The glory of Shirdi Sai –issue5-2006

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THE GLORY OF SHIRDI SAI

Fourth Year of Publication

Published as Bi-Weekly

Issue 5 / 2006

02-03-2006

HOLI SPECIAL

Please visit our Web site: http://www.saidarbar.org

 

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GURUR-BRAHMA, GURUR-VISHNUH; GURU-DEVO MAHESWARAHA;

 

GURUR-SAKSHATH PARAM BRAHMA; THASMAI SREE GURAVE

NAMAHA:

 

http://www.saidarbar.org/dattatreya/saidatta.htm

 

HOLI is on 15-03-2006

 

>From SaiSatcharita chapter XL-Hemadpant's Shimga

Dinner “After this, preparations for the dinner went

on and it was quite ready at noon. The Holika-worship

was gone through and the leaves (dishes) were spread

and arranged with 'Rangoli' marks around them. Baba’s

picture was placed on the central seat reserved for

the guest and after the due offering of the Naivedya,

the whole party commenced eating and finished it in

proper time. Seeing the beautiful form in the picture

everybody was extremely pleased and wondered how all

this happened.”

 

HOLI AS PER SANATANA DHARMA

 

Brahma then appeared before Hiranyakshipu and the

demon asked for a boon thus “Let not my death occur at

the hands of living beings created by you. Holi ‘O’

Lord, let there be no death to me indoors or outdoors,

by day or night, from anyone or even through weapons,

neither on earth nor in the air, by men nor animals;

nor should I meet my death at the hands of animate or

inanimate beings, gods, demons or serpents.” Brahma

granted him the boon. Believing that he was now

invincible, Hiranyakshipu soon became pompous and

ordered all his people to worship only him. The demon

how ever, had a son named Prahalad who was an ardent

devotee of Vishnu. Much to his father's chagrin,

Prahalad continued to pray to Vishnu. The evil demon

decided to kill his son, but each attempt failed. The

king then summoned his sister Holika who, because of a

boon, was immune to fire. He prepared a pyre, lit it

and asked Holika to sit on it, clutching Prahalad.

Vishnu intervened to save Prahalad and the evil Holika

perished instead. This legend is relived on Choti Holi

when the pyre is re-lit. Holika also signifies the

dirt and filth that collects during the winter months.

Hay and old rubbish is thrown into the bonfire for

spring-cleaning.

 

Holi at Mathura and Vrindavana is celebrated with

great gusto for many days, as these were the places

where Krishna spent most of his childhood. It is

celebrated for many days here. Each major temple

celebrates Holi on a different day. People throng the

temples to get drenched with colored water and

consider it a blessing from the god.

 

 

In Maharashtra and Gujarat, a grand procession of men

soaked with colored water walksholi through the

streets shouting 'Govinda ala re ala, Zara matki

sambhal brijbala'' or 'Here comes Govinda (another

name of Krishna), take care of your pots of butter and

milk, oh girls from Brij'. This refers to Krishna's

habit of stealing butter and milk stored in terracotta

pots from people's homes. As a child, Krishna was

extremely fond of milk and milk products. He would

prowl into any accessible house with his friends and

steal pots of butter or break pots of milk. During

Holi, a pot of buttermilk is hung high up in the

street. Men forming a human staircase try to break

this pot, and whoever succeeds is crowned the Holi

king of the locality for that year.

 

In Bengal, Holi is called Dol Yatra, or the swing

festival. Idols of Radha and Krishna are placed on

swings and devotees take turns to swing them. Women

dance around the swing and sing devotional songs, as

men spray colored water at them.

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Submitted by Sai Sevak: Srinivasa Rao

Kasturi—Saidarbar—HYDERABAD--INDIA

 

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