Holika Dahan
Demon Holika sat inside fire holding young Prahlad on her lap. But it was Holika who was burnt; Prahlad came out unharmed from fire. Is this just another story of good winning over evil? No! Look deep and we will find that demon Holika represents the unwanted desires, anger, jealousy, ego, pride, and greediness in us that multiplies daily. We are burning the ignorance that has enveloped us. When impurities are cleared we become child Prahlad free from attachment or hatred we regain childlike pure nature we become truth Satchidananda.
Holika is not a woman but symbolically represents ignorance desires, ego, avarice, jealousy, anger which constantly multiplies in us. Why Holika is a woman and not a male demon? Only a woman can reproduce. And we regularly reproduce our desire, ego, anger, frustration, avarice and jealousy. This piles up and covers the pure self. Childlike pure nature is covered with everything unwanted.
Hiranyakashipu symbolizes one who is gross. Prahlad embodies innocence, faith and bliss. The spirit cannot be confined to matter, only love. Hiranyakashipu wanted all joy to come from the material world. It did not happen that way. The individual jivatma cannot be bound to the material forever. It’s natural to eventually move towards Narayana, one’s higher Self.
Holika symbolizes past burdens that try to burn Prahlad’s innocence.. But Prahlad, so deeply rooted in Narayana Bhakti, could burn all past impressions.
For one who is deep in bhakti, joy springs up with new colors and life becomes a celebration. Burning the past, you gear up for a new beginning. Your emotions, like fire, burn you. But when they are a fountain of colors, they add charm to your life.
