Image Caption: The image depicts two divine episodes from Hindu mythology. The upper half shows Bhagwan Vishnu as Vamana, the dwarf Brahmin, expanding into his cosmic form to subdue the generous King Bali, symbolizing the triumph of humility over pride. In the lower half, Bhagwan Krishna is seen lifting the Govardhan mountain on his little finger to shelter the villagers of Vrindavan from Indra’s torrential rains, representing divine protection and the power of compassion.
On the fifteenth day of Kartik, during the new moon of the eighth cycle, families gather in celebration, Maha Laxmi is worshipped, and sweets are distributed. Many of us, if not all of us, know the story behind Diwali’s diyas and fireworks. But have you ever wondered why we celebrate the two days before and after Diwali? These festivals hold stories that are equally significant in today’s day and age. This is part two of a two part series, where we will explore the tales behind the two days that come after Diwali.
The fourth of the five days, which falls on October twenty second this year, is known to be auspicious for celebrating Bhagwan Vishnu and his avtars. In the south, his Vamana avtar is celebrated for triumphing over the Asur Bali; In the north, his Krishna avtar is celebrated during Goverdhan Pooja. The former story originates in Treta Yug, when Bali’s power threatened to rival that of the gods. Even though Bali was a generous and benevolent king, Indra grew jealous of his power and asked Bhagwan Vishnu to vanquish him. Knowing Bali’s generosity toward Brahmins, Bhagwan Vishnu appeared as a dwarfed Brahmin and asked for three steps worth of land. Bali immediately agreed and Vishnu grew into his original form. In his first step, Bhagwan Vishnu covered the Earth; In his second step, Vishnu covered the heavens. When asked where to place the third, Bali smiled and offered his head. Satisfied with this response, Bhagwan Vishnu made Bali the king of Patal Lok, allowing his return (to the Earth) once a year. The latter story originates in Dwapar Yug, when the residents of Vrindavan stopped worshipping Indra, and began worshipping nature instead. Angered by this, Indra unleashed torrential downpour upon Vrindavan. Gusts of wind tore down houses, domestic animals ran rampant, no one knew where to go. To shelter the residents, Krishna lifted the Goverdhan mountain for eight days. Balancing the mountain on the little finger of his left hand, he played the flute with his right, soothing every soul in the village. Every year, in Vrindavan, the Goverdhan mountain is worshipped for the shelter it once provided. In honor of Krishna, who was said to eat seven meals a day, fifty six of his favorite dishes are lovingly prepared and offered to him.
The fifth of the five days is Bhai Dooj, which falls on October twenty third this year. Similar to Raksha Bandhan, this festival also celebrates the bond between divine siblings: Yamuna Maiya and Yamraj, and Subadhra and Krishna. On this day, across different Yugs, both brothers visited their sisters. Welcomed with the warmth of an aarti and a tilak, they were deeply moved by their sisters’ affection. In return, Yamraj granted a boon to all sisters: on Bhai Dooj a sister’s tilak would shield brothers from all negative energies. Presently, every year after Diwali celebrations, siblings enquire about each other’s well-being and apply tilaks on each other’s forehead. They also lovingly feed each other all the remaining Diwali sweets.
The fourth day of Diwali reminds us of the quiet undoing of pride. Like Indra, we often mistake ego for strength, forgetting that it is only an illusion. True power lies in karuna, the kind of compassion that steadies storms. That compassion is what gives us the strength to lift mountains. The fifth day carries that love into each home, because compassion begins at home. As Abdul Kalam once said, “Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is harmony in the house. When there is harmony in the house, there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world.”
*This article did not have enough space to explore the many details and complexities of these tales.