Hi all... I wanna share an extract from my Hindi Textbook related to Onam which I have translated to English:
India is known as the "Country of Festivals". Each festival has it's own story. Onam too has a Puranic epic which is related to King Mahabali. King Mahabali was the grandson of the Asura King Prahlad. He was as generous, powerful and caring as his Grandfather. Everyone in his kingdom lived in peace. He had almost ruled the whole world and was about to rule the "Abode of Gods" or Devlok. Indra, the king of the Gods, was worried. Then he thought to go to Lord Vishnu and sought for help. Lord Vishnu thought to test Mahabali's generousity so he took the form of "Vamana" or the "Dwraf" Then he went to Kerala, The kingdom of Mahabali and asked the King for 3 feet land. Then he said that Vamana can take it anywhere. Then suddenly he grew bigger and bigger and stepped 1 foot and covered the sky and then he stepped his 2nd foot and covered the the Earth! Then he asked Mahabali where to keep his 3rd feet. He said the Brahman to keep his foot on his head. Then he had arrived "Patal lok" or the "Underworld" and made him the King of Patal. After many days the King asked him to allow him to go to his kingdom atleast once a year and Lord Vishnu agreed and this is why we celebrate Onam in honour of Lord Vishnu and King Mahabali.
Hope it's helpful... Any of my friends on?
Answers
Answer:
Happy ONAM
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According to Puranas Onam is connected with King Mahabali and the golden era of his reign. The prominent story behind Onam is about King Mahabali and Vamanan (the incarnation of Lord Vishnu).
According to the story, King Mahabali is sent to another world called Pathala by Lord Vishnu's incarnation, Vamana.
King Mahabali, according to the legend of Onam, is said to be the grandson of Prahalad and son of Veerochana, who were demons or asuras. So, Mahabali was an asura too, but he had no trait of it because he was fervid towards Lord Vishnu from his childhood. Due to the piety to Lord Vishnu, Mahabali attained power and strength. Once, Maha Bali was performing a yagna, when a short, young, radiant boy entered the yagna shala. Maha Bali, as was the custom, welcomed this radiant youngster and asked him what he wanted. The young boy requested for that much space, as could be measured by three footsteps of his.
Maha Bali agreed at once to the chagrin of his Guru Shukracharya who cautioned him that the guest was none other than Lord Vishnu Himself.
As the legend goes, no sooner were the three footsteps granted, the young Vamana assumed a gigantic form known as Trivikrama and with the first step of his foot, measured the whole earth. Then with the second step of his foot, he measured the whole sky. These two steps covered the whole of Mahabali’s kingdom, the earth and the sky. Vamana then asked the king as to where he should place his third step.
King Maha Bali the grandson of the greatest of the Lord’s devotees, Prahlada joyfully offered his head for the third step in utter devotion and surrender.
The Lord recognizing his attitude of surrender blessed him and sent him to Pathala with a promise of making him Indra in the next Manvanthara and that He Himself would guard the gates of Pathala.
Acceding to the request of Maha Bali’s people, Vishnu granted Maha Bali permission to return to his kingdom from Pathala, once every year, to be in the midst of his people. This day is celebrated as the Onam festival.
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Explanation:
my teacher sent this in my class group!!