Bestselling Author Ashwin Sanghi Interprets Diwali Principles For Businesses

It is the night of the new moon. The streets are vibrantly lit with countless lamps. People are dressed in their finest attire. Like every year, they celebrate the homecoming of a king; to mark the triumph of good over evil, the victory of light over darkness.

On this particular day, many seek the blessings of the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. But the celebration of Diwali is not just about that or limited to one day. It is, in fact, spread over five days each with its own significance, says bestselling author Ashwin Sanghi.

“The first of the five days is Dhanteras,” he explains. “The significance of this day is dhan, or wealth. Now why do people go and acquire wealth on this day?”

Dhan, or wealth, Sanghi explains, only has value as a ‘flow’. “When I end up spending, I end up creating income for someone else,” says Sanghi. “It is, in reality, the wonderful old-fashioned economic stimulus!”

The second day, Naraka Chaturdashi, is when the demon Narak was slain by Krishna and his wife Satyabhama. According to Sanghi, the day signifies the removal of evil, dirt and all things inauspicious. That’s perhaps why you see people whitewashing their homes and cleaning up ahead of Diwali, he says. “From businesses, it is probably also the day when you start cleaning up your books,” Sanghi quips.

The primary day of Diwali is the Lakshmi puja. According to Hindu mythology, Lakshmi was born when an ocean of milk was churned by the gods and the demons in their bid to find ‘amrita’, the divine nectar that would grant immortality.

The fourth day, Bali Pratipada, is the day when Krishna tricked the demon Bali into agreeing to give him three paces of land. Legend has it, Krishna expanded to gigantic proportions and spanned the earth and the heavens in his first two strides. The god’s third stride was on Bali himself, which pushed the demon deep into the ground, Sanghi narrates.

“To my mind, it is about vigilance. We take business decisions all the time, but those come with risks. So, in a strict business sense, had Bali evaluated the prospectus, and thought about it, he might not have taken such a bad decision,” says Sanghi.

The final day, Bhai Dooj, is when the lord of death Yamaraj, visited his sister Yami. While many associate Yama as the ultimate arbiter of life and death, he is also the most important accountant of all.

The Three Goddesses, And The Role You Should Strive For

Trinities are a common phenomenon in religions the world over. One particular trinity is of particular significance during Diwali. The three goddesses-Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Kali are especially venerated during the festival of light.

“Risk and studying risk is such a critical component of what you do in terms of wealth creation,” says Sanghi. “I like to call it the Saraswati, because ultimately, Saraswati is the worship of knowledge.”

Here, Sanghi draws on the mythology involving the sisters Lakshmi and Saraswati. Lakshmi has a somewhat jealous streak and is believed to follow Saraswati wherever she goes. Bringing Saraswati into your homes is a great way to also invite her elusive sister, Lakshmi, he says.

The third element is kaal or time, a part of the etymology of the name Kaali. The goddess is mistakenly only believed to be a destroyer, but she also represents time, says Sanghi.

From the point of view of businesses, Kaali stands for patience. You must study and prepare to face risks, but you must also have the patience to allow your investments to bear fruit. Worshipping the trinity in this manner is sure to bring you wealth and prosperity, says Sanghi.

Watch the full conversation with Ashwin Sanghi here.