Holi is a festival of colours, of love, and spring. It marks the triumph of good over evil. On this day the evil Hiranyakashyapu, King of the demons, plans to kill his own son Prahlada because he owes allegiance to Lord Vishnu. He asks his sister, Holika, who is immune to fire to sit with Prahlada on her lap. He would set fire to them. She would survive and Prahlada would die. Instead, Holika got burnt and Prahlada emerged unscathed! The story highlights the power of goodness. Prahlada did not defend himself. Fire lost the power to burn him. It was as if God was supporting him. On the other hand, Hiranyakashyapu, the mighty king, met with failure every time he used his strength against Prahlada.
This may seem like just a mythological story but you experience the sovereignty of goodness when you live it. We often undermine virtue because we see the good being overpowered by the wicked and the selfish ones getting away with murder! However, it is not goodness that creates suffering but passivity and lack of use of the intellect. Those who operate with the intellect tend to be evil while the good are often led by just noble emotions. The way to go is to have good feelings but use the intellect to guide your actions. Krishna was an epitome of this rare combination of a good mind and strong intellect. This made him invincible.
Goodness is eulogised in all cultures because it gives success and happiness in the world and enables spiritual growth. Not only did Prahlada become king of the demons after Hiranyakashyapu was killed but the entire clan of demons became good! It is a law that all selfish people are unhappy. When you entertain noble thoughts you are joyous. The moment you think of yourself you experience stress. As you cultivate higher desires lower, selfish desires drop and you evolve into a purer individual.
We are all a mix of divine and demonic traits. Invest in the good, court the divine, encourage and nurture the finer qualities in you. Resist the temptation of falling for instant pleasure. You tend to succumb to your baser instincts because it is easy to go downhill. Anything higher requires effort and is painful in the beginning. To eat rich, unhealthy food and laze in bed is so delightful! Healthy food and exercise are not attractive. But the long-term results are just the opposite. To rise above hatred and feel one with people is a struggle. But it pays rich dividend in the end.
Holi reminds us that selfishness is not an option. Use the gift of choice to sculpt a brilliant future for yourself. Thought is the building block of life. In the armoury of thoughts you can fashion weapons of destruction or design your own excellence. Create a powerful positive environment in your mind in which good tendencies will flourish and evil propensities perish. Seek the company of good people. Draw inspiration from past luminaries who forged ahead with goodness.
Sita made the right choice after she was abducted and held captive by Ravana. She refused to indulge in the enjoyments that Ravana offered and chose to live in the Ashoka Vanam, the garden of no sorrow. When you choose the higher over the lower you are in a zone of no sorrow. Eventually Sita re-united with Lord Rama. And so will you if you resist the lure of instant joy and opt for deferred gratification. Use your intellect and follow your conscience to choose rightly.
Spiritual knowledge uplifts you and gives you the enthusiasm and determination to pursue the path of goodness. Study the scriptures every morning. Apply the principles in your life. You will then experience the power it confers on you. You will breathe an ethereal air.
