The second day of the hindu Diwali festival is celebrated as Naraka Chaturdashi. The day when people usually start their day with ‘Abhyanga Snan’. A day that celebrates the victory of good over evil. But why is it called naraka chaturdashi? What is the story of Narakachaturdashi?
If this question is really bothering you, We have the answer. Read on to know why?
The story of Narakachaturdashi.
There was a demon by the name of Narakasura, he ruled the kingdom of Pradyoshapuram. Lengends have it that after strict penance for years he had earned a boon from lord Brahma that he can only die at the hands of his own mother, Bhoodevi. Blinded by the extreme power and sense on immortality, narakasur started inflicting torture on all of his kingdom, he also started harassing the gods and soon became a menace for everyone. He once attacked and acquired several kingdoms and also abducted 16,000 young princesses and held them as captives.
All the gods tried to warn him but with blatant disregard for everyone he continued his tyranny. Tired from all his atrocities the gods approached lord Vishnu for getting rid of Narakasura. The eighth avatar of vishnu, Srikrishna was asked to kill Narakasura.
A great battle ensued between Narakasura and Krishna, who was accompanied by his wife Satyabhama. What narakasura did not know was that satyabhama was an incarnation of his mother Bhoodevi. In the battle, srikrishna gets hurt and falls unconscious. On seeing this Satyabhama is enraged and she lifts up the bow and hurls an arrow on narakasura, and he gets killed by Satyabhama.
Later Srikrishna reminds satyabhama that she is the reincarnation of bhoodevi.
Together they release the 16,000 young women in his captivity. Since they were held captive by a demon, the society is not ready to accept them back, To restore their dignity and honour, Srikrishna marries all the 16,00 women and as later know as his junior queens.
Why Is Abhyanga Snan Carried Out?
Sri krishna has blood splattered all over his body, to remove the blood and all the negativeness of Narakasura, he performs a bath with oil, herbs and warm water. This is called as Abhyanga Snan. Every year since then, people carry out Abhyanga Snan. Healkth wise is is good to reduce Pitta dosha.
People also burn crackers as a symbol of effigies of narakasur. And this day itself the celebration of the next day of diwali day starts.
This was the story of Narakachaturdashi, Another victory of good over evil. People start celebration of the main Laxmi poojan preperation and burn crackers. This day is also hence called the choti diwali.
