Want to play HOLI with Shree Maa, Swamiji, & rest of our Devi Mandir Familly?

February 23, 2010

Greetings to all Devi Mandir Chat Group Members and family around the world:

This coming Sunday, February 28th, is both Phalgun-Purnima and the festival

of Holi all rolled into one glorious celebration of our Divine Nature! This is

the first time in the history of Shree Maa's being in America (since 1984), that

the Festival of Holi has landed on a Sunday, and Shree Maa (our Divine Mother

and Guru) wants to " play Holi " (as they commonly say it in India) with all her

children!

Shree Maa says that the spiritual reason or benefit of celebrating Holi is

to purify or wash away all sin, and to cure disease. It is likely that after

this Sunday's Chandi Yagnya (from 9:30-11:45AM on our Webcam), you will be able

to join us in Mangala Arati and annointing each other around the Yagnya Fire Pit

with powders which are all the colors of the rainbow. Please feel free to unite

your pure energy and joy with ours, leaving all feelings of separation and

duality to burn in the fire on this auspicious day.

If any of you are new to the Celebration of Holi, here is a short

explanation of the origins of this Holyday within India:

" Like all Indian and Hindu festivals, Holi is inextricably linked to

mythical tales. There are at least three legends that are directly associated

with the festival of colors: the Holika-Hiranyakashipu-Prahlad episode, Lord

Shiva's killing of Kamadeva, and the story of the ogress, Dhundhi.

The Holika-Prahlad Episode

The evolution of the term Holi makes an interesting study in itself. Legend has

it that it derives its name from Holika, the sister of the mythical megalomaniac

king Hiranyakashipu who commanded everyone to worship him. But his little son

Prahlad refused to do so. Instead he became a devotee of Vishnu, the Hindu God.

Hiranyakashipu ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahlad and she, possessing the

power to walk through fire unharmed, picked up the child and walked into a fire

with him. Prahlad, however, chanted the names of God and was saved from the

fire. Holika perished because she did not know that her powers were only

effective if she entered the fire alone. This myth has a strong association with

the festival of Holi, and even today there is a practice of hurling cow dung

into the fire and shouting obscenities at it, as if at Holika.

The Story of Dhundhi

It was also on this day that an ogress called Dhundhi, who was troubling the

children in the kingdom of Prthu was chased away by the shouts and pranks of

village youngsters. Although this female monster had secured several boons that

made her almost invincible, shouts, abuses, and pranks of boys was a chink in

the armor for Dhundi, owing to a curse from Lord Shiva.

The Kamadeva Myth

It is often believed that it was on this day that Lord Shiva opened his third

eye and incinerated Kamadeva, the god of love, to death. So, many people worship

Kamadeva on Holi-day, with the simple offering of a mixture of mango blossoms

and sandalwood paste.

Radha-Krishna Legend

Holi is also celebrated in memory of the immortal love of Lord Krishna and

Radha. The young Krishna would complain to his mother Yashoda about why Radha

was so fair and he so dark. Yashoda advised him to apply colour on Radha's face

and see how her complexion would change. In the legends of Krishna as a youth he

is depicted playing all sorts of pranks with the gopis or cowgirls. One prank

was to throw colored powder all over them. So at Holi, images of Krishna and his

consort Radha are often carried through the streets. Holi is celebrated with

much fanfare in the villages around Mathura, the birth-place of Krishna. "

Happy Holi everyone, and hope to feel your added energy this Sunday!

Kamala

February 24, 2010

"This myth has a strong association with the festival of Holi, and even today there is a practice of hurling cow dung into the fire and shouting obscenities at it, as if at Holika."

i am wondering if you mean obscenities like we mean in america?

and in the story didnt holika do a good thing? why would one should obscenities at her. i am missing this understanding?

thanks for the stories. they are wonderful =)

kamalaji_india <kamalaji_india

Tue, Feb 23, 2010 4:14 pm

[www.ShreeMaa.org] Want to play HOLI with Shree Maa, Swamiji, & rest of our Devi Mandir Familly?

Greetings to all Devi Mandir Chat Group Members and family around the world:

This coming Sunday, February 28th, is both Phalgun-Purnima and the festival of Holi all rolled into one glorious celebration of our Divine Nature! This is the first time in the history of Shree Maa's being in America (since 1984), that the Festival of Holi has landed on a Sunday, and Shree Maa (our Divine Mother and Guru) wants to "play Holi" (as they commonly say it in India) with all her children!

Shree Maa says that the spiritual reason or benefit of celebrating Holi is to purify or wash away all sin, and to cure disease. It is likely that after this Sunday's Chandi Yagnya (from 9:30-11:45AM on our Webcam), you will be able to join us in Mangala Arati and annointing each other around the Yagnya Fire Pit with powders which are all the colors of the rainbow. Please feel free to unite your pure energy and joy with ours, leaving all feelings of separation and duality to burn in the fire on this auspicious day.

If any of you are new to the Celebration of Holi, here is a short explanation of the origins of this Holyday within India:

"Like all Indian and Hindu festivals, Holi is inextricably linked to mythical tales. There are at least three legends that are directly associated with the festival of colors: the Holika-Hiranyakashipu-Prahlad episode, Lord Shiva's killing of Kamadeva, and the story of the ogress, Dhundhi.

The Holika-Prahlad Episode

The evolution of the term Holi makes an interesting study in itself. Legend has it that it derives its name from Holika, the sister of the mythical megalomaniac king Hiranyakashipu who commanded everyone to worship him. But his little son Prahlad refused to do so. Instead he became a devotee of Vishnu, the Hindu God.

Hiranyakashipu ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahlad and she, possessing the power to walk through fire unharmed, picked up the child and walked into a fire with him. Prahlad, however, chanted the names of God and was saved from the fire. Holika perished because she did not know that her powers were only effective if she entered the fire alone. This myth has a strong association with the festival of Holi, and even today there is a practice of hurling cow dung into the fire and shouting obscenities at it, as if at Holika.

The Story of Dhundhi

It was also on this day that an ogress called Dhundhi, who was troubling the children in the kingdom of Prthu was chased away by the shouts and pranks of village youngsters. Although this female monster had secured several boons that made her almost invincible, shouts, abuses, and pranks of boys was a chink in the armor for Dhundi, owing to a curse from Lord Shiva.

The Kamadeva Myth

It is often believed that it was on this day that Lord Shiva opened his third eye and incinerated Kamadeva, the god of love, to death. So, many people worship Kamadeva on Holi-day, with the simple offering of a mixture of mango blossoms and sandalwood paste.

Radha-Krishna Legend

Holi is also celebrated in memory of the immortal love of Lord Krishna and Radha. The young Krishna would complain to his mother Yashoda about why Radha was so fair and he so dark. Yashoda advised him to apply colour on Radha's face and see how her complexion would change. In the legends of Krishna as a youth he is depicted playing all sorts of pranks with the gopis or cowgirls. One prank was to throw colored powder all over them. So at Holi, images of Krishna and his consort Radha are often carried through the streets. Holi is celebrated with much fanfare in the villages around Mathura, the birth-place of Krishna."

Happy Holi everyone, and hope to feel your added energy this Sunday!

Kamala

February 24, 2010

I would love to be able to be there to play Holi. It would be an event not to be missed! I will take beloved Radha and Krishna and dress them in their best and I am going to color their faces in honor of Holi. Perhaps I will share some pictures of my newly redecorated temple with you all. I finished painting Kali Ma just before Kali Ratanti Puja (and I was not aware there was a special puja right then, this was Divine Mother's blessing). Since them I have constructed a Temple (actually an amoire from Ikea) for Maa to stay in and a set of drawers to hold Maa's belongings. I am so pleased to finally have a suitable home for Maa.

Jai Maa! Jai Swamiji!

Kumari from Kitchener--- On Tue, 2/23/10, kamalaji_india <kamalaji_india wrote:

kamalaji_india <kamalaji_india[www.ShreeMaa.org] Want to play HOLI with Shree Maa, Swamiji, & rest of our Devi Mandir Familly? Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010, 3:14 PM

Greetings to all Devi Mandir Chat Group Members and family around the world:This coming Sunday, February 28th, is both Phalgun-Purnima and the festival of Holi all rolled into one glorious celebration of our Divine Nature! This is the first time in the history of Shree Maa's being in America (since 1984), that the Festival of Holi has landed on a Sunday, and Shree Maa (our Divine Mother and Guru) wants to "play Holi" (as they commonly say it in India) with all her children! Shree Maa says that the spiritual reason or benefit of celebrating Holi is to purify or wash away all sin, and to cure disease. It is likely that after this Sunday's Chandi Yagnya (from 9:30-11:45AM on our Webcam), you will be able to join us in Mangala Arati and annointing each other around the Yagnya Fire Pit with powders which are all the colors of the rainbow. Please feel free to unite your pure energy and joy with ours, leaving all feelings of separation and duality

to burn in the fire on this auspicious day.If any of you are new to the Celebration of Holi, here is a short explanation of the origins of this Holyday within India:"Like all Indian and Hindu festivals, Holi is inextricably linked to mythical tales. There are at least three legends that are directly associated with the festival of colors: the Holika-Hiranyakashi pu-Prahlad episode, Lord Shiva's killing of Kamadeva, and the story of the ogress, Dhundhi.The Holika-Prahlad EpisodeThe evolution of the term Holi makes an interesting study in itself. Legend has it that it derives its name from Holika, the sister of the mythical megalomaniac king Hiranyakashipu who commanded everyone to worship him. But his little son Prahlad refused to do so. Instead he became a devotee of Vishnu, the Hindu God. Hiranyakashipu ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahlad and she, possessing the power to walk through fire unharmed, picked up the child

and walked into a fire with him. Prahlad, however, chanted the names of God and was saved from the fire. Holika perished because she did not know that her powers were only effective if she entered the fire alone. This myth has a strong association with the festival of Holi, and even today there is a practice of hurling cow dung into the fire and shouting obscenities at it, as if at Holika.The Story of DhundhiIt was also on this day that an ogress called Dhundhi, who was troubling the children in the kingdom of Prthu was chased away by the shouts and pranks of village youngsters. Although this female monster had secured several boons that made her almost invincible, shouts, abuses, and pranks of boys was a chink in the armor for Dhundi, owing to a curse from Lord Shiva.The Kamadeva MythIt is often believed that it was on this day that Lord Shiva opened his third eye and incinerated Kamadeva, the god of love, to death. So, many

people worship Kamadeva on Holi-day, with the simple offering of a mixture of mango blossoms and sandalwood paste.Radha-Krishna LegendHoli is also celebrated in memory of the immortal love of Lord Krishna and Radha. The young Krishna would complain to his mother Yashoda about why Radha was so fair and he so dark. Yashoda advised him to apply colour on Radha's face and see how her complexion would change. In the legends of Krishna as a youth he is depicted playing all sorts of pranks with the gopis or cowgirls. One prank was to throw colored powder all over them. So at Holi, images of Krishna and his consort Radha are often carried through the streets. Holi is celebrated with much fanfare in the villages around Mathura, the birth-place of Krishna."Happy Holi everyone, and hope to feel your added energy this Sunday!Kamala