“One must become colourless while playing with colours.” – Rev. Babuji Maharaj.

Sri. Vivek Joshi

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

My Humble Pranams to you all. Today’s topic is from the book Silence Speaks (page 533, 2007 edition) and appears in the message that the Master has given on the occasion of Holi.

I still remember as children how we used to eagerly wait for Holi. The count down used to begin many days before Holi. We used to go around collecting wood for the holi fire and we used to play Holi to the fullest. Basically our inclination was only towards the play aspect of it. In the message given by the Master, he has mentioned two types of people, one who are mostly inclined towards playing and others who though may not play it actively, have an inclination towards it. They are charmed by the colourful forms it offers and are admirers of colours.

We should not have more or less inclination towards any specific colours and should have equal respect for all colours. To translate in other words, these inclinations are the likes and dislikes that we develop over a period of time. These likes and dislikes are the external factors that we use as judgments to continuously drive us and guide us. We somehow forget that behind all this there is one existence which remains unchanged and unaffected by anything and yet contains everything. It’s like a white light entering a prism. On one side white light enters and from the other side the same white light comes out as seven different colours. Conversely also if the seven colours are input, then white light is the result. In other words the white light is the whole which contains everything.

The topic of the seminar is a reply given by the Master’ in response to the question that he himself raises “Whether Holi comes to get the colours distinguished or is it a manifestation of his craftsmanship?” To me the question itself is quite difficult to understand but the answer i.e. “One must become colourless while playing with colours” does invoke some childhood memories.

We used to play a lot with colours and smear it nicely on each others faces. In the process of colouring others our own hands used to get so deeply coloured that it used to take weeks for the colour to fade off and disappear. Inclination then was more towards playing than anything worthwhile.

The statement of the Master obviously is not made with any specific significance to colours of Holi itself, but carry a profound spiritual significance. The statement can be seen in two parts...

1.    Become colourless.

2.    Playing with colours.

In the above two points it can be observed that action is in the second point while the first point is of “becoming” only. In other words it is the result of doing point 2 above i.e. playing with colours. Here playing with colours means doing what all others do in normal Grihastha life but yet remain unaffected by it. Given how one days Holi colour can stick to the hands for weeks, it’s indeed a very difficult proposition for something that cannot even be seen and difficult still since we are immersed in it for no one knows how long!!

The only way then is to develop the right attitudes in this life itself through some means such that the process of “becoming” starts in right earnest. Two such attitudes that I can put forth are as below.

1.      Trusteeship: Doing anything and everything as a trustee ensures that we remain unaffected by attachments.

2.      Remembrance: The more we remember him the less we get other thoughts and the more we move towards becoming colourless.

The methods given by the Master help us in starting our journey towards colourlessness which is nothing but the goal itself. The commandments become a barometer of colourlessness we have achieved. Constant evaluation of ourselves helps us in knowing where we are enabling us to put more efforts in that direction.

As Master has said in the last part of the message that if we are restless after something, then for whatever we are yearning also responds accordingly. The only purpose of doing Sadhana is the creation of this pain or restlessness. The Master exhorts us to take this restlessness from him and then says “Rest will be bestowed by the Master (God)”. Where else can we find such a clarion call to reach the ultimate? This is our chance to make use of the opportunity given, to make ourselves as colourless as possible amidst of all the various colours.

Dear Revered Sir, Brothers and Sisters I thank you all for allowing me to share the thoughts.

Pranams.