Earthen Terracotta Diye/Mitti Ke Deepak (मिटटी के दीपक): Back in the days before electricity, lighting oil lamps where the main way people were able to light their homes after sunset. But even in this era of electricity, we are using oil lamps in our pooja and prayers. There is an ancient significance to light oil lamps. We should light an earthen oil lamp during our prayers or perform any spiritual austerities, i.e. sadhana. The Mitti Ke Deepak signifies our body. It is a phrase that “we will return to dust as we arise from the dust. Clay, mud, and dirt have always been used to indicate that we have been created as part of this nature and also to signify our mortality, i.e. how after our death, our body (which is a mere vessel for our soul) will disintegrate, perish and return to nature. (Earthen Terracotta Diye)
The cotton wick indicates our ego. Oil allows it to burn. This oil is the collection of soul actions and tendencies (i.e. karmas and samskaras), which compel us to perform more actions. The high-quality oil will cause, the bright glow of flame. If there is an impurity in the oil, then the flame will be dull… in the same way, if we have challenging or negative karmas then our life cannot exhibit the full glory of our real divine nature. It is a fact that in Vedic Astrology, Saturn is the indicator for oil. Because he is the one who maintains and administers our karmas.
Significance of Earthen Terracotta Diye:
Therefore, the significance of lighting an earthen oil lamp (Mitti Ke Deepak) is very authentic. When we light an oil lamp, we are hoping that as the oil helps to burn off the cotton wick, similarly as we consciously do the prayers and pooja, it will help to burn off our karmas. Through our sincere devotion, and performing our prayers, pooja, and so on, our ego will end. Moreover, it will evolve in light of knowledge, which is our soul. The earthen Terracotta Diyas are the source of enlightenment in our life.
Sumita Pal –
Good designs..