Holi Holi Holi-Digest # 2078

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri MP-ji:

Thank you for sharing this beautiful and inspiring story about the

Holi festival and its meanings.

Your presence on this Satsanga is most appreciated :-)

How come I am not surprised that this festival of love is marked by

devotion to Lord Krishna and his frolics :-)

Ananda Sagara Muralidhara

Ananda Sagara Muralidhara Meera Prabhu Radhe Shyama Venu Gopala Ananda

Sagara Muralidhara Nanda Yashoda Ananda Kishora Jai Jai Gokula Bala

Jai Venu Gopala

Victory to Krishna, beloved Prince of Yashoda. Thou art the ocean of

bliss and player of captivating music on flute and Lord of Meera,

Radha and the entire Universe.

((((((Holi I))))))) (((((((Holi I))))))) (((((((Holi I))))))) to ALL,

Joyce

> 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> > > > ------------------------

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