[Guruvayur/Guruvayoor] Bali Vadham - Symbolism?

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Hari Om!

Very interesting thread indeed. In harinama keerthanam

we read " chemmE maRanjoru Saram koNTu konnathum

orindraathmajanne hari naaraayanaaya namaH "

 

In one of the lectures by the late H.H. Swami

Chinmayananda he talked about the apparent

'injustices' by Sri Rama. Swamiji said that the whole

Ramayana is a metaphor for righteous living. I don't

remember everything in his talk, but I am writing

whatI understand from the Bali episode.

 

In the context of the lessons in life, killing Bali

represents removal of lust and greed permanently from

the disciple’s mind. In the absence of these two, Bali

was a great considering prowess and even devotion.

 

Lust and greed can only be removed in a rather

roundabout way as they have a tendency to increase

when confronted directly. They tend to increase as we

get some (patthu kiTTukil nooRu mathiyennum

Sathamaakil sahasram mathiyennum...).

 

Sri Rama shows that the best way to remove them is by

indirectly attacking them- like the special medicine

given by a wife to her liquor addict husband without

his knowledge to create a strong dislike towards

alcohol. Obviously, he will not agree to that if he

knows about it. Sometimes we need help from other

sources to improve ourselves.

 

The only way to get out of strong lust & greed is to

get a 'shock treatment' and I think symbolically that

is what has been portrayed in this episode of Sri

Rama.

 

I appreciate if someone in the group can explain the

symbolism of Ramayana as the 'travel of jeevaathma

through the righteous and noble path of evolution'to

reach the ultimate goal.

 

Hari Om!

Sukumar

 

 

 

--- Sunil Menon <menon_sunil wrote:

 

> I agree with Sunitha. As far I know Shri Ram was the

> seventh Avatar of

> Vishnu in Threta Yuga and Shri Krishna took birth as

> the ninth Avatar

> in Dwapara Yuga. (Balarama is the eight Avatar.)

> [Even mahabharat explains this fact by Bhima's

> meeting of Hanuman, who became immortal with Ram's

> blessings.]

>

> The Bali episode has a deep moral significance.

>

> Bali, tried to kill his own brother and later

> married his brother's

> wife. The immoral and vicious brother represents

> Lust, the lower

> nature of man. Sugreeva, the moral and virtuous

> brother represents

> man's higher and nobler nature.

>

> I have also heard the story where Bali earned a boon

> by which half the

> strength of his enemy was transferred to him as soon

> as an enemy

> confronted him in a battle. This has much similarity

> to the power of

> lust becomes invulnerable the moment man comes in

> direct contact with

> the object of lust. To avoid this, and to overcome

> successfully the

> disastrous influence of the sense objects, man has

> to stay away

> physically from the objects before he gains an

> absolute hold and

> control over them. To indicate this great truth,

> Shri Ram is

> described as hiding behind a tree i.e. physically

> keeping away from

> Bali, and shooting him from a distance.

>

>

>

> guruvayur , Sunita ramanthan

> <rsunitaa> wrote:

> > But was not Ram avatar before Krishna avatar?

> which

> > would mean that Bali was later born as the Hunter,

> who

> > shot krishna on his toe.

> >

> >

> >

> > --- krishna shetty <essem2002> wrote:

> >

> > > Dear vinod,

> > >

> > > Even though i'm not a scholar in this matter i

> think

> > > i just know the correct answer to it. For the

> first

> > > question it can be said as followes.:

> > >

> > > In Bali's previous birth he was the hunter who

> shot

> > > the arrow at krishna's lotus feet which caused

> him

> > > to leave the human body. So in return in his

> next

> > > birth i'e, as Bali he was killed by

> krishna/Rama.

> > >

> > > For the second question,

> > >

> > > Since Bali in his previous birth had shot the

> arrow

> > > hiding in bushes, krishna too decides to kill

> him

> > > the same way bali did to him in his previous

> birth.

> > >

> > > OM NAMO NARAYANYA>>>>

> > >

> > > ratheesh v <ratheeshvnair20> wrote:

> > >

> > > Dear Vinod,

> > >

> > >

> > > I too have the same doubt which Anoop

> asked.I

> > > am a devottee of Lord Rama and I would like to

> know

> > > why my Rama done so.Could you please reply to

> his

> > > questions...

> > >

> > >

> > > Why Lord Rama had killed Bali, who was a

> great

> > > devotee of Vishu

> > > Why he adopted the method of hide and attack,

> > > when Bali was fighting with Sugreeva ...Was it a

> > > violation of Dharma...?

> > >

> > > Ratheesh

> > > Bangalore

> > >

> > >

> > > " PS, Vinod K (GE Energy) " <vinod.ps@g...> wrote:

>

> > > !! Sri Rama Jayam !!

> > >

> > > It was a pleasant morning in Bangalore today &

> as

> > > usual I was tuned to Asianet TV at 7am listening

> to

> > > " Ramayana " parayanam by Sri M G Radhakrishnan,

> our

> > > musical maestro. Today he started with " Bali

> Vadham "

> > > & that did attracted me a lot. " Bali Vadham " is

> one

> > > among the two top accusations (second being

> " Sita

> > > Tyagam " ) raised against Ramavataram & it has

> been

> > > widely talked/discussed over generations & ages.

> The

> > > subject of interest in these events of this

> great

> > > epic vests not in their happening as such,

> instead

> > > the connection of these events to a personality

> > > known as MARYADA PURUSHOTTAMA RAMA generates the

> > > whole attraction & the associated relevance. If

> > > these events were connected to any other

> incarnation

> > > other than Ramavataram, it may not have gained

> that

> > > attention, I assume, over the history of time &

> > > civilization.

> > > Because " RamO Vigrahavan Dharmah ! " as it goes,

> > > never allows any body (especially a Rama bhakta)

> to

> > > digest such events so easily. What to talk abt

> > > ordinary beings, even great saints like Sri

> > > Melpathur Bhattathiri did not hesitated to

> raised

> > > his sorrow in front of Guruvayurappan reminding

> the

> > > Lord abt " Sita Tyagam " in his Ramavataram. Those

> > > feelings of a devotee are appreciable to a good

> > > extent, though it indirectly diminishes the

> radiance

> > > of Lord's glory. This becomes a serious issue

> when

> > > we elaborate such instances in front of somebody

> who

> > > is not a matured devotee or at the worst who is

> an

> > > athiest by nature.

> > > Therefore, as a dedicated servant of the Lord it

> > > becomes the responsibility of each devotee to

> > > understand the exact implication & consequence

> of

> > > such vital events associated with Lord's nara

> lila,

> > > as Rama or as Krishna, in particular.

> > > Civilization starts at home & parents are the

> first

> > > Guru(s). Therefore, in those houses where such

> holy

> > > discussions falls under a normal routine it

> becomes

> > > severely important for the parents to understand

> to

> > > real relevance of such accusations raised

> against

> > > our beloved Lord. Invest a good time in finding

> > > answers to such querries which shields our

> complete

> > > devotion to Lord, becoz acceptance cannot & shud

> not

> > > be incomplete. We shud not say " I like Krishna

> when

> > > he delivers Gita & I dislike when he robs

> clothes of

> > > the Gopikas. " or " I like Rama when he marries

> Sita &

> > > I dislike when abandons her into the jungle. "

> etc.

> > > etc.

> > > If we have such attitude in our mind, remember

> our

> > > devotion unto Krishna/Rama is still incomplete.

> We

> > > have to travel a long way to reach him.

> > > " Bali Vadham " is a very sensitive issue & so has

> > > manifold dimensions. Understanding it may be

> > > difficult, but not impossible.

> > > I wish to have an open talk on it ( & not an

> > > argument) & let's see how it goes.

> > > By Guruvayoorappan's ultimate grace, hopefully

> we

>

=== message truncated ===

 

 

 

 

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