Skip to main content

Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) and King Maha Bali

King Maha Bali is known to all the Keralites through their most important festival of the year called Onam. But not everyone knows that Maha Bali is behind the origin of Rakhi a.k.a. Raksha Bandhan which is a predominantly North Indian festival.

It is a well known story that Lord Maha Vishnu sent Maha Bali to Patala during his incarnation as Vamana. Maha Bali was a great and a favorite devotee of Lord Vishnu. The Lord has granted a boon that Bali will be the next - that is, the eighth Indra (King of Devas) during the time of the eighth Manu, Savarni Manu. Till that time, the Lord Himself decided to protect him in person. The Lord transformed himself into Bali's doorkeeper!

Goddess Lakshmi wanted her husband back in Vaikuntha. She disguised herself as a brahmin woman and went to Patala. She informed King Bali that her husband is away, she has no relatives there and she needs shelter. The generous king offered her shelter and treated her as his sister. He noticed that after the arrival of the brahmin lady his prosperity has multiplied many times.

One day, during the purnima festivals, the brahmin lady tied a knot around the king's wrist with a colored piece of cotton and prayed for the protection of the king. King Bali was touched and asked her to make a wish. She asked the king to send her husband back with her to their home. Perplexed, King Bali asked how he can make this happen. Goddess Lakshmi and Maha Vishnu revealed their original divine form to the king. The virtuous king's joy knew no bounds to see his Lord's love towards his devotees and willingness to forsake Vaikuntha and even Goddess Lakshmi for their sake.

Maha Bali requested Lord Vishnu to return to Vaikuntha with Goddess Lakshmi. But every year Lord spends about 4 months of the monsoon season in the Patala with Bali, from Vaikuntha Ekadashi to Prabodhini Ekadashi.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to do Pradakshinam (circumambulation) in a temple

All the heavenly bodies rotate on its axis as well as circumambulates around other objects like earth around the sun. It is symbolized in the Hindu custom of doing Pradakshinam around the deities in a temple or during a pooja. Circumambulation around sanctum sanctorium in the temple or deities is called Pradakshinam (Pradakshina). It has to be done always in a clockwise manner with the deity on our right side during circumambulation. The number of Pradakshinam that has to be done in a temple depends on the deity to whom we are offering it. According to some sources it is as follows. 1 – Ganapathy 2 – Aditya, BhadraKali 3 – Shiva 4 – Vishnu, Devi 5 – DharmaShastha 6 - Subrahmanya 7 – Durga, Banyan Tree 21 - Swayambhu There are four different parts in a Pradakshinam. Walk one step at a time slowly, like measuring the length with our foot. Keep the hands folded like a lotus bud holding it close to the chest. Chant the names of the respective deity. Keep the thoughts fixed ...
4 comments
Read more

Namakarana - Naming ceremony

Naming a baby is a religious ceremony for the Hindus. In Kerala, usually a baby boy is named on the 27th day after birth and a girl is named on the 28th day after birth. The right day for the ceremony is defined by Gruhyasutras and there are different opinions for the same. Even these dates were to be postponed if there is any lack of religious propriety as in events like a Sankranti, Sraddha ceremony etc. On that day, the baby is given a bath and a black thread is tied around the waist. There will be a feast and distribution of sweets like "payasam". Later, either the father, uncle, grandma or the most senior person of a household whispers thrice into the right ear of the baby, his or her name for the first time. But according to Sastras, the naming ceremony is supposed to be conducted on the 11th day or 101the day. Different kinds of pujas and homams are conducted on that day. After whispering the name three times into the ear of the baby, the person who conducts the nami...
17 comments
Read more

Sacred Saligramam ( Saligrama )

If you ever happened to have a look inside a Vaishnavite's Pooja room, you might have had a glimpse of a black stone called Saligramam being worshipped. It is usually black in color with the symbol of sudarshana chakra. The chakras can be seen both outside and inside. The Saligrama stone is not believed to be just another stone found in the nature. It is found only at Gandaki River situated high in the Himalayas in Nepal. It is believed that the chakra symbols are formed by river worms called Vajra Keeta. It is believed that these worms drill the stones, get inside and use the stones a dwelling place. There is a legend behind the origin of Saligramam. Once upon a time, Lord Siva was waging a war with an asura called Jallundhara. The war seemed to be between two equals and not just another war of a God with a demon. It was in fact a test of chastity of their consorts. (It is a Hindu belief that chastity of the wife protects her husband even from death) Lord Siva knew that unless the...
26 comments
Read more