Spirituality

The Importance of Lamp in Hindu Culture

In our Hindu culture, lighting a lamp denotes dispelling away darkness. The lamp is, in most Indian languages, called as “Jyoti”. When we pray to Goddesses by lighting a lamp, the belief is that we will be richly rewarded with tremendous prosperity. Married women or girls of marriageable age are always advised to light a lamp and pray for the welfare of their family, pray for marriage to a good boy, pray for motherhood. In reality, it is said that Goddess Rajarajeshwari resides in the lamp – she represents the combined form of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi.

Propitiating the Deepalakshmi (in the form of Rajarajeshwari) with vermillion, flowers, and stotras every Friday can give you benefits that cannot be described in words.
 
Look at this stanza from Lalitha Sahasranamam
 
“Om Suvasinyay namah
Om Suvasin archanapreethayay namah”.

The philosophy of the lamp is profound. We light away lamp to drive away sadness and welcome happiness with open arms. You want to acquire knowledge and drive away ignorance, so we pray to Deepalakshmi.  

Bottom portion of the lamp: (lotus seat): Lord Brahma
The middle pipe of the lamp:  Lord Venkateswara
The portion where oil/ghee is filled: Rudran
The portion where wick settles: Lord Maheswara
The end of the wick: Sadashiv
Ghee/Oil: Natham

Lamp, as mentioned earlier, represents Durga, Saraswathi and Lakshmi.

The 5 faces of a lamp denote the 5 qualities that a woman needs to have:

  • Affection
  • Intelligence
  • Resoluteness
  • Patience
  • Caution

The portion where the oil is filled indicates the mind of the woman.
When you light a lamp, all the five qualities of the woman gets prominence.
So, when you light a lamp, you light your soul. It helps us in developing our intellect.

Nowadays, you can see many people (including males) lighting lamps in temples or donating oil to the temple or donating a lamp to the temple. Lighting a lamp in the temple brightens your life. If we light a lamp in our homes every evening and pray by reciting a few shlokas, it will make our lives shimmer like the lamp.

Guidelines:

  1. When you show the lamp during aarthi, rotate the lamp in the form of “OM” from the foot till the head at least thrice.
     
  2. Ghee/Oil or a mixture of oil and ghee can be used to light the lamp.
     
  3. Lamp is always a good omen – if someone gifts you a lamp, accept it whole-heartedly. If the lamp flickers, it is an auspicious sign.
     
  4. At the least, light a lamp in front of Devi Maa every Friday with till oil.
     
  5. During the Karthik month, lighting lamps in the front of homes is considered to be very powerful.
     
  6. Always smear the lamp with vermillion and sandal powder.
     
  7. Offer flowers to the lamp.
     
  8. Pray to Lord Ganesha and then your family deity before lighting the lamp.

04-Sep-2010

More by :  G. Venkatesh

Top | Spirituality

Views: 4804      Comments: 15



Comment Vanakum Sir, what prayer must we say when lighting the lamp. The prayer goes like , igundari ,sugandari ,sodiar nindare Umai kamache.

Poobal
23-Mar-2021 06:01 AM

Comment Very nice information about our 4-Vadic hidden treasures . I hat's off salute for lighting a lamp as "Jyoti " as DeepaLakshmi of Spiritual Significance and its religio-Socio-Litero-Economy . The irony is compounded by the Scientific and Spiritual Facts . Regards

Gundicha Pradhan
04-Apr-2020 21:46 PM

Comment Can we turn off the lamp infront of God after 30 of lighting it. Can we turn off the Diya with flower or pull the cotton inside the oil. Please let me know whether this procedure is correct or not. Am very much worried

Lavanya
07-Sep-2019 02:07 AM

Comment There is a sloka that forma parayer to lamp meaning " Be a wtiness to my karma or puja". Do you know that? If yes can you share that?

sundararajan
23-Jul-2019 01:19 AM

Comment Vanakam. Can vilukku be lit 24 /7 at ?

Ravi
08-Feb-2019 01:18 AM

Comment Sir,

Please let me know the significance of lighting 2 divas (lamps) in front of of the God idols/photos at home.

What does the left & right Diya signify ?

Also sometimes the right Diya burns longer thru the entire day or night, does it signify any good or bad omen.

This also happens sometimes the same way to the left diva.

Your thoughts will be much appreciated.

Anil
04-Nov-2018 22:20 PM

Comment Can you give the procedure for 'Thiru ViLakku puuja'
Thanks.
K.V.Pathy

K.V.Pathy
04-Jul-2016 03:31 AM

Comment Can we light lamp for god in pooja room with coconut oil

Suchhitra
06-Oct-2015 02:18 AM

Comment Good for positive energy

cheeranjervi meduri
15-Sep-2015 10:35 AM

Comment my brass deya for the first time burn out leaving the deya black and the wick completely burnt out is dis normal ??

sacha
30-Jul-2015 14:07 PM

Comment when i light a ghee lamp? i cand unable to do daily? shall i light a ghee lamp 24hr.weekly or monthly once

HIMABINDU YADAV
11-Dec-2014 02:17 AM

Comment Sir, Can we light the single lamp?

Kalaivani S A
08-Nov-2014 02:52 AM

Comment sir may i know the lightining of ghee lamp on all days to temple to which god and benefits...
for health, job happiness peaceful money ....how bring all those things to us .....for those things hw to dedicate and pray to god ... please help me

Thanks
Regards
sangeetha

sangeetha
12-Sep-2014 03:51 AM

Comment If this post has not been replied to yet:-Light a single lamp and with ghee derived from cow's milk.There are many brands available today.Let this lamp be kept lit throughout the night and you feel very safe and the house will feel pure.I do not subscribe to the theory of the flam lit ghee reaches the heaven etc.but this is the best in terms of spiritual vibrations.You can clean the lamp after the ghee gets over due to combustion,with a tissue paper.You can always clean it with any detergent powder such as Vim to shine the metal ( if it's metallic ) and then dry it with the tissue.

If you want further information on this just type ghee lamp versus oil lamp in the google window.There will be a website named Hindujagruti.This has given an excellent article about -Why Ghee".I hope this suffices.Good Luck

viraj
19-Oct-2013 01:16 AM

Comment The notes on The philosophy of lamp is quite interesting
.But please clarify the following1.can we light the lamp with single wick ?2.can we use the same wick again the next day?Can we use the lamp next day without washing?can we use coconut oil prepared from the used coconuts ( for puja at temples and at home)?Can we lit only a singly lamp?

P.Nisha Rao
09-May-2012 06:12 AM




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