Shri Rama incarnated before Shri Krishna. He was Maryada Purshottoma and as such lived a very austere life. As a result of the austerities practiced by the King himself, the whole society turned sober and serious.
The element of joy and gaiety was completely missing. In Dwapar Yuga, when Shri Krishna incarnated, He wanted to put an end to this extreme seriousness prevalent in the society. He thought of having a festival in which everyone could laugh heartily and have fun and joy.
So the festival of colour – Holi, was started with this purpose. People, however, took undue liberties and misused the festival to the extent of defaming it. I had also to tell “I do not play Holi at all.”
The myth behind it is that there was a demoness named Holika. She was the sister of Hiranya Kashyapa- the father of Prahlada. Since Prahlada was the devotee of Lord Vishnu, his father- the demon King – used to harass and trouble him. Hiranya Kashyapa wanted to kill Prahlada.
Holika had the boon that fire won’t burn her. Hiranya Kashyapa asked Holika to take the boy Prahlada in her lap and sit on the burning pyre, thinking that she could not be burnt. But to his surprise Holika was burnt to ashes and no harm done to the child devotee of Shri Vishnu!
It was a significant incident which proved that it is sin to be cruel, arrogant and aggressive. Despite her boon, Holika was burnt down and no harm done to the innocent child – devotee!
H.H.Shri Mataji
Holi Puja 2002
Gurgaon, India
DCB September – October 2002
The element of joy and gaiety was completely missing. In Dwapar Yuga, when Shri Krishna incarnated, He wanted to put an end to this extreme seriousness prevalent in the society. He thought of having a festival in which everyone could laugh heartily and have fun and joy.
So the festival of colour – Holi, was started with this purpose. People, however, took undue liberties and misused the festival to the extent of defaming it. I had also to tell “I do not play Holi at all.”
The myth behind it is that there was a demoness named Holika. She was the sister of Hiranya Kashyapa- the father of Prahlada. Since Prahlada was the devotee of Lord Vishnu, his father- the demon King – used to harass and trouble him. Hiranya Kashyapa wanted to kill Prahlada.
Holika had the boon that fire won’t burn her. Hiranya Kashyapa asked Holika to take the boy Prahlada in her lap and sit on the burning pyre, thinking that she could not be burnt. But to his surprise Holika was burnt to ashes and no harm done to the child devotee of Shri Vishnu!
It was a significant incident which proved that it is sin to be cruel, arrogant and aggressive. Despite her boon, Holika was burnt down and no harm done to the innocent child – devotee!
H.H.Shri Mataji
Holi Puja 2002
Gurgaon, India
DCB September – October 2002
1 comment:
Really inspiring ! The very purpose of Holi ,an our age old festival is aimed to spread equality , fraternity and zest for life in the society.
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