Rama and Krishna in Festival of Lights

Nov 12, 2004, 12.00am IST
Thatta Sree Rangamannar.

Lord Krishna, who was Vishnu's avatar in the Dwapara Yuga, had destroyed several demons; one of them was Narakasura. Krishna goes to war with him because he was creating havoc everywhere, torturing and tormenting good souls.


When Krishna prepares to proceed for battle, his wife Satya-bhama pleads with him to take her also. Satya-bhama herself was adept in archery. She offered to fight against Narakasura standing on the back of Garuda, the bird, on which Krishna was sitting. Krishna rejects this proposal. Satya-bhama next pleads that she would see how Krishna himself was waging the war and, after their return, would explain to all her friends the ease with which Krishna waged the war. After several pleadings Krishna finally agrees to take her along.

The Bhagavata Purana describes how Krishna and Satyabhama proceeded to the battlefield. Narakasura lived in a place called Pragjyotisha Pura, in the north-east of the country, in today's Assam state. Satya-bhama herself initiated the battle, throwing an arrow at the Ari. In the end, Krishna kills Narakasura and proclaims his son Bhagadatta as successor to the throne. That day is celebrated as Naraka Chaturdasi, the 14th day of the Bahula paksha or dark fortnight.


Soon after Narakasura was killed, Krishna and Satyabhama entered the palace and they discovered 16,000 princesses kept in captivity by Narakasura. On seeing Krishna and Satya-bhama, all of them, in one voice, prayed to Krishna to marry them because he granted them freedom from captivity and salvation. Krishna agrees and there was jubilation all around. This is how Krishna is reputed to have 16,008 wives including Rukmini, the main consort or Patrani, who herself was the incarnation of Lakshmi; Satya-bhama who was given in marriage by Satrajit in remorseful penitence for his crime against Krishna; Jambavati, the daughter of Jambawan who continued to live in the Dwapara Yuga right through the Treta Yuga; and five others namely, Mitravinda, Kalindi, Nagnajiti, Bhadra and Lakshana, all of whom Krishna won in Swayamavara.


On his return to Dwaraka with the 16,000 princesses Krishna married them and housed them in mansions and lived with each one of them. That day was Amavasya, a new moon day. It was celebrated with bright lights all around. Indeed the princesses were grateful to Narakasura because of whose intransigence they could fulfil their life's wish of marrying Krishna. This occasion is called Deepavali.


The other story of how Deepavali came to be celebrated took place during Rama ava-tar. Rama killed Ravana on Vijaya Dasami day and returned to Ayodhya on this day, 20 days after Ravana's death. Rama was aware that Bharata would end his life if he did not return to Ayodhya as soon as the 14 years of exile were over. Rama and Sita had to also go to the hermitage of Sage Bharadwaja to return the Devata Vastras which the sage and his wife gave them to keep pure and clean. So, Rama could not return to Ayodhya on the appointed day. Hence he sent Hanuman to Bharata, to convey to him that Rama, Sita and Laxmana were on their way back in Ayodhya and the lights were lit because it was Amavasya night, dark and moonless.


In the northern parts of India this festivity is known as Deepavali, the festival of lights and victory of virtue over evil. In the southern parts Deepavali is attributed to Krishna avatar which was in the Dwapara Yuga.