COLOURS

Our body is a small unit of the universe or the nature. ‘Yat pinde tat brahmande.’ All things in the universe are in our body also. We never like to remain in the same state. Remaining in one state is the nature of lifelessness. Dead body, stone, dry wood etc. can remain in the same state. Human being, animals, plants etc. are live and have varying states. According to the variable behaviors, nature has made different types of seasons for changes of life styles and tastes. In winter, we feel cold and wear warm clothes, eat hot food, take hot drinks and use heaters and blowers. Perversely, in summer we take cold items. We use fans, coolers and air-conditioners. After summer, rains come. We prepare for heavy rains. In our old culture, we were managing all requirements in advance, for the four months of the rains (Chaturmaasa). Chaitanya Mahaaprabhu used to spend these four months in Puri, the sacred place of Lord Jagannathjee. After winter, spring comes. This is the king of all seasons (Rituraaj). We become free from the pain of the cold burning. Specially, for the downtrodden, winter is curse. They can spend the summer under the trees, rains under temporary sheds and cottages but the cold burning of the bones is unbearable. An old man spent three cold months November, December and January. Nevertheless, the coldness of February became unbearable. He sold his she-calf and purchased a blanket to fight with February cold. Spring season represents the youth period of men’s life. All ills of every season disappear. High coldness, painful scorching sun or fearful thunders during pouring rains disappear. Only youthful vitality is seen everywhere. Blossoming flowers, new leaves on trees, scented mildly blowing pleasant cold wind forcefully attract the mind towards liveliness. During this very vivacity, two main festivals of Hindus are celebrated. The first, Saraswati pooja (worshipping goddess of learning) on Vasant-Panchami (the fifth day after Maagh-Purnimaa) is the start of spring. The second, Holi (the festival of colours), celebrated on the full moon day of Falgun (this year 20th March, 2011) is the start of the new year. It is the festival of brotherhood and equality. We forget enmity and sprinkle colour on each other. It is the memorial of victory of goodness over evils. Hiranyakashipu was the king of demon. He got boon from Brahmaa, neither to be killed by men nor beasts, neither in night nor in day, neither inside nor outside, neither on the earth nor in the sky and not by any weapons (directly applied by hand or projected). Previously his brother Hiranyaaksha was killed by Lord Vishnu, in the carnation of boar (Baaraah Avtaar). Since that time, he tamed enmity with Vishnu. Thinking himself immortal, he became arrogant. He started demolishing god’s temples and started torturing Vishnu’s devotees. His wife Kayaadhu was a spiritual woman. When she was pregnant, Hiranyakashipu was out for a few days. Naarad preached her the Bhaagvat Mahaapuraan. The baby in the womb (Prahlaad) listened the whole Bhagvat. From the very beginning, Prahlaad started reciting god’s name, which made his father most irritated. It became unbearable that his own son became devotee of his enemy. He took all possible attempts to forbid Prahlaad taking Vishnu’s name but all in vain. At last, he ordered to kill him. Killing attempts also went in vain. He was thrown from the mountain peak but was saved. He was poisoned but nothing happened. Hiranyakashipu’s sister was Holikaa. Lord Brahmaa had given her a shawl. She had a boon. If she covered herself with the shawl and entered in the fire, she would not be harmed. She took Prahlaad in her lap and sat in the potter’s oven. Miraculously, oven could not harm Prahlaad but Holikaa was burnt to ashes. Since then, we celebrate holi. Latter, Hiranyakashipu was killed by God Nrishingh who took him in the lap. By his nails, taking him in the balcony at twilight he tore his chest and killed, fulfilling his boon which Lord Brahmaa had given him. To conquer ego is ultimate knowledge. We are carrying so many anxieties in our mind. To become thought free is the summary of gyaan (knowledge). Jest makes life free from tensions. Benevolence helps in defeating ego and attainment of the knowledge that One Almighty is enjoying in all. Evils, howsoever strong, shall get end. Devotees shall be saved from all calamities. Livelihood differentiates us from lifelessness. Colour represents charmfulness and victory of pleasure over sorrows. Wish Ramana always keep us coloured.-----Ohm Ramanarpanmastu.