History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.782

v6.c81.782

*Divālī*: This festival of lights, illuminations and fireworks is the most joyful of all festivals and is most widely observed throughout India. Observances, however, differ in detail and number from age to age and from province to province. It is not a single festival in honour of a single god or goddess as the Kṛṣṇajanmāṣṭamī or the Navarātra is. It is spread over four or five days and contains several independent items The days of Dīpāvalī properly so called are three It is called Dīpāvalī (row of lamps) in many works, but also Dīpālikā (in colophon to chap. 140 of Bhaviṣyottara). When emphasis is laid only on one item in this festival of several days it is also designated Sukharātrī in Rājamārtaṇḍa (verses 1346-1348, vide ABORI vol.36 p 329) and in Kālaviveka (pp. 232, 403-4), Yakṣarātri⁴⁹⁷ in Vātsyāyana's Kāmasūtra, Sukhasuptikā (in Vrataprakāśa, folio 204 and Hemādri on Vrata vol. II. pp. 348-349). In a scholarly paper contributed to the Journal of the Ganganath Jha Institute (vol. III. pp. 205-216) Prof. P. K. Gode traces the antiquity of this festival. The Bhaviṣyottara contains a charming verse with a *double entendre*⁴⁹⁸ 'May this auspicious day of lights remove your sins like Rāmāyaṇa in which the thunder of clouds is stopped (or in which Meghanāda i. e. Indrajit, son of Rāvaṇa, is described as killed), in which the tips of wicks are burning (or in which Rāvaṇa became infuriated) and in which young women find delight (or with which Rāma is pleased). Some works like the N. S. and Kālatattvavivecana (p. 315) hold that the three days viz. 14th, amāvāsyā and Kārtika first, constitute the Kaumudī festival.⁴⁹⁹