In English
and sense-control
The festival has been designed to subdue these eleven . This means that by the control of the senses the can be controlled. (control of the senses) is not that easy. Even if evil impulses coming from external sources are controlled, those arising from within cannot be easily controlled. But if, at least on one night out of 365 days in a year, the senses are brought under control, then peace may be experienced and the quest for liberation may be initiated. When the entire night is dedicated to the chanting of the Lord's name, one's mind, speech and senses all get centred on God. This is itself a form of sense control. At least on one day in a year all our thoughts and words should be centred on God. When this is done, people can realise the Supreme as described in the terms, . Socrates' disciple, Plato, used the terms, Truth, Goodness and Beauty to describe this state of Self-Realisation. In the experience of oneness with the Divine, there is (peace) (Awareness) and (Bliss). The Lord is experienced as . What is ? is Being, that which is eternally present. This means that even when an object is not there, its qualities are present. In Vedantik parlance, these qualities are described as , and (principles of Existence, Cognisability and Utility). means existence (the quality of permanence). This may be likened, say, to sugar. In whatever manner sugar may be used, by dissolving it in water or mixing it with flour, its quality of sweetness remains. It is in the sense that it has the unchanging quality of sweetness. is awareness (or consciousness). is like water. When (as sugar) is combined with (as water) you have neither sugar not water, but syrup. The combination of and results in (Bliss). When the unchanging, eternal Divinity unites with the changing and inert (Nature), you have . The significance of is that it is an auspicious occasion when can be experienced.