Significance of Diwali

Dhanteras – respect of wife – Gruhalakshmi

Firstly, in Diwali, the first day they buy something for the family, it could be some cooking utensil, could be an ornament for the wife, or something like that; because that is the day of the housewife and that day is to be celebrated as the housewives’, I should say, homage to her. As a result, you know in India, even now, housewives are very much respected. Actually they are respected all over, you will be amazed, that even in the protocol of the government receptions, anywhere, the wife is very important and where she is sitting, what her position is, it’s very important. Even today, in the most modern and advanced countries also, they have a special respect for the housewife. The housewife may not be educated, she may be a very simple woman, and she may not be very modern.

(25.10.1998, Italy)

So it is very important, that on this day, we call it Dhanteras, the thirteenth day, you have to buy something for your wife, and you have to give her something as a present. At least you should buy a little pot or something that can be used in the kitchen to show your respect to her. In the families where the mother is not respected, children become extremely troublesome and the whole of their family also suffers, whenever they are married, whatever happens to them. Men have to realize that it is their mistake that they have never respected their wives as they should have. In the presence of the children, if they shout, in the presence of the children if they don’t show any respect, the children can never respect the mother. It is a criminal thing to do to women who are in the household, doing all the work for you, looking after you, your family, not demanding anything. Only if you want to understand how they can be troublesome is to see them in the politics. When they go into politics they put all the men upside down. One woman can put all of them in their proper senses; because their field is their house, their family. If they are not respected in the family, they get out of the family and behave in such a manner that you can’t imagine. Though she has to bear a lot, she has to suffer a lot: but in the family she must be respected, that’s a very very important message of Gruha Lakshmi (wife).

(25.10.1998, Italy)