20 quotes that symbolise the victory of light over darkness

Nov 11, 20233 min read

Diwali, or Deepavali—the immensely popular Festival of Lights celebrated by Indians all over the world—symbolises the victory of light over darkness, the conquest of good over evil and the triumph of knowledge over ignorance.

The five-day festival, which usually falls in the months of October or November, is marked by the lighting of oil lamps, candles and lanterns, decorating homes with colourful marigold and rangoli (artistic patterns made on the ground), wearing traditional clothes, exchanging gifts, bursting of fireworks, eating sweet delicacies, and families coming together and praying for health and prosperity.

On the occasion of Diwali this year, November 10-14, and the spirit of joy and unity it fosters, we bring you 20 sayings on how light—even the flicker of a candle flame—can dispel darkness and renew universal hope, optimism and peace.

Even a single lamp dispels the deepest darkness.

— Mahatma Gandhi, Indian statesman and advocate of nonviolent resistance

Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle.

— Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States

Bring in the light and the evil goes in a moment. Build up your character, and manifest your real nature, the Effulgent, the Resplendent, the Ever-Pure, and call It up in everyone that you see.

— Swami Vivekananda, Indian monk, philosopher, author and religious teacher

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.

— Aristotle, Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath

Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

— Martin Luther King Jr., prominent US Civil Rights leader

We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future.

— John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States

Light and shadow are opposite sides of the same coin. We can illuminate our paths or darken our way. It is a matter of choice.

— Maya Angelou, American memoirist, poet and civil rights activist

All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.

— St. Francis of Assisi, Italian mystic and itinerant preacher

There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.

— Amanda Gorman, American poet and activist

Just as one candle lights another and can light thousands of other candles, so one heart illuminates another heart and can illuminate thousands of other hearts.

— Leo Tolstoy, Russian author

There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

— Edith Wharton, American author and first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction

It is as if the smallest amount of light is infinitely more powerful than massive amounts of dark.

— Rob Bell, US author and speaker

Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.

— J.K. Rowling, British author, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.

— Albert Camus, Algerian-French philosopher, author, dramatist and journalist

Light is to darkness what love is to fear; in the presence of one the other disappears.

— Marianne Williamson, American author and speaker

The world is indeed full of peril, and in it, there are many dark places. But still, there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.

— J.R.R. Tolkien, British author, in The Fellowship of the Ring

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Instead, do good things. Then you will win against the evil things that people do.

— Romans 12:21 (Bible)

Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance."

— C.S. Lewis, British author and literary scholar

Evil (ignorance) is like a shadow. It has no real substance of its own, it is simply a lack of light. You cannot cause a shadow to disappear by trying to fight it, stamp on it, by railing against it, or any other form of emotional or physical resistance. In order to cause a shadow to disappear, you must shine light on it.

— Shakti Gawain, new age and personal development author

Keep in mind, Eragon, that no one thinks himself a villain, and few make decisions they think are wrong. A person may dislike his choice, but he will stand by it because, even in the worst circumstances, he believes that it was the best option available to him at the time.

— Christopher Paolini, American author, best known for The Inheritance Cycle consisting of the books Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr and Inheritance

Pocketful of Happiness

20 quotes that symbolise the victory of light over darkness

Diwali, or Deepavali—the immensely popular Festival of Lights celebrated by Indians all over the world—symbolises the victory of light over darkness, the conquest of good over evil and the triumph of knowledge over ignorance.

On the occasion of Diwali this year, November 10-14, and the spirit of joy and unity it fosters, we bring you 20 sayings on how light—even the flicker of a candle flame—can dispel darkness and renew universal hope, optimism and peace.

Even a single lamp dispels the deepest darkness.

— Mahatma Gandhi, Indian statesman and advocate of nonviolent resistance

Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle.

— Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States

Bring in the light and the evil goes in a moment. Build up your character, and manifest your real nature, the Effulgent, the Resplendent, the Ever-Pure, and call It up in everyone that you see.

— Swami Vivekananda, Indian monk, philosopher, author and religious teacher

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.

— Aristotle, Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath

Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

— Martin Luther King Jr., prominent US Civil Rights leader

We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future.

— John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States

Light and shadow are opposite sides of the same coin. We can illuminate our paths or darken our way. It is a matter of choice.

— Maya Angelou, American memoirist, poet and civil rights activist

All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.

— St. Francis of Assisi, Italian mystic and itinerant preacher

There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.

— Amanda Gorman, American poet and activist

Just as one candle lights another and can light thousands of other candles, so one heart illuminates another heart and can illuminate thousands of other hearts.

— Leo Tolstoy, Russian author

There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

— Edith Wharton, American author and first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction

It is as if the smallest amount of light is infinitely more powerful than massive amounts of dark.

— Rob Bell, US author and speaker

Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.

— J.K. Rowling, British author, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.

— Albert Camus, Algerian-French philosopher, author, dramatist and journalist

Light is to darkness what love is to fear; in the presence of one the other disappears.

— Marianne Williamson, American author and speaker

The world is indeed full of peril, and in it, there are many dark places. But still, there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.

— J.R.R. Tolkien, British author, in The Fellowship of the Ring

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Instead, do good things. Then you will win against the evil things that people do.

— Romans 12:21 (Bible)

Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance."

— C.S. Lewis, British author and literary scholar

— Shakti Gawain, new age and personal development author

Keep in mind, Eragon, that no one thinks himself a villain, and few make decisions they think are wrong. A person may dislike his choice, but he will stand by it because, even in the worst circumstances, he believes that it was the best option available to him at the time.

— Christopher Paolini, American author, best known for The Inheritance Cycle consisting of the books Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr and Inheritance

© PocketfulofHappiness

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