Divali Greetings from Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar

THE HON. KAMLA PERSAD-BISSESSAR, SC, MP FOR SIPARIA AND LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

This year, as we celebrate Divali in our homes and communities I ask that you commit yourself to the divine message embodied in this holy global festival of lights – the conquest of evil by good. While it is a time for celebration and joyous family gatherings, it is primarily a time for prayer and to pay homage to Mother Lakshmi, seeking Her blessings and guidance to live a life in which we dispense with all negative and dark influences and embrace the path to righteousness.

Whether you celebrate in a community event, with family or alone, do it with sincerity and the result will be the same. When you light the wick of that single lamp you realise that no matter what you circumstances, you can drive away the darkness with light.

Evil – symbolised as darkness – is not an abstract entity that originates in some dark underworld; it is within us as part of the immortal soul, the cosmic breath that sustains our lives. Alongside the darkness resides righteousness, which causes a continuous struggle between good and evil.

The Bhagavad-Gita teaches us that the Atma (soul) resides in each of us as an invisible part of the breath of the Creator, Bramha. Its purpose is to find a space in a mortal body through which it would experience the whole range of human emotions and desires. When the body dies, the soul continues its journey of discovery by inhabiting another body, being a part of a continuous cycle of life and death until it has cleansed itself of all desires (Maya) to prepare for its reunion with the Creator (Param Atma). It is the soul that dictates our actions.

Therefore, we act on the basis of the influences around us. That’s why we need to immerse ourselves in an environment of good to prevent the dark side to control our senses and actions. We are socialised according to the conditions under which we live, and the messages we assimilate from our environment – the home, friends and the community. All influences converge to create a raging internal storm that abates only when we make a choice of which path to follow.

One inner voice prods us to do good and follow righteousness; another chooses a deviant path that is influenced by greed and other negative emotions. When we allow the dark force to temp us to chase after material things alone, we risk losing control. It is the eternal struggle between light and darkness.

Divali’s singular message is the conquest of darkness by light, a celebration of peace and goodwill, and the futility of greed and deceit. On Divali night, we seek Mother Lakshmi’s blessings, asking Her to cure us of all afflictions, to provide us with wealth and happiness and to destroy our enemies.

The wealth we seek is not material. We ask the Divine Mother for knowledge and enlightenment, the ability to distinguish between good and bad, to share knowledge with others and provide guidance to those who need it. The enemies we seek to banish are hate, betrayal, jealously, greed, lust, sickness and mental decay.

That is the Divali message we must keep shining brightly today and every day. The lights embody victory over darkness, good over evil. It is the cleansing of the soul, a re-dedication to peace and goodwill, guided by a deep sense of spirituality. We seek the Mother’s blessings and pray that light will always illuminate our diverse communities

Let the light of Divali shine on our nation every day in the knowledge that in the midst of darkness, light persists.

Shubh Divali.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar