ONAM GREETINGS TO YOU ALL. CAN YOU ANYONE TELL ME WHY "MAHAVISHNU" DID THIS TO A PIOUS KING "MAHABALI"? I FEEL, BY DOING THIS, WE LOST A BEAUTIFUL ERA.
RE:ONAM GREETINGS
by raj kumar on Aug 28, 2007 10:06 AM Permalink
My friend, You have the beautiful name of Shree Krishna and still you ask such stupid question. Who told you Mahabali was a pious king. Read the Vishu purana to know the whole truth about the vamana/Trivikrama avathara. Greed is one of the biggest sins. It is not enought if your subjects are happy it is equally important what leadership you provide as a king. By snatching others kingdom one cannot be called pious. There is a lesson for all of us here. By eyeing other's property we are immersing ourselves more in sin. We must be contented in what we have. Mahabali was performing a yagna to fulfill his greed. Even today many people conduct various religious feats for selfish ends. Any worship must have Bhakthi as its goal. All riches and fame will come as is ordained by fate. This is the moral of the vamana avathara story. Even today we must celebrate Onam to signify Tiruvikrama;s triumph and not to mark the return of an asura king. Return of an asura king means return of asura gunas and no doubt kerala is in the kind of mess it is in today. HARE KRISHNA.
RE:ONAM GREETINGS
by VENUGOPAL on Aug 28, 2007 10:18 AM Permalink
Thanks for your message. Everyone in Kerala including myself have had a belief that ONAM is celebrated as day to mark the return of Mahabali. If Mahabali was not pious, why Mahavishnu made him a king in Patala. Mahabali was pious that is why he kept his word of giving "three steps" to Vamana. If he had any bad intentions, he would not have done so. Except in Mahabali's era, where you can find people living in complete peaceful harmony. You can't find in Devaloka also. In Krishna Avatara, Krishna HIMSELF had undergone several hardships. Unless you treat others as yourself, this world will not improve. Here let me quote of quote of Narayana Guru: Don't do things which you yourself don't like to others. All the best wishes to you and HARE KRISHNA.
RE:ONAM GREETINGS
by Aruna Kumar on Aug 28, 2007 10:12 AM Permalink
The story is symbolic. Mahavishnu didn't do anything BAD to Mahabali. Mahabali was a very generous person who offered to give whatever Vishnu, who appeared as the dwarf Vamana, wanted. All that the dwarf vamana wanted was 3 'steps' of land (measured with the feet). Mahabali was amused at this and said, "Are u sure, I could give more". Vamana said that would do and Mahabali agreed. Then Vamana started growing, and with one feet measured the entire earth, with the next feet, he took all the heavens. Vamana asked where he would keep the third step, and Mahabali who had understood by then that this was none other than God himself, bows down humbly and asks that Vamana place His divine feet on his head. This is symbolic of destroying the petty individual ego and thus Mahavishnu was in essence purifying Mahabali. Although the demon king was highly generous, he had the attitude that he was giving and so God came down personally to change that attitude and grant him immortality. He is still regarded as the best of kings by the Lord's grace and all of kerala regardless of religion celebrates the spirit of onam as being one of equality, love, happiness, peace and respect for all beings and mother Nature.
RE:RE:ONAM GREETINGS
by Aruna Kumar on Aug 28, 2007 10:14 AM Permalink
Hey raj kumar, Maybe u should leave the interpretation to other people...What mess is kerala in? I dunno! Its much better than many north indian states. Women are equal to men here and i dont think any North Indian state can say that.
RE:RE:RE:ONAM GREETINGS
by Aruna Kumar on Aug 28, 2007 10:16 AM Permalink
By the way, Raj Kumar dont read just about any vishnu purana...Read an authentic one...There are lot of writers and translators of puranas that have no idea, imagination or vision
