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Pok. X.]
1911.
[No. 10.
THE JAINA GAZETTE.
जिनवानी के ज्ञान से सूझे लोक अलोक । सो वानी मस्तक झुका सदा देत हूं धोक ॥ वन्दों वानी भगवती विमल ज्योति जग माहिं । भरम ताप जासों मिटे भवि सरोज विगमाहिं ॥
DEWALI OR DEEP-MALIKA. The last day of the dark half of the month of Kartik is a red-letter day in the modern history of Jainism.
It was in the early dawn of that historic day that Lord Jahavira, the last of the 24 Tirthankaras, attained the everlasting Bliss of Nirvana. The sages of yore have sung the glories of that glorious morning when the shining Devas from celestial regions came down in countless numbers and lighted up the whole of the holy court with myriads of fragrant lights used in the worship of the Lord. The people of sacred Pawapuri also lighted up their houses and the whole town was illumined. This is the real significance of Dewali, the Deep-Halika, the night of illuminations. Illumination of Perfect Wisdom then came to the Lord and the occasion of the acquisition of this pure limitless knowledge, -Kerala Gnan--was celebrated as the worship of the Goddess Gnan-Lakshmi.
It is a sacred day, the New Year's Dar-and ushers in the year 24+1 of the Mahavira Era. Our Hindi contemporaries enter upon a new year and we heartily wish them a Happy and Prosperous New Year and many many returns of the same.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
