Digest Number 2078

[Guest guest]

Holi on 19th March 2003

 

One of most celeberated colourful festival Holi is a time when we will

embrace each other as a mark of love

and paint each other with bright colors.It marks the triumph of a young boy

who is believed to be the incarnation of God on Earth, over the evil king

who tries to destroy him.The colors signify joy and happiness but of more

importance is the fact that this festival succeeds in breaking down those

intangible barriers that separate people. People from all walks of life

irrespective of their cast, creed or religion are encouraged to participate

in the festivities. This is one of the few times when India, a country of so

many diverse religions and cultures, celebrates in union. The symbolism

here is that 'good shall always prevail over evil.' . Apart from the various

amusements, they create faith in God when properly observed. Hindu festivals

always have a spiritual significance. They wean the man away from sensual

pleasures and take him gradually to the spiritual path and divine communion.

People perform 'havan' and offer the new grains that are harvested to the

gods before using them.

 

There should be worship of God, religious gatherings and Kirtan of the

Lord's Names on such occasions, not mere pumping of coloured water and

lighting bonfires. These functions art to be considered sacred and spent in

devotional prayers, visiting holy palace bathing in sacred waters, 'Satsang'

with great evolved souls, doing charity to the poor, etc. Then only can Holi

be said to have been properly celebrated. The devotees of the Lord remember

& delightful pastimes of the Lord a such happy occasions.

Being an agricultural country India's two big festivals are at harvest time

when the barns and granaries of our farmers are full and they have reason to

enjoy & fruits of their hard labour. The harvest season is a festive season

all over the world.

The religious element in the Holi festival is the worship of Krishna. In

some places it is also called the Dol Yatra. The word 'dol' Literally means

"a swing". An image of Krishna as a babe is Placed in a little swingcradle,

and decorated with flowers and painted with coloured powders. The innocent

frolics of little Krishna with the merry milkmaids ('Gopis') of Brindavan

are commemorated. Religious people chant the name of Krishna and sing

Holi-songs relating to the frolics of little Krishna with the Gopis.

 

The social element in Holi is the uniting or "embracing" of the great and

the small, of the rich and the poor, and also amongst the equals. The

festival teaches us to "let the dead bury the dead". Forget the outgoing

years ill-feeling and begin the New Year with love, sympathy, co-operation

and equality with all. Try to feel this oneness a unity with the Self also.

 

Holi also means "sacrifice". Burn all the impurities of the mind such as

egoism vanity, lust, etc., through the fire of devotion and knowledge..

Ignite cosmic love, mercy, generosity, selflessness, truthfulness and purity

through the fire of Yogic practice. This is the real spirit of Holi. Get up

from the mire of stupidity and absurdity and dive deep into the ocean of

divinity.

 

The call of Holi is to keep always the blaze of God-love shining in your

heart. Inner spiritual illumination is real Holi. The spring season is the

manifestation of the Lord, according to the Bhagavad Gita. Holi is there

said to be His heart.

 

The story behind it is that when we rejoice in the victory of pure,

divine Prahlaad over his sister Holika. The story - in a simple, condensed

way - says that Prahlaad was a young,

beautiful, pure, divine devotee of God. However, Prahlaad's father was a

powerful king who believed that everyone should worship him. At Prahlaad's

refusal to do so, due to his single-minded love of God, his father decided

to

have him killed. Prahlaad's aunt (his father's sister), Holika, had been

given a

special shawl as a boon from God (for various austerities she had

performed).

When she wore this shawl, she could not be burned by fire. So, Prahlaad's

father

and his sister devised a plan in which she would wear her shawl and hold

Prahlaad tightly in her arms as they sat in fire. In this way, Prahlaad

would be

killed, but she would emerge unscathed.

 

However, as divine plan works, a strong gust of wind came and blew the shawl

off

of her, as well as carried pure Prahlaad to safety. Holika was burned in the

fire of her own evil.

 

One of the great obstacles in life to our spiritual progress is the

difference

between what we do or say on the outside and how we really are on the

inside.

Holika had performed certain austerities by which she was entitled to this

boon

from God. On the outside, she was "pious." But, on the inside she was not

pure.

Prahlaad, on the other hand, was a simple, pure, loving devotee of God. This

is

what saved him. This inner purity and inner piety is what truly save us,

what

truly make our lives divine.

So many of us go to temple, do the rituals, offer money to the priests, and

chant a certain number of malas. Then, we go out and act in selfish,

unpious,

dishonest ways. These may not necessarily take the form of big

transgressions.

It may simply be the way we speak to our children, or to our loved ones. It

may

simply be the way we try to cheat those with whom we do business. It may be

the

way we sit and gossip about others.

 

All the rituals and puja in the world cannot make up for a lack of piety,

honesty and compassion. The goal of going to temple is not just to perform

rituals; the goal is to become spiritual. God is happier with pure,

innocent,

devoted Prahlaad than with all the austerities and rituals performed by his

father and aunt.

 

Let us truly pray to God that on this day "I" may become holy.

Let us pray that "I" may become pious, pure and devoted as Prahlad. In that

way

our lives and our hearts and our souls will be forever protected, forever

sheltered at His holy feet. As we chant "Holi I, Holi I, Holi I...." let us

also

pray that our "eye" may become holy, that we may be granted the divine

vision by

which we behold Him in all whom we see. Let us pray that through our holy

eye,

we never are led toward anger, greed, lust or jealousy.

 

LET THIS HOLI BE A TIME WHEN WE CHANGE NOT ONLY THE COLOR OF OUR FACES,

BUT THE COLOR OF OUR HEARTS.

 

LET US NOT ONLY "PLAY" HOLI, BUT LET US BECOME HOLY.

 

LET THE ONLY COLOR THAT TRULY PENETRATES OUR BEINGS, BE THE COLOR OF GOD.

 

FOR, ON THE MORNING AFTER HOLI THE OTHER COLORS WILL WASH AWAY.

 

BUT WE MUST LET THE COLOR OF GOD BE INDELIBLE

IN OUR EYES, IN OUR EARS AND IN OUR HEARTS.

LET US PRAY FOR WORLD PEACE IN THIS OCCASION