Why should one light a lamp and what does it signify?

In the Upanishadic times, spirituality was the focus. It was all about recognizing who we are and our purpose in life. Spiritual learning included contemplating the source of this cosmic manifestation. Any worship was to the fundamental elements of nature. These were considered core to this cosmos. Rarely was worship to a deity with a name and form.

Earth, fire, air, water, and space were the source and target of worship. The supreme divinity or energy behind this cosmic manifestation had no separate name. “Absolute” or brahman, was the label meaning that which expands and pervades. The supreme was always referred to as “that”.

There was a discipline of daily offerings to the fundamental elements of nature. Fire or light as the visible form of energy was primordial. The fire was referred to as agni or the “first”. Each household had a fire altar, considered sacred, as a standard fixture.

Offerings were to three fires:
· The celestial element of light or the sun
· Atmospheric element of light or lightning in skies
· The earthly element of light or the burning fire in the altar

The earthly fire would be a running fire, never extinguished and called garhapatya. This was to symbolize it as the fire linked to the householder or garha. This fire altar was in the western direction.

From this earthly fire, another fire linked to the atmospheric form would be kindled and used for purposes such as cooking. This fire is ahavaniya.

Since this fire represented an atmospheric form, the ahavaniya was considered auspicious. As a tradition, it was common to worship the ahavaniya for material desires. Wealth, richness, offspring, good health, and much more. This fire was in the eastern direction.

The fire linked to the celestial elements of light is dakisnaagni. This fire was for oblations to the departed or any worship in remembrances to the departed. There was a recognition that we are one with the celestial cosmos. This fire was in the southern direction.

Today, we still symbolize the worship or offering of three fires by lighting a lamp. Light at its core has the energy of life. In that sense, lighting a lamp emanates radiant energy within the house. An earthen lamp, cotton wick, and oil represent the fundamental elements of nature. Lighting the lamp at the dawn and dusk recognize the transitional moments of the day.

agni altars are not practical to maintain within apartments and houses but are still the continuing tradition in a temple. agni is replaced in our homes with oil lamps and electric lights.

Variations:

• Using a metallic lamp for an earthen lamp. It can be of brass or silver or any such metal. Maintain the sanctity and symbolic nature by using cotton wicks. There is no restriction of using only a certain type of edible oil, anything is acceptable.
• The number of lamps does not matter. Lighting one or a thousand is the same from a spiritual perspective. It is a personal preference.
• The debate on having a single wick in a lamp vs. two or three is again a personal preference. The symbolic meaning is usually attributed to the number of wicks.
  • Three wicks represent the three modes of nature – goodness, passion, and ignorance.
  • Two wicks represent the duality of manifestation – a supreme and us.
  • A single wick represents that at the core of everything, there is only a primordial source of energy.
  • From a practical standpoint, the reason you may want to put many wicks is due to pure physics. A single wick slides back into the lamp. Whereas a two or three-wick with twisted strands has better grip and support.

Preferably Avoid:

• Using string lights or decorative lights as a substitute for an oil lamp. You can always supplement an oil lamp with an electric or any other type of light.
• Using candle lights as the main lamp. Have at least one oil lamp in the home. Have tealights or other types of candle lights as peripheral sources. Of course, in some situations, a candle or an electric light may be the only source to symbolize the three fires

Lighting a lamp is a recommended practice and falls in the category of upadhanam (preparation of worship)