Holi

Long ago there was a mighty demon king named Hiranyakashipu. Lord Vishnu, as the boar Varaha, had killed his brother Hiranyaksha, so he hated Vishnu bitterly. Through fierce penance he won a boon from Brahma that he could be killed neither by man nor beast, neither by day nor night, neither inside nor outside, neither on earth nor in the sky, and by no weapon, thrown or held.

Proud of his boon, he declared himself God and ordered that no one in his kingdom should speak Vishnu’s name — all must worship him alone. But his own son, Prahlad, had loved Lord Vishnu from childhood and chanted “Narayana, Narayana” all the time.

Hiranyakashipu reasoned with Prahlad and sent him to teachers, but the boy’s devotion never wavered. In fury the king tried again and again to kill his own son. Prahlad was thrown from a high cliff, but the Lord caught him; he was thrown before mad elephants, but they bowed; he was left among poisonous snakes, but they did not bite; he was given poison, but it turned to nectar.

At last Hiranyakashipu called his sister Holika. She had been given a cloak that kept her from burning in fire. The plan was that Holika would sit on a blazing pyre with Prahlad in her lap — Prahlad would burn and Holika would survive.

On the evening of Phalguna Purnima a great pile of wood was raised. Holika wrapped herself in the cloak and sat with Prahlad in her lap, and the fire was lit. Prahlad sat calmly, eyes closed, chanting Narayana’s name.

Then a strong wind blew, and the cloak flew from Holika onto Prahlad. Holika burned to ashes, and Prahlad stepped out of the fire unharmed and smiling. The people danced with joy. Evil had burned, and devotion had won.

Still Hiranyakashipu would not yield. He asked Prahlad, “Where is your God? Is he in this pillar too?” Prahlad said, “Yes, he is everywhere.” Hiranyakashipu struck the pillar, and out came Lord Narasimha — half man, half lion. At dusk, neither day nor night; on the palace threshold, neither inside nor outside; on his lap, neither earth nor sky; with his claws, no weapon at all — he ended Hiranyakashipu. Brahma’s boon stayed true, and the devotee was saved.

In memory of this, Holika Dahan is held every year on Phalguna Purnima, and Holi is played with colours the next day. The festival teaches that no evil can stand before true devotion and truth. Glory to Bhakt Prahlad! Glory to Lord Narasimha!