Diya (oil-wick lamp)

Lightning lamps is a daily ritual is many Hindu households, even a regulation in some. Curious about reasons, researching the internet I found the reason why Hindus light lamps (oil-wick) everyday:

"The wick in the traditional oil lamp symbolizes ego. The oil or ghee symbolizes negative tendencies, sins, vasannas (carnal desires). When we are lit by true knowledge, the negative tendencies, sins, vasanaas (oil) melt away and finally the ego (wick) perishes. The flame always burns upwards towards God. Thus when the oil (negative tendencies, sins, carnal desires) burns out and the wick (ego) dies we can meet God."

What a beautiful symbolic depiction of the most basic universal spiritual principles! All spiritual paths agree that there is a disconnect between God and humans caused by negative tendencies, sins, vasannas and ego.

Lighting of the oil wick lamp symbolizes that humans need to seek true knowledge that can illuminate their real state of being and motivate them to seek the way away from their sinful state to the sinless state. Away from pride and ego to humility. Away from darkness to light. Away from separation from God to union with God.

As a thousand lamps are lit, I wonder how many people who light the lamps are motivated to seek the truth and discover the way to burn their sins, carnal desires, negative tendencies in the Light? Physically lighting a lamp does not automatically start burning the sins, carnal desires, ego of the one who lights the lamp - rather the symbolic action is meant to remind the person to start acting upon it.
In the vast majority I observe that the focus seems to be on the symbolism. In fact, the one who lights a lamp in the household holy place is considered more pious over another who might not light a lamp literally but rather seek the way to burn the sins, carnal desires and ego in the light of God. Everyone praises the one who does the external symbolic action and  very few recognize the one acting upon the meaning of the symbolic action.

I humbly pray: May the light (knowledge) dispel the darkness (ignorance) and propel us from symbolism to life application. From doers of rituals to doers of the essence of the ritual.