Holi (होली) - faag (फाग) :

Holi is holy. The real blissful Holī is when a Jiva plays Holī with Bhagavān Śrī Rāma, and get painted self by him in his love completely.

आजू सिया पिया खेलत होली ।
श्यामल कौशल लाल रसीले जनक लाड़ली गोरी ॥
पगे प्रीति रस रीति बिराजत सखी सखा दुहूँ ओरी ।
मारहिं मूठी गुलाल गेंद सुम पिचकन केसर घोरी ॥

“Today Siy-piy Raghunandan Śrī Rām is playing Holī (on the banks of sacred Sarayu),

On one side there is Rasile Shyamal Kaushal Kishore and on the other side there is Gori Janak-Ladali,

Along with their groups of Sakha-s and Sakhi-s, full of love

With all their fists full of Gulal (color-powders) are throwing on each other with color-balls, and then mixing colors in water targeting each other with water-guns!”

आलि री आज चलो अवध नगर नृप कुँवर खेलै जहँ फाग।

चन्द्रकला गहि रसिकलाल को सीय की जीत मनाई ।
बिजय निसान बजावहिं हरषहिं प्रेमलता मन भाई ॥

“Then Sakhi-s surrounded Śrī Rām, and Chandrakalā held the hands of Śrī Rāma from back, and then Sītā and her friends painted the cheeks of Śrī Rāma and made him completely bath in colors with their water-guns. And they started beating their drums singing their victory over Śrī Rāma.”

खेलैं श्री सरयू तट में रंग रंगीली फाग री ।
पुर कहु ओर प्रमोद बनी मणि कंचन भूमि विभागरी ।
तिनमें पूरब दिशि मिथिला सम्बन्ध सदा अनुरागरी ॥
चारुशिला कमला विमलादिक चन्द्रकला गुन आगरी ।
देति सुधारि लली लालन कर कुंकुम पिचकारी नागरी ॥
खेलैं श्री सरयू तट में रंग रंगीली फाग री ।

“Then, all the Sakhis (female-friends) started playing colorful Holī with SītāRāma along the banks of sacred Saryu !

One side of the glittering land, appearing as if made of gems and gold, of Pramodavan belongs to Shri Rāma's side of Ayodhyā, and the east-facing land there belongs to Sītā's side of Mithilā,

Chārusheelā, Kamalā, Vimalā, Chandrakalā, etc. who are the abode of qualities, give the water-guns full of colors in the hands of Sītā and Rāma to play Holī !”

प्यारी जू होरी खेलन आई श्री सरयू तट कुञ्ज अनुपम धाम ।
वीना मृदंग मुरचंग उपंग सौ गावै रंगीली वरबाम ॥
प्रीतम आये धाय ज्यों अनंग छाये प्यारी भाल दै गुलाल बैठे यकठाम ।
युगलप्रिया दोउ मूठी गुलाल भरत सब समाज अंग ललाम ॥

“Lovely Siyā Ju comes to play Holī in the pleasure-grooves at the Sarayu Beach,

Rangili Siyā Ju comes with her friends playing Veena, Mridang, Murchang etc., singing and raining colors,

On the other side Śrī Rāma also rushes to the banks of Saryu with friends, and colored the Siyaju's forehead, then both of them sit at one place there,

Then, everyone present there, filling their fists with colors, colors the divine couple SītāRāma and each other. Everyone's body shines with the colors of Holi!”

Gosvami Śrī Tulasīdāsa tells how a Jiva can play Holī with Śrī Rāma in Vinayapatrikā -

“On Phālgun-Purnima, one should burn the three fold sufferings and sorrows in the Holika-dahan with spiritual Sādhanā (as narrated in the earlier verses), and then play a great colorful faag (holi) with Bhagavan, this is the greatest bliss of a Jiva, if You wish that bliss then follow the paths as described earlier.”

Many devotees and Ācāryas composed poetries on the theme of Śrī Rāma playing Holī on the bank of Sarayu.

Queen Śrīmatī Kanchan Kunvarī was a great devotee of Bhagavān Śrī Rāma, She was devoted to him as his Sakhi (female-friend) in Mādhurya-Rasa. She composed many Holī songs on the theme of the Rasiya of Holī - Śrī Rāma playing Holī with Sakhis. Her Bhajan songs are sung in the temples of Ayodhyā.

In one of her poetries, She tells Śrī Rāma does Balajori with (overpowers) her and colors her completely on Holī : -

“The way he plays Holi, Raghuvara catches us forcibly ! He waits at Panghat (water-body from where women fetch water)
The rules of this chhaila (handsome Rama) is unfair (on holi)
He creates a great scene, pour colors everywhere,
sings ho-ho hori loudly,
He grabbed me within his arms, and there happened the jora-jori (pulling and pushing in love),
And he made whole Sari wet with colors,
all threads of pearls were broken,
Kanchan Kunvari was completely bended,
and he beheld me in various ways then,
and did what he all wished (with me) without listening a word of mine !”

Another song composed by Queen Kanchan Kunvari (when Rama caught her alone on holi, when other sakhis had gone far) :—

“Oh Rasiyā! please don't play the colors with me
Being delirious with the joy of holi, oh the prince of Holi,
oh the prince of Avadh !
My female-companion sakhis have gone far,
only I left alone, so my heart is beating fast,
If my mother-in-law, and sister-in-laws hear it that I played Holī with You in alone,
then they will abuse me, oh dearest beloved of my life;
at least for the sake of Kaushalya, this Kanchan Kunvari requests You !
I have surrendered my body, heart and soul to You !
so for now, don't play the colors with me (otherwise I would be caught in home) !”

There are many such beautiful poetries composed by queen Śrīmatī Kanchan Kunvari Ji.

होरी आजु राम सिय फागु रचेरी
Shri Sita Rama playing Holī

Many Rasika-Ācāryas composed beautiful poetries on the theme of Shri Sita and Shri Rāma playing Holī with their female-friends.

By Rasikacharya Shri Haricharandas ji of Ayodhyā -

By Acharya Shri Baijnath -

The path of playing a great blissful Holī with Bhagavan

In Vinayapatrika, Gosvami Tulasidas Ji narrates the fifteen means corresponding to the fifteen days of the bright-half of Phalguna month to play a great blissful Holī with Bhagavān Shri Rama. It is indeed the greatest bliss for a Jiva to play Holī with Bhagavan. To attain Śrī Rāma, Gosvami Ji describes here ‘Prem i.e. love’ as the first means and the ‘Siddha-Prema-Bhakti’ as the last fifteenth means corresponding to Purnima, and various Sadhanas (and associated philosophical concepts) are kept in between these two means. This description is like the moon grows gradually everyday and glows in its full glory on the night of Purnima (the fifteenth day). Gosvami Ji remembers first the lotus feet of his Gurudeva, Gurudev is the sun which gives light to the moon and moon (devotional-love) grows gradually......

“हे मन ! तू अभिमान छोड़कर भगवत रुपी श्रीगुरुके चरणारविन्दोंका भजन कर । जिनकी सेवा करनेसे आनन्दघन भगवान् श्रीहरिकी प्राप्ति हो जाती है ॥१॥”

“Oh heart ! leave the ego (and pride ), and worship (praise and adore) the lotus feet of Shri Gurudeva who is verily Shri Hari in the human form, serving him (or his lotus feet) one attains Bhagavān Shri Hari, the abode of bliss. ॥1॥”

“फाल्गुन मास के शुक्ल पक्ष के प्रतिपदा की तरह सबसे पहले प्रेमके बिना श्रीरामजीका मिलना बहुत दूरकी बात है (अर्थात् जैसे प्रथम तिथि प्रतिपदा है वैसे भगवत्प्राप्ति के लिए प्रथम वस्तु प्रेम है)। यद्यपि श्री रामजी बहुत ही निकट हैं, सबके हदयमें ही पूर्णरुपसे निवास करते हैं तथापि प्रेमके बिना उनका मिलना कठिन है ॥२॥”

“Like the first day (Pratipada) of the bright-half of Plalguna month, the first means is the ‘Prem i.e. love’ without which It is difficult to attain Śrī Rāma (means as like Pratipada is the first day in a Paksha, similarly Prema is first thing among all Sadhanas to achieve Bhagavan). Even though Bhagavan Śrī Rāma is closest and most intimate to us living in the hearts of all, still he is very far without love (and devotion). ॥2॥”

“धीर भावसे (अचंचल चित्तसे) द्वितीयाके समान दूसरा साधन यह है कि द्वैत-बुद्धि (भेद-बुद्धि, मेरा-तेरा) छोड़कर (समदृष्टिसे) समस्त पृथ्वी-मण्डलमें (निश्चिन्त होकर) विचरण करना चाहिये । मोह , माया और घमंडसे रहित हदयमें सदा श्रीरघुनाथजी निवास करते हैं (इसलिए इन विकारों को त्याग दें) ॥३॥”

“Corresponding to the second day (dvitiya) of the bright-half of Phalguna month is the path of leaving the vision of dvitiya (differentiating mind, mine-thine etc) means nothing is mine in this world, everything belongs to Bhagavān and roam around the earth with equanimous mind. Śrī Rāma always resides in the heart which is free from infatuation (and attachment), ignorance (and delusion), ego (and pride), etc. (Therefore forsake these ill- tendencies.) ॥3॥”

“तृतीयाके समान तीसरा उपाय यह है कि परम पुरुष श्रीके रमण श्रीमुकुन्द भगवान तीनों गुणोंसे परे हैं। अतएव (सत्त्व , रज और तम ) त्रिगुणमयी प्रकृतिका त्याग कर देना चाहिये । ऐसा किये बिना परमानन्दकी प्राप्ति (ब्रह्म-साक्षात्कार) दुर्लभ है ॥४॥”

“The supreme personality of godhead, Bhagavān Shri-Ramana (one who disports with Bhagavati Shri) and the one who accords Mukti to his devotees hence known as Mukunda, is beyond the three fold qualities (satva-rajas-tamas) of Prakruti (material nature), therefore like the Tritiya - third day, the third means (path) is to rise beyond one's three fold Gunas (qualities) and Svabhava (one's nature, temperament) of Satva-Rajas-tamas of the Prakruti (material nature). Without leaving these (Guna and Svabhava which form the material identity of Jiva and hide the true nature of aatma), it is hard to achieve the state of the supreme bliss (the realization of Brahman). ॥4॥”

“चतुर्थीके समान ( भगवत्प्राप्तिका) चौथा साधन यह है कि बुद्धि, मन, चित्त और अहंकार - इनके समुदायरुप 'अन्तः करण ' का त्याग कर देना चाहिये (जबतक शरीर है तबतक अन्तः करण तो रहेगा ही, इसके त्यागका अर्थ यही है कि इसके साथ जो तादात्म्य हो रहा है उसे त्याग कर इसका द्रष्टा बन जाय। अथवा इसे भगवानके अर्पण करके इसके द्वारा केवल भगवत्-सम्बन्धी कार्य ही करे) ऐसा करनेसे निर्मल विवेकका उदय होगा, तब आत्मानन्दरुप उदार आनन्दघन परम पदकी प्राप्ति होगी ॥५॥”

“Like Chaturthi - the fourth day, the fourth means (way) is to abandon (give up) the Antahkarana (the internal invisible instrument/organ) constituting four inner faculties - intellect (Buddhi - controls decision making), mind (mana - controls sankalpa [resolution, determination]), memory (Chitta - deals with remembering) and ego (Ahamkâra - identify self 'aatma' with some material identity as 'I'). (However as long there is body, the Antahkarana would be also there, therefore forsaking Antahkarana means abandoning the feeling of oneness of self with Antahkarana, feeling self aloof from it, and becoming an observer of it. Or, offering the Antahkarana to Bhagavān and doing only the service of Bhagavān through it.) By doing this, refined pure wisdom would arise in the heart, and then one would get the blissful (aatmanand-svarupa) Param-Padam (the supreme state). ॥5॥”

“पंचमीके अनुसार पाँचवाँ साधन यह है कि स्पर्श, रस, शब्द, गन्ध और रुप - इन पाँचों इन्द्रियोंके विषयोंके कहनेमें अर्थात् इनके अधीन होकर न चलना चाहिये , क्योंकि इनके वश होनेसे जीवको संसाररुपी अँधेरे - गहरे कुएँमें गिरना पड़ेगा, (जन्म मृत्युके चक्रमें पड़ना होगा ) ॥६॥”

“Corresponding to the Panchami - fifth day is the fifth means (way) of not falling into the trap of the sense-objects (paying heeds to the demands) of ‘five senses - touch, taste, speech, smell, and sight’; because being a servant of these, one falls in deep dark well of the world of transmigration in form of repeated births and deaths. ॥6॥”

“षष्ठीके समान छठा उपाय यह है कि श्रीजानकीनाथ श्रीरामजीकी प्राप्तिके लिये काम , क्रोध , लोभ , मोह , मद और मात्सर्य - इन छओं शत्रुओंको जीत लेना चाहिये । श्रीरामके कृपारुपी जल बिना लोभरुपी अग्नि नहीं नहीं बुझती ॥७॥”

“Like the Shashthi (sixth day), the sixth means to achieve Śrī Rāma, the consort of Janaki, is to conquer over the ‘six fold enemies - Kāma (lust - the desire of enjoying the sensual pleasure), Krodha (anger - caused due to obstruction in achieving the desired thing), Lobha (desires, greed - the desire for something which is not in possession), Moha (delusory attachment due to Avivek [ignorance]; inability to differentiate between auspicious-inauspicious), Mada (ego, pride) and Mātsarya (envy, jealousy from the progress of someone else)’. The fire in the form of Lobha (desires, greed) can not be extinguished without the water in form of the grace of Shri Rama. ॥7॥”

“सप्तमीके समान सातवाँ साधन यह है कि सात धातुओं (रस, रक्त, मांस, मेद, अस्थि, मज्जा और शुक्र) - से बने हुए इस (अपवित्र , क्षणभंगुर परन्तु दुर्लभ मनुष्य) शरीरपर विचार करना चाहिये। इस शरीरका केवल एक यही फल है कि इससे परोपकार ही किया जाए ॥८॥”

“As like the Saptami - seventh day, the seventh means is to contemplate over the real purpose of this human body made of seven elements (life sap, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, and sexual fluid) means to think this body is temporary and ephemeral, yet rare to be achieved. The only object of this body is to beneficently serve others (without expecting any return). ॥8॥”

“अष्टमीके समान आठवाँ उपाय यह है कि निर्विकारस्वरुप श्रीरामचन्द्रजी अष्टधा जड़ (अपरा) प्रकृति (पृथ्वी , जल , अग्नि , वायु , आकाश, मन , बुद्धि और अहंकार) - से परे हैं । अतएव जबतक हदयमें नाना प्रकारकी कामनाएँ बनी हुई हैं तबतक वे कैसे मिल सकते हैं ? ॥९॥”

“Like the Ashtami (eighth day), the eighth means (path) is the realization that blemish-less attribute-less Śrī Rāma is beyond the eighth fold Apara- Prakruti (inert and material nature) - earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intellect and ego. Therefore as long there are various desires [Kamanayein] in the heart, how can one achieve Shri Rama?॥9॥”

“नवमीके समान नवाँ साधन यह है कि जिसने इस नौ दरवाजेकी नगरी अर्थात् नौ छेदवाले शरीरमें रहकर अपने आत्माका कल्याण नहीं किया , वह अनेक योनियोंमें भटकता हुआ नाना प्रकारके दारुण दुःखोंको प्राप्त होगा (इसलिए आत्माके कल्याणके लिये ही प्रयत्न करना चाहिए) ॥१०॥”

“Like the navami (ninth day), the ninth means is the realization that if someone could not secure the welfare for one’s aatma (self) while living in this human body of nine openings (gates), he would have to wander in numerous births of various species and suffer heavily in many ways. (Therefore, ninth means is one should sincerely and diligently make efforts to do good to one's soul while being alive.) ॥10॥”

“दशमीके समान दसवाँ साधन यह है कि जिसने दसों इन्द्रियोंका (पञ्च-ज्ञानेन्द्रियों और पञ्च-कर्मेन्द्रियोंका) संयम करना नहीं जाना , इन्द्रियोंको वशमें नहीं किया, उसके सारे साधन निष्फल हो जाते हैं और उस इन्द्रियोंके दास, असंयमी मनुष्यको सारंगपाणि भगवान श्रीरामकी प्राप्ति नहीं हो सकती ॥११॥

“Like the Dashami i.e. tenth day, the tenth means is the realization that one who does not restrain and control the ten Indriyas (sense organs : five Karmendriyas [the sense-organs of actions] - 1. Vaak - mouth (the organs of speech), 2. paani - hands, 3. paad - feet, 4. paayu - anus, 5. upasth - genitals, and five jñānendriyas [the sense-organs of perception] - 6. ear, 7. eye, 8. nose, 9. tongue, and 10. skin), his all practices are fruitless and such an unrestrained man being servile to his sense-organs does not achieve Bhagavān Śrī Rāma, the wielder of Sharnga bow. (Because a servant of sense-organs can not devote himself sincerely in the spiritual practices and the devotional-services of Hari-Guru-and-Vaishnavas.)

“एकादशीके समान ग्यारहवाँ साधन यह है कि मनको वशमें करके एक श्रीभगवानकी ही सेवा करनी चाहिये । इसीसे (परमार्थरुपी एकादशी) व्रतका जन्म-मरणके नाशरुप ( परम ) फल मिलता है । अर्थात् वह भगवानको प्राप्त हो जाता है ॥१२॥”

“Like the Ekadashi i.e. eleventh day, the eleventh means is to control and reign over one's mind and serve Bhagavān only with one pointed devotion (through it). From this way (vrata, vow) alone, one would get the real fruit of Ekadashi-vrata which destroys the repeated births and deaths, means one achieves Bhagavān and there is no return again into this material world. ॥12॥”

“द्वादशीके दिन दान दिया जाता है , अतः बारहवाँ साधन यह है कि ऐसा (भगवत-प्रीत्यर्थ निष्काम बुद्धिसे) दान देना चाहिये जिससे तीनों लोकोंसे भय न रहे (भगवत्प्राप्ति हो जाय) उस द्वादशीरुपी बारहवें साधनका पारण यही है कि सदा परोपकारमें लगे रहना चाहिये। इस दान और पारणसे) फिर शोक नहीं व्यापता ॥१३॥”

“On the Dvādashi i.e. twelfth day, a devotee donates (something after observing fast on Ekādashi - eleventh day), therefore the twelfth means is to offer such donation (disinterestedly, without any motive and expectation of return) so that no fear remains thereafter in all the three worlds (means one could get Bhagavan). The Pāran of the Dvādashi which is of form of the twelfth means is this only to remain always engaged in doing good to others, with such donation (and Paran) one would not get any sorrow and fear further.॥13॥”

“त्रयोदशीके समान तेरहवाँ साधन यह है कि जाग्रत , स्वप्न और सुषुप्ति - इन तीनों अवस्थाओंको त्याग कर भगवानका भजन करना चाहिये (भाव यह कि नित्य - निरन्तर , सोते - जागते , श्रीभगवद - भजन ही करना चाहिये ) । भगवान , मन , कर्म और वाणीसे जाननेमें नहीं आते , क्योंकि (बर्फमें जलकी भाँति) वे ही सबमें व्याप्त हैं और (स्वप्नके दृश्योंकी भाँति) स्वयं ही व्याप्य हो रहे हैं तथा असीम , अनन्त हैं (उनको तो वही जान सकता है जिसको कृपापूर्वक वे जनाते हैं , उनकी कृपाका अनुभव नित्य - निरन्तर होनेवाले भजनसे होता है, अतः तीनों अवस्थाओंमें भजन ही करना चाहिये ) ॥१४॥”

“Like Trayodashi i.e. thirteenth day, the thirteenth means is after abandoning the three states of consciousness Jāgrat (awake), Svapna (dreaming) and Sushupti (deep sleep) one should do Bhajan (remembrance, contemplation, meditation) of Bhagavan. Reason is Bhagavān does not come within mind, speech and action (happening in Jagrat, Savpna and Sushupti), because Bhagavān is all pervading and all encompassing and infinite, he is beyond these three states of consciousness, he is known to them only whom he reveals himself, therefore knowing this one should keep remembering him all the time in all states.॥14॥”

“चतुर्दशीके समान गोपाल (इन्द्रियोंके नियन्ता) भगवान चराचररुपसे चौदहो भुवनोंमें रम हे हैं । परन्तु जबतक , जीवकी भेद - बुद्धि दूर नहीं होती तबतक श्रीरघुनाथजी संसाररुपी जालको नहीं काटते , जीवको जन्म - मरणसे नहीं छुड़ाते ( संसारबन्धनसे छूटना हो तो अभेद - बुद्धिसे भगवानको भजना चाहिये ) ॥१५॥”

“As like Chaturdashi i.e. fourteenth day, Bhagavān Gopal (the one who is controller of our senses) or Gopal (cowherd-leader) Shri Krishna or Gopal (cowherd-leader) Śrī Rāma is dwelling within in all the fourteenth worlds in all animate and inanimate existence. Therefore, unless the bheda-buddhi (vision of distinction/duality) of Jiva does not go away, Shri Rāma doesn't deliver (remove the bondage of) the jiva from the cycles of births and deaths. (Means one should see Shri Rāma is present within all Jivas and everything of this world - keeping such Abhed-buddhi, one sees Bhagavān everywhere in everything.)॥15॥”

*Gopal — here in the first line of stanza, Goswami Ji tells Gopal is present within everyone and everything in all the worlds, Gopal literally means the one who maintains the cows or the earth/people etc. By mentioning Raghupati in the next line, Goswami Tulasidas ji is indicating Shri Rāma's divine leela as cowherd-leader (Gopal) in his childhood in the villages (Braja) on the bank of Sarayu in Shri Ayodhyā dhaam.

*Bhed — Bhed means difference between two. In Vedanta, five Bhedas (differences) are told:
1 .Between the individual Jīvās (souls) and Ishvara (God)
2. Between Jada (matter, inanimate, insentient) and Ishvara
3. Between individual jīvās (souls)
4. Between jīva and jada
5. Between various types of Jada
However ātmā is free from all these five differences. Brahman is the universal ātmā and individual Jivas (Jīvātmās) are the parts and parcels of that universal ātmā (Shri Rāma).

“पूर्णमासीके समान (भगवानकी प्राप्तिका) पंद्रहवाँ साधन सिद्धा-प्रेम-भक्ति का रस है । इस भगवद्दर्शन-रूपी रस को केवल श्रीहरि के अनन्य-भक्त जानते हैं जो सर्वत्र समदर्शी, शीतल (शान्त), अहंकाररहित, ज्ञानस्वरुप और तथा विषयोंसे उदासीन है ॥१६॥”

“Like the full moon night of ‘Purnamasi i.e. fifteenth day’ when moon rises in its full-glory, the fifteenth means to achieve Bhagavān is the Siddha- Prem-Bhakti-Rasa (to get completely absorbed in the rasa of Prem-bhakti of Bhagavan). This is best, perfect and supreme among all means. The devotees of Shri Hari who are equanimous in their vision, tranquil at heart, free from ego, very form of pure knowledge and dispassionate in sense-objects, in them such Siddha-Prema-bhakti of Shri Hari arises.॥16॥”

“(यहाँ गोसाईंजीने फाल्गुन-मासकी पूर्णमासीका वर्णन किया है । यह पूर्णमासी और महीनोंकी पूर्णमासीसे कहीं अधिक है । फाल्गुन-मासकी पूर्णिमा और प्रतिपदा के संधिकाल में होलिकादहन होता है, इसलिए वहाँ सांसारिक-भाव के नाश और परमात्मा के दर्शनकी उत्सुकता के बीच का समय हीं संधिकाल है । अतः फाल्गुनी पूर्णिमाके दिन) दैहिक, दैविक, भौतिक - इन तीनों तापोंकी होली जलाकर भगवानके साथ ( प्रेमकी ) खूब फाग खेलनी चाहिये ( यही परम आनन्दकी अवस्था है ) । यदि इस परमानन्दकी इच्छा है, तो इसी मार्ग पर चलो (अर्थात् उपर कहे हुए पन्द्रहों साधनों को क्रम से साधो, इन्हीं साधनोंमें लग जाओ) ॥१७॥”

“(Here Gosvami Tulasidas Ji has described Phalgun-Purnima which has greater glories than the Purnimas of other months. On the juncture of Phalgun- Purnima and the next Pratipada [first-day], the burning of Holika is celebrated, this signifies the period after burning of all worldly-Bhaav (e.g. ego, attachment etc) and sufferings in the Spiritual-Sadhana and the craving for the darshan of Bhagavan.), one should burn the three fold sufferings and sorrows (‘daihik - caused by one's body or mind’, ‘daivik - divinely caused such flood, earth-quakes etc’, and ‘bhautik - caused by other living-beings’) in the Holika-dahan with spiritual Sadhanas (as enumerated in the earlier verses), and then play a great colorful Faag (Holi) with Bhagavan, this is the greatest bliss of a Jiva, if You wish that Supreme bliss then follow in the order the aforementioned fifteen paths as described here. ॥17॥”

“वेद , पुराण और विद्वानोंका यही एक मत है कि भगवानकी लीलाओंका गान ही होलीके गीत हैं । (खूब हरिकीर्तन करना चाहिये ) । इन सब साधनोंपर विचार करके संसार - सागरसे तर जाना चाहिये । फिर कभी भूलकर भी यमलोकमें ले जानेवाली विषयोंकी धारामें नहीं पड़ना चाहिये ॥१८॥”

“This is declaration of Vedas, Puranas and learned ones that the singing of the glories and leelas (pastimes) of Bhagavān is the songs of the (divine-) Holi. Contemplating over (Practicing) these Sadhanas, one should cross the ocean of mundane existence. And, never fall in the flow-currents of the subjects of sense-enjoyments which takes one to the abode of Yama (means one is ruined if trapped in currents of sense-enjoyments).॥18॥”

“सारे सन्देहोंके नाश करनेवाले, दुःखोंके दूर करनेवाले और सुखके निधान केवल एक श्रीहरि ही हैं । चाहे जितने ही उपाय कर लो, संतोंकी कृपाके बिना वे नहीं मिल सकते ( अतः संत - कृपा ही सर्व साधनोंमें प्रधान हैं ) ॥१९॥”

“Shri Hari alone is the destroyer all doubts, bewilderments and remover of all sufferings and sorrows, and the abode of bliss and happiness. However, no matter how much one tries (on one's own to get Bhagavan), Bhagavān can not be achieved without the grace (mercy) of saints. (Therefore, the grace of a saint has the prime and foremost factor among all spiritual practices and means.)॥19॥”

This is the reason Gosvami Ji has remembered the lotus feet of his gurudeva, before enumerating these fifteen means (sadhanas) resembling fifteen days of Phalguna-month till Phalguna-Purnima.

“संसाररुपी समुद्रसे तरनेके लिये संतोंके पवित्र चरण ही नौका हैं । हे तुलसीदास ! ( इस नौकापर चढ़कर अर्थात् संतोंके चरणोंकी सेवा करनेसे) दुःखोंके नाश करनेवाले श्रीरामचन्द्रजी बिना ही परिश्रमके मिल जायँगे ॥२०॥”

“To cross the ocean in form of this mundane-existence (world), the sacred feet of saints are the ship. After boarding on this ship means serving the lotus feet of saints, Bhagavān Śrī Rāma, who removes all sufferings, would be easily attained without much efforts and difficulties. ॥20॥”