“We must clean out our hearts,” declares HH Param Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji on the auspicious occasion of Choti Diwali. “We must rid them of darkness and bitterness; we must make them clean and sparkling places for God to live. We must be as thorough with ourselves as we are with our homes. Are there any dark corners in our hearts we have avoided for so long? Are we simply ‘sweeping all the dirt under the rug?’ God sees all and knows all. He knows what is behind every wall of our hearts, what is swept into every corner, and what is hidden under every rug.

“Let us truly clean out our hearts; let us rid ourselves of the grudges, pain, and anger that clutter our ability to love freely. Let us empty out every nook and cranny, so that His divine light can shine throughout.”