemed leader of the Raghu dynasty. It was Queen Kaikeyi who interfered. It was her desire to have the eldest son, prince Rama, leave the kingdom for fourteen years.

It is impossible to put into words what Rama meant to Dasharatha. Rama was like the greatest treasure appearing within the family, after a lengthy period of longing. Rama happens to be an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu. Rama has all good qualities. As the princess Sita describes, Rama wishes well to all living beings. He is not partial. He does not play favorites. He is always thinking about what is best for others.

रामेति प्रथितो लोके गुणवान्सत्यवान्शुचिः
विशालाक्षो महाबाहुस्सर्वभूतहिते रतः

rāmeti prathito loke guṇavānsatyavānśuciḥ
viśālākṣo mahābāhussarvabhūtahite rataḥ

“My husband Rama is famous throughout the world. He is pure, truthful, and very gentle. He is mighty-armed, has wide eyes, and is always busy working for the welfare of all living beings [sarva-bhuta-hite-ratah].” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 47.11)

Imagine if you met the kindest, sweetest, and most dedicated person. Imagine if that person happened to be your son. Their association means everything to you. It is the reason for getting up in the morning. It feels as though Rama is literally the sun of the solar dynasty. He is the dinakara, or the maker of the day, in the house of Raghus.

Abruptly, that association gets taken away. Rama politely agrees to the wishes of Kaikeyi. She wants her own son, Bharata, to be the next king. She wants Rama to go away, to prevent any trouble in the transfer of power. Bharata is unaware of the nefarious plot. He is away at the time. He does not return home in time to see Dasharatha. The king has already departed, unable to bear the separation from the beloved Rama.

Bharata asks to hear his father’s last words. Kaikeyi does not hold back. Dasharatha declared that the people seeing Rama and Sita returning home, along with Lakshmana, would be successful in life. This event indeed occurred, at a later time. The occasion was celebrated in such a grand fashion that it turned into the annual tradition we know today as Diwali.

If my time is short, if I want to get my priorities in place, then I can follow the advice of Dasharatha. I can relive the glorious return of that group. Lakshmana is one of Rama’s other younger brothers. Lakshmana and Sita insisted on accompanying Rama to the forest. As painful as the initial separation was, the reunion on the other side was sweeter. This is the meaning to life, in fact, to welcome back our great well-wisher, to feel His association at all times, to understand that He can always live with us, such that we will never be alone again: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

From this world to leave,
Wife last words to receive.

That those considered successful who,
Seeing Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana too.

Safely after much time to return,
Revealed for generations to earn.

The highest goal in this mysterious place,
How one glance rebirth to erase.