“Considering that it was the appropriate time and seeing a very large crowd at the door, the ocean of compassion, Raghubir, said with a smile, ‘Men and women, play happily.’ Then all the men and women of the city happily went to play Holi. Seeing Rama’s face, their hearts were full of happiness and attachment that cannot be measured.” (Gitavali, 310.5-6)

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समय बिचारि कृपानिधि देखि द्वार अति भीर
खेलहु मुदित नारि-नर, बिहंसि कहेु रघुबीर

नगर-नारि-नर हरषित सब चले खेलन फागु
देखि राम चबि अतुलित उमगत उर अनुराग

samaya bicāri kr̥pānidhi, dēkhi dvāra ati bhīra
khēlahu mudita nāri-nara, biham̐si kahē’u raghubīra

nagara-nāri-nara haraṣita saba cale khelana phāgu
dekhi rāma cabi atulita umagata ura anurāga

1. The wedding

“Oh my goodness, we have been sitting here for hours. When are they going to open up the floor? When is the music going to start? I heard they hired a live band. That means nothing until we are allowed to dance. We don’t know any of these people seated at our table. This has been one of the most miserable experiences of my life. Please, give me some hope. I need a way out.”

2. The kid’s pizza party

“Let me get your take on a certain situation I recently found myself in. My kid plays youth sports. No surprise there. In one of the sports, the organizers are kind enough to throw a pizza party at the end of the year. The kids play on the court for about an hour and then they come back inside. They sit at their own table, and a few of the adults serve them pizza.

“Now, I have been to enough of these to know how things go. There is always a ton of pizza left over. I am sitting there in the corner, watching my kid eating, asking if they need anything. But the entire time, I am waiting for the green light. I want the organizer to let the parents know that it is okay to start eating. Obviously, we let the kids eat first. The party is for them, so we can witness their happiness, blah blah blah.

“Well, this last time that permission never came. The kids were eating and us parents just standing there, for what seemed like forever. I ended up being the first one to break the ice. I sheepishly walked up to the table and asked if I could take a slice. The coach was then almost embarrassed. He announced that any of the parents could now eat pizza. Great. Where was that announcement five minutes ago? You could have spared me the embarrassment.

“Do you think that was the right thing to do? Should I have handled it differently? You never know with these things. By the way, the pizza was really good. The other parents shortly began stuffing their faces, right after me. They should have thanked me, but none of them did.”

3. The kingdom of Ayodhya

The distinction here is that the people want to have fun in a connection. They are taking permission from a superior figure. That authority is the highest, in fact, but there is also love. The people inherently understand that Shri Rama, the eldest son of King Dasharatha, does not play favorites, does not succumb to corruption, and bears no ill will towards even those who are apprehended for wrongdoing. This was once confirmed by the devoted younger brother named Lakshmana, who can also be addressed as Ramanuja because of his position within the family and his dedication in following.

न तं पश्याम्यहं लोके परोक्षमपि यो नरः
स्वमित्रोऽपि निरस्तोऽपि योऽस्य दोषमुदाहरेत्

na taṃ paśyāmyahaṃ loke parokṣamapi yo naraḥ
svamitro’pi nirasto’pi yo’sya doṣamudāharet

“I do not find in this world any man who can describe a fault in Him, even in His absence, be it an adversary or someone defeated.”  (Lakshmana, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 21.5)

In Ayodhya, the experience of celebration can be described as ekarasa. There is a common thread amongst the diversity. There is a central point of focus, despite diverging activities and experiences. You have people from all walks of life. The successful and the struggling. The high and the low. The man and the woman. The renounced ascetics and those who have beautifully decorated homes, with every kind of comfort available to them.

किं नु तेषां गृहैः कार्यं किं दारै: किं धनेन वा
पुत्रैर्वा किं सुखैर्वापि ये न पश्यन्ति राघवम्

kiṃ nu teṣāṃ gṛhaiḥ kāryaṃ kiṃ dārai: kiṃ dhanena vā
putrairvā kiṃ sukhairvāpi ye na paśyanti rāghavam

“Of what use are wealth, comforts and pleasures, home, wives, and sons if one is not able to see Shri Rama?” (Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 48.7)

The people understand that there is no use to such enjoyments in the absence of Rama. He is everything to them. When He is there, they feel comfortable celebrating the various occasions that fall in the calendar year. One of those is Holi, which has its origins in a specific triumph of the five-year old Daitya prince named Prahlada. He survived intentional placement into a burning fire. The wrongdoers perished, which went against their plans. The colors of Holi represent ashes left behind of the fallen perpetrator in that case.

Both the origin of Holi and the celebration of it in Ayodhya stayed true to the theme of ekarasa. Prahlada survived the wicked attacks because of His connection to Vishnu, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The object of worship for Prahlada was the same object of worship for the citizens of Ayodhya. They kindly asked permission from Rama to celebrate Holi. With the permission granted, Rama was able to take joy from the people dearest to Him celebrating under His permission and protection.

In Closing:

Not until permission to grant,
Celebrate this moment we can’t.

In that wedding boring and long,
At party with pizza table along.

Even in Ayodhya the premise found,
Citizens with enthusiasm abound.

But Rama happily to see,
Jubilant on Holi to be.

Categories: the three

Tags: ayodhya, celebration, dailyprompt, hare krishna, holi, poem, poems, poetry