King Mahabali & Onam
The legend of King Mahabali is the most popular and the most fascinating of all legends behind Onam.Onam celebrates the visit of King Mahabali to the state of Kerala every year. The festival is celebrated with fervour as King Mahabali is greatly respected by his subjects.King Mahabali is also popularly called Maveli or Onathappan.
Story of King Mahabali
The story goes that the beautiful state of Kerala was once ruled by an Asura (demon) king,Mahabali. The King was greatly respected in his kingdom and was considered to be wise, judicious, benevolent and extremely generous. It is said that Kerala witnessed its golden era in the reign of King Mahabali.Everybody was happy in the kingdom, there was no discrimination on the basis of caste or class.Rich and poor were equally treated. There was neither crime nor corruption.People did not even lock their doors, as there were no thieves in that kingdom.There was no poverty, sorrow or disease in the reign of King Mahabali and everybody was happy and content.
Brief Sketch of King Mahabali
It may be noted Mahabali was the son of Veerochana and grandson of Prahlad,the devout son of demon King Hiranyakashyap.Mahabali had a son called Bana, who became a legendary king in his own right and became popular as Banraj in central Assam.Mahabali belonged to the Asura (demon) dynasty but was an ardent worshiper of Lord Vishnu.His bravery and strength of character earned him the title of "Mahabali Chakravathy" or Mahabali - the King of Kings.
Challenge for GodsHe extended his rule to the heavens and the netherworld, Looking at the growing popularity and fame of King Mahabali Gods felt challenged and began to fear his growing powers. They felt threatened about their own supremacy and began to think of a strategy to curtail Mahabali's powers. To curb the growing reign of Mahabali and maintain their own supremacy,Aditi, the mother of Gods seeked help of Lord Vishnu (the preserver in the Hindu trinity) whom Mahabali worshiped.
Mahabali was very generous and charitable. Whenever anybody approached him for help or requested for anything he always granted.To test the King, Lord Vishnu disguised himself as a poor Brahmin called Vamanan.He came to the Kingdom of Mahabali, just after Mahabali performing a Morning Poojasand was preparing to grant boons to Brahmins. Pleased with the vamanan’s wisdom, Mahabali granted him a wish. Vamanan said he was a poor Brahmin and asked for a piece of land.The generous King said, he could have as much land as he wanted.The Brahmin said that he just wanted as much land as could be covered by his three steps.The King was surprised to hear but agreed.
Adviser of the King, Shukracharya(Guru of Asuras) sensed that Vamanan was not an ordinary person and warned the King against making the gift. But, the generous King replied that it would be a sin for a King to back on his words and asked the Brahmin to take the land.The King could not imagine that the vamanan was Lord Vishnu himself.
Just as King Mahabali agreed to grant the land, Vamanan began to expand and eventually increased himself to the size of cosmic proportions.With his first step the Vamanan covered the whole of earth and with the other stephe covered the whole of the skies.He then asked King Mahabali where is the space for him to keep his third foot.
Mahabali realised that he was no ordinary Brahmin and his third step will destroy the earth.Mahabali with folded hands bowed before Vamanan and asked him to place his last step on his head so that he could keep the promise.The Brahmin placed his foot on the head of the King, which pushed him to pathala (the nether world). There the King requested the Brahmin to reveal his true identity.Lord Vishnu then appeared before the King.The Lord told the King that he came to test him and the King won the test.King Mahabali was pleased to see his lord. Lord Vishnu also granted a boon to the King.
King Mahabali Requests for a Visit to Kerala.The King was so much attached with his Kingdom and people,that he requested that he be allowed to visit Kerala once in a year on Thiruvonam Day(the birth day of Mahabali).Lord Vishnu was moved by the Kings nobility and was pleased to grant the wish. He also blessed the King and said even after losing all his worldly possessions, the King would always be loved by Lord Vishnu and his people.
Genesis of Onam
It is the day of the visit of King Mahabali to Kerala that is celebrated as Onam every year. The festival is celebrated as a tribute to the sacrifice of King Mahabali.Every year people make elaborate preparations to welcome their King whom they affectionately call Maveli or Onathappan.They wish to please the spirit of their King by depicting that his people are happy and wish him well.Thiruvonam(the birth day of Mahabali) is the biggest and the most important day of this festival. It is believed that King Mahabali visits his people on the Thiruvonam day.
Onam celebrations are marked in Thrikkakara, a place 10 km from Kochi (Cochin) on the Edapally- Pookattupadi road. Trikkara is said to be the capital of the mighty King Mahabali. A temple with a deity of 'Thrikkakara Appan' or 'Vamanamurthy' who is Lord Vishnu himself in disguise is also located at this place.Nowhere else in Kerala can one find a deity of 'Vamanamurthy'.This fascinating legend is artistically depicted at the Suchindram Temple in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu.
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Let this Onam bring prosprity and joy to all of us.On this auspicious day of Onam, let us confer our bounteous grace and love on each of us.
Emperor Maha Bali best among the Asura emperors, based all his entire actions on truth and justice. Looking upon his subjects as his own children, he performed his duties. Bali was a very generous person. He was compassionate and was a shining sun of truth. The very fact of his reign in the land of Kerala is the cause for the prosperity and happiness of the people there. He had conquered all the lesser gods with his great prowess. He performed a sacrifice called Viswajit, in commemoration of his victory, on the banks of the river Narmada. The Lord incarnated as Vamana at that time. He was born as the son of the saintly couple Kashyapa and Aditi. They lived in a hermitage known as Siddhashrama. The young Vamana walked towards the site where Bali was performing the sacred ritual. The boy was brilliant and effulgent, and everyone looked with wonder at his great beauty. Vamana was the very personification of the attractive magnetic field. Ratnamala, the daughter of Bali saw the young boy and developed a desire in her mind to have Him as her own child and fondle Hi in various ways. But, in the meantime, as you know, Vamana had pushed Bali down into the Pathala (netherworld). This event turned her love towards Vamana into hate and she felt that she could kill the child herself. The all-knowing Vamana noticed what was passing through the mind of Ratnamala and pronounced 'Tathaasthu' (may it be so!). God, since He is omnipresent, Sarvatah Paani-paadam Tat Sarvathokshi Siromukham, Sarvatah Sruthimalloke Sarvamavruthya Thishthati (with hands, feet, eyes, heads, mouth and ears pervading everywhere, He permeates the entire universe), He is constantly pronouncing this blessing on all. Nothing escapes His attention. That is why we should always keep our minds filled with good thoughts. He told Ratnamala, "Mother, you first desired to breast-feed Me. But seeing your father's downfall, your desire turned into hatred. You felt like feeding poison and killing Me. You will be born in Dwapara Yuga as Poothana and feed Me with poisonous milk, and you yourself will die." Therefore, it is essential for all of us to have constantly good thoughts as God is pronouncing blessing of fulfilment incessantly. In view of the ignorance of this reality, mankind fills its mind with many forms of evil thoughts.
See no evil, see what is good;
Hear no evil, hear what is good;
Think no evil, think what is good;
Talk no evil, talk what is good;
Do no evil, do what is good;
This is the way to God.
Though born in a family of demons, he was filled with divine thoughts. It is the consequence of the great merits of Bali that is manifesting as the benefits that people of Kerala enjoy today. Onam does not mean merely the preparation of sweet pudding, various delicious dishes, etc., and eating ourselves to the full. We must re-live the experience of the encounter between Bali and Vamana. Today Vamana is supposed to be physically present in the land of Kerala and hence this day should be celebrated with gaiety and joy. We should lead an ethical, moral and spiritual life. Sathyam Bruyath, Priyam Bruyath, Na Bruyath Sathyamapriyam (speak the truth, speak pleasantly and do not speak unpalatable truth). These three values are the ethical, moral and spiritual, respectively. All the three values ultimately depend upon truth. Following the path of truth and without swerving from a spiritual life, we should work for the welfare of the whole world. Kerala has the political identity of being communist. However, every individual Keralite, irrespective of his political colour, never swerves from the daily duties of a purifying bath, smearing of holy ash on his forehead or wearing a sandalwood paste mark, visiting the temples, etc. Their divine love and devotion is unmatching. Kerala is a beautiful state. People there are replete with spiritual attitudes. But time has had its toll and the tender hearts of people have turned hard. Why is this? It is our own attitude that is responsible. The good and bad habits of the individuals of a region have their effect on the whole land.
If money is lost, nothing is lost;
If health is lost, something is lost;
If character is lost, everything is lost.
Start the day with love;
Spend the day with love;
Fill the day with love;
End the day with love;
This is the way to God.
Emperor Bali was the one who encouraged pure and sacred thoughts and activities. He was called Mahabali as he was truly great in every aspect of his character. Kerala, established by such a great personage is not to be reckoned lightly. In the map of the world, Kerala may look small, but it is a centre of great divinity. It is full of bliss. This land gave birth to Bali, Vamana and it was where Viswamitra performed intense penance and revealed the sacred Gayatri Mantra which is prefixed with the triple syllable Bhur Bhuvah Suvah. Bhur represents materialisation, Bhuvah - vibration and Suvah - radiation. The universe is entirely constituted out of these three components. Radiation is Divinity, vibration is the life principle and materialisation is the body. All these three are in you.
MAHAVISHNUVINTE 5TH AVATHARAMNU VAMANAN APPOL 6TH VATHARAMAYA PARASHURAMAN MAZHU ERIYUNNATHINU MUNPEA MAHABELI ENGANEA KERALAM BARICHU
MAHAVISHNUVINTE 5TH AVATHARAMNU VAMANAN APPOL 6TH VATHARAMAYA PARASHURAMAN MAZHU ERIYUNNATHINU MUNPEA MAHABELI ENGANEA KERALAM BARICHU
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