A questioner expresses her dismay over the commercialization of the Holi festival, particularly in Bangalore, where despite a severe water crisis, large-scale parties are being organized with loud music and excessive water usage, all driven by consumerism. She feels that the true meaning of the festival has been lost to mere merrymaking. Acharya Prashant responds by explaining that humans are born in a state of sorrow and restlessness, which leads them to constantly seek pleasure. He uses an analogy where life is a vehicle given to a thirsty person to reach a destination with water. However, due to a lack of self-knowledge (of one's thirst) and knowledge of the vehicle (life), the person starts consuming the vehicle itself—its coolant, engine oil, and fuel—to quench their thirst. This, he explains, is consumerism. We are consuming the very means of our journey, which is life and nature, to find happiness. This is why we are destroying the planet, nature, and our own lives. Festivals, which were meant for spiritual upliftment and renunciation, have now become occasions for even greater consumption. The true purpose of festivals was to provide a break from the routine of a downward-spiraling life and to bring about improvement, but we have corrupted them. Explaining the true meaning of Holi, Acharya Prashant refers to the story of Prahlad. The story teaches that if one is with the truth, they need not worry about the consequences. Fire could not harm Prahlad, and even the tyrannical king Hiranyakashipu, the most powerful ruler on Earth, could not harm him. Prahlad did not think about whether he would be burned; he simply stood with the truth. The message is to live a righteous life fearlessly and selflessly, without being concerned about the results. He contrasts this with Hiranyakashipu, who, despite his immense power and pride, was ultimately destroyed because a way was found to bypass all his boons. The story of Holi signifies that if you are with the truth, no harm can come to you, even if the whole world is your enemy. He quotes Kabir Saheb, saying, "The one whose hair cannot be harmed, even if the whole world is their enemy." Acharya Prashant concludes by stating that the only religion for most people today is consumerism. We are born for liberation, but we live for consumption. He urges everyone to celebrate the true Holi by playing with the true colors. Quoting Kabir Saheb again, he says, "The mind has many colors, changing moment to moment. Rare is the one who remains in one color." He encourages finding that one true color, the presence of which gives meaning to all other colors.
