or Karthika Vilakku and is held in the month of Vrischika (November – December).
Karthigai Deepam is also observed as Bharani Deepam and Vishnu Deepam in Tamil Nadu and is an auspicious day for both Shaivites and Vaishnavites.
The day is also highly auspicious for Lord Muruga devotees as he was taken care by the six Krittika stars and the celebrations on Karthigai commemorate his divine birth. In popular Tamil belief, Karthigai Nakshatra is the birthday of Murukan.
Karthigai Deepam is celebrated as Tirukarttikai in Tamil Nadu,
The lighted lamp is an auspicious symbol and it is believed to usher in prosperity and joy.
Greatness Of Karthigai Deepam Explained By Kanchi Maha Periyava
We light up a series of earthen lamps on the day of Karthigai or Kruttika Nakshatram in the month of Karthigai. At that time we have to sing this sloka as given in the shastras:
कीटा: पतङ्गा: मशका: च वृक्षाः
जले स्थले ये निवसन्ति जीवाः|
दृष्ट्वा प्रदीपं न च जन्म भाजा:
सुखिनः भवन्तु श्वपचाः हि विप्रा:||
கீடா: பதங்கா: மசகா: ச வ்ருக்ஷா:
ஜலே ஸ்தலே யே நிவஸந்தி யேவா: |
த்ருஷ்ட்வா ப்ரதீபம் ந ச ஜன்ம பாஜா:
ஸுகின: பவந்து ச்வபசா: ஹி விப்ரா: ||
keetah patangah mashakah cha vrukshah
jale sthale ye nivasanti jivah
drushtva pradeepam na cha janma bhajah
sukhinah bhavantu svapachah hi viprah
Meaning:
“We pray that, whosoever sees this lamp that we are lighting, they be worms, birds or mosquitoes or trees and such plants; all life forms which live in water or on earth; or may be human beings of whatever caste or creed; seeing this light may have the effect on them that all their sins are washed away and they may transcend the cycle of life and death and reach everlasting happiness”!
Significance Of Karthigai Deepam Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi has composed the following Tamil verse to explain the significance of the Karthigai Deepam that is lit on the Arunachala Hill every year. The stanza is as follows:
Ittanuvē nānām enu-madiyai nīttapbuddhi idayattē porundi-aga nōkkāladduvita mā-mey agac-chuḍar-kāṇ gai-bhūmaddi-yenum Aṇṇā malaicchuḍar-kāṇ meyyē.
Meaning: The true significance of seeing the flame (Karthigai Deepam) on Annamalai, which is the Heart centre of the world, is realising the Light of the Real Self that is one without a second, after discarding the notion ‘I am this body’ and making the mind abide in the Heart by attending to the source of the mind (through Self-enquiry and meditation).