Diwali and Laxmi puja !
Why two names for one festival?
Dussehra had passed and Diwali was near One day a group of some young men and women came to a college.
They asked the students some questions and the students happily answered them but there was silence on one question!
The question was, "When Diwali is celebrated to mark Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, why is "Lakshmi Puja" performed on Diwali? Why is Lord Ram alone not worshipped ?"
There was silence on this question, because at that time there was no social media, there were not even smart phones! Nobody knew anything! Then, breaking the silence, a hand went up to answer the question!
A boy got up and answered “Diwali is associated with two eras “Satyug” and “Treta Yug”!
Mata Lakshmi appeared on that day from the churning of the ocean in Satyayuga! That's why "Lakshmi Puja" is done.
Lord Ram also returned to Ayodhya on the same day in Treta Yuga. So the people of Ayodhya welcomed him by lighting lamps! That's why the festival was named Diwali!
Therefore this festival has two names, "Lakshmi Pujan" which is associated with Satyayuga, and the other "Deepawali" which is associated with Treta Yuga, Lord Shri Ram and the lamps!
There was silence for a while after the answer, because no one knew the answer! Not even the group asking the questions!
Well after some time, everyone clapped loudly!
There was another question, 'What is the relationship of Shri Ganesh and Ma Laxmi with each other?'
And why are these two worshiped on Diwali?
*The answer is -
When Lakshmi ji married Lord Vishnu, she was made the goddess of wealth and opulence of the universe! So Kuber was made the manager to distribute the wealth!
Kuber was somewhat miserly! He did not distribute the wealth, he himself became the steward of the wealth.
Mother Lakshmi got worried! Her children were not getting blessings!
She told her plight to Lord Vishnu! Lord Vishnu told her, "You change the manager!"
Mother Lakshmi said, "King Kuber of the Yakshas is my greatest devotee! He will feel offended!"
Then Lord Vishnu advised her to use the long and vast wisdom of Shri Ganesha!
Mother Lakshmi asked Shri Ganesh ji to become the “distributor of wealth”!
Shri Ganesh ji is very intelligent! He said, "Mother, please bless whoever's name I tell you! No ifs, no buts! Mother Lakshmi readily agreed!
Now Shri Ganesh ji started removing the obstacles and miseries of the people and started opening the doors of wealth for them.
Kuber remained just a Bhandari! Shri Ganesh ji became the one who got the money sanctioned!
Seeing the generosity of Lord Ganesha, Goddess Lakshmi blessed her foster son Shri Ganesha, that wherever she cannot make it with her husband Narayan, her son Ganesha would stay with her.
Diwali falls on Kartik Amavasya! Lord Vishnu is in Yoga Nidra at that time! He wakes up eleven days later, on Dev Uthavani Ekadashi!
Mother Lakshmi has to visit the earth for fifteen days between Sharad Purnima and Diwali, so she brings Shri Ganesh ji with her. That's why Lakshmi-Ganesh is worshiped on Diwali.
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