Note 41 — Chapter XI · GENERAL.

4. The Govardhan mountain had two sisters named Holi and Divāli. Holi was a woman of bad conduct while Divāli’s character was good. Although unchaste, Holi boasted that she was chaste, and once, to prove her chastity, she threw herself on to a big fire. She could not bear the pain caused by the flames, and began to scream aloud, when people beat drums, abused her, and raised such a din that her screams became inaudible. Hence the custom of using abusive language and reciting abusive verses during the Holi holidays. Govardhan could not bear the disgrace attached to his sister’s reputation. So he threw himself into the fire and met his death without uttering a word of pain. This has given rise to the custom of throwing into the Holi fire the cow-dung image of Govardhan, which is installed during the Divāli holidays.41