Diwali Padwa 2025: Why Husband Give Gifts to Wife? Know Mythological Significance

Diwali is a five day festival which is filled with joy and prosperity. The festival that come one after the other and the different significance of each day, stories, worship, offerings. Diwali Padwa is the festival which celebrates the bond of husband and wife. We also know this festival as Balipratipada. On this day, the wife visits her husband and the husband gives a gift. But let's find out how this custom came about.

Vamana, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, disguised himself as a Brahmin and asked King Bali for a small gift: three steps of land. Bali, famous for his generosity, readily agreed. But with his first two steps, Vamana grew to an enormous size, covering the entire universe. Bali then understood that Vamana was actually Vishnu. Showing his devotion, Bali offered his own head as the place for Vamana's third step.
This act of faith led Vishnu to place Bali in the underworld, but also to grant him a special gift. Bali could return to Earth once a year. This yearly visit is celebrated as Diwali Padwa, when people believe King Bali brings blessings of wealth and happiness. It's a time to remember Bali's kindness and to receive his blessings for a good life.

During Bali's final Ashwamedha, Indra, fearing Bali's merit would grant him Indra's title and threaten the gods, requested Vishnu's intervention. Vishnu, as Vamana, asked Bali for land spanning three steps. Bali, renowned for his generosity, agreed. Vishnu then revealed his immense form, covering the Tribhuvan in two steps. At Bali's request, Vishnu placed the third step on his head, sending him to the underground. However, Bali's devotion earned him the boon that the day would be celebrated as Balipratipada. In honor of Bali's love for his people, community-oriented work begins on this day, believed to usher in prosperity and a kingdom like Bali's.

The reason why the wife does aukshan to her husband:

Seeing that Lord Vishnu had taken away the pride of King Bali, and also respected his generosity and increased his fame, Goddess Laxmi was pleased. When she welcomed her husband, Lord Vishnu, by bowing to him, Vishnu blessed her with the blessing of attaining wealth. Due to this blessing, whoever has Laxmi gets the blessing of attaining happiness and wealth. With the intention that every husband and wife should respect each other as much like Vishnu-Laxmi respected each other, the custom of doing aukshan and husband giving gift to his wife began.