Acharya Prashant responds to a question about why Shri Ram is not worshipped on Diwali, even though the festival commemorates his return. He begins by stating that even if Shri Ram's name were used, it would be for commercial purposes like 'Ram brand firecrackers' or 'Sita brand sarees,' so the presence of the name would make no difference. He extends this logic to other festivals like Janmashtami and Navdurga, where the deities' names are used, but their essential qualities are absent from the celebrations. He asserts that during Diwali, there is no 'Ram-ness' (Ramattva), just as there is no 'Krishna-ness' during Janmashtami. Acharya Prashant highlights the profound irony in how Diwali is celebrated. He calls it the greatest injustice to Shri Ram, who is the epitome of sacrifice (tyaag), that his festival has been transformed into the biggest festival of indulgence (bhog). While on ordinary days a person might make a small sacrifice, on Diwali, there is no room for sacrifice at all. He says that while Shri Ram might be 1% present in our lives on a normal day, during Diwali, he is not even 1% present due to the extreme indulgence. People are busy filling their homes, whereas Shri Ram is known for having renounced his home. He criticizes the consumerist frenzy surrounding the festival, mocking how people are lured by sales to buy unnecessary things. He questions the logic of celebrating Shri Ram's return in the manner of Ravana, asking, "Who collected gold, Ram or Ravana?" If one accumulates wealth on Shri Ram's festival, they are following Ravana's path. He points out the hypocrisy of celebrating a figure who fought a mighty demon, while people themselves cannot confront the smallest 'mice' or evils in their own lives. The speaker clarifies that the true purpose of festivals is to serve as annual reminders of spirituality. Diwali is an occasion to welcome the Ram who represents sacrifice, and the lamps should be lit in honor of this spirit. The real meaning of the festival is to renounce whatever is unnecessary, toxic, and corrupt from one's life and mind. The goal is not to fill the house but to empty the mind. He explains that there is a light within everyone, the soul, which is obscured by the garbage of worldly attachments. The true celebration of Diwali is to clean this garbage so the inner light can manifest. First, the lamp must be lit within; only then do the external lamps become a meaningful symbol.
