Guest guest Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Hari OM! Hari OM!I read Smt. Sreedevi ji's mail regarding my article in Navaneetham about Mahabali. Thank you for your remarks and sorry for the delay in reply. I was away at a conference.I hope I haven't made anyone uneasy by writing the "mahabali chinthakal". What I did was to quote Bhagavatham to restate the story of mahabali and to show how the modern interpretation of the "chathi" by Mahavishnu (i.e., the Lord's deceitful action) is against the real import of the legend. I am also a real admirer of Mahabali as a king and an ideal bhaktha . But Lord Vishnu showed him the path which is really at a higher realm we can only hope for. My question is why should we merely stop at the material prosperity? We should always hope and aim for the highest ideal and Mahabali's lesson was to attain that with the touch of the Lord's holy feet. That is the missing link in the popular story and I consider it as a real drawback. I assure that it is not my concept at all. I shamelessly retold it from Bhagavatham.In other traditions also we see such treatments of great traditions and stories. (I might get into trouble by saying this). Now the fasting is underway (or it is over) for Holy Ramzan. But in newspapers and popular media, more emphasis is placed on the different food items prepared for ending the daily fast. The essence of Ramzan is much more than eating wonderful food. It should be about conservation and giving danam (sakath), right?... Similarly, during X mas, who is popular? Jesus Christ or Santa Claus? I wish, for Onam we start celebrating the appearance of Lord Vamana first and then the king Mahabali. The Lord took the incarnation to show us the importance of the higher pursuits of life. As I wrote in the article, when one gives everything that he 'owns' to the Lord, that is bhakthi and thus Bali became an ideal example of a bhaktha. When one submits himself then that is vijnanam. Thats the blessing Mahabali recieved. I am still at a loss at the Kerala connection of Onam....Bhagavatham doesn't mention that.Gurdevs, Please forgive my 'adhikaprasamgam' and kindly correct if I got it wrong.hari OM!sasnEhamSukumar--- On Sat, 9/19/09, NVP Menon <nvpmenon wrote:NVP Menon <nvpmenon[Guruvayur] navaneetham"guruvayur " <guruvayur >Received: Saturday, September 19, 2009, 3:23 PM Dear GuruDevs, The new navaneetham, september issue has come out very nice again. Our Sunilji has done a great job.Thank you again. We are really happy to see our dear friend, ChandrshekharaMenon and his family.He is doing such an important job of moderating this site and kotiarchana giving opportunity for people like me to write the namajapam every day, giving us peace of mind.My friend, you are never a poojyam by yourself. Remember "Thou are that" You are 100% by yourself. We are very happy to see you as the Member of the month.congratulatio ns and keep up the good work. Thank you In my opinion ,the best article was of our great Sastriji who explained the human life in such a simple terms. Thank you, Sastriji. I do have an issue with Sukumarji,s concept. I feel it is indeed very approprite to honour Mahabali one day,a king who is supposed to be an embodiment of goodness to the people of Kerala We cannot imagine to see such a great king EVER. .We should not be looking into the historical accuracy of it. He was God,s favourite devotee anyway. We should remember we are also praying to Trikkakkara Appan who is Vamana moorthi during Onam. Hope Sukumarji will pardon me for writing this opinion. Your kavitha is as usual beautiful.Thank you. with prayers, sreedevi Om Namo Narayanaya Make your browsing faster, safer, and easier with the new Internet Explorer® 8. Optimized for Get it Now for Free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Dear Sukumarji, I am sorry if I offended you in any way. I do not want to enter into a controversy.I agree with you about what is written in Bhagavatham.But I do not think there is any harm in honouring a benevolent king. I do not know when this celebration of Onam was started. I know it was there when I was born 70years ago.By doing this celebration, we are not dishonouring Vamanamoorthi either. We are doing the pooja to Vamana at the same time too.I do not know about historical accuracy . But I know there is a prathishta of Vamana in Trikkakkara and there is a place called PAthAlam near Alwaye too . with all best wishes,and prayers, sreedevi menon Om Namo narayanaya --- On Mon, 9/21/09, Sukumar <sukumarcanada wrote: Sukumar <sukumarcanadaRe: [Guruvayur] navaneetham - about Onam & Mahabaliguruvayur Date: Monday, September 21, 2009, 7:01 PM Hari OM! Hari OM! I read Smt. Sreedevi ji's mail regarding my article in Navaneetham about Mahabali. Thank you for your remarks and sorry for the delay in reply. I was away at a conference. I hope I haven't made anyone uneasy by writing the "mahabali chinthakal". What I did was to quote Bhagavatham to restate the story of mahabali and to show how the modern interpretation of the "chathi" by Mahavishnu (i.e., the Lord's deceitful action) is against the real import of the legend. I am also a real admirer of Mahabali as a king and an ideal bhaktha . But Lord Vishnu showed him the path which is really at a higher realm we can only hope for. My question is why should we merely stop at the material prosperity? We should always hope and aim for the highest ideal and Mahabali's lesson was to attain that with the touch of the Lord's holy feet. That is the missing link in the popular story and I consider it as a real drawback.. I assure that it is not my concept at all. I shamelessly retold it from Bhagavatham. In other traditions also we see such treatments of great traditions and stories. (I might get into trouble by saying this). Now the fasting is underway (or it is over) for Holy Ramzan. But in newspapers and popular media, more emphasis is placed on the different food items prepared for ending the daily fast. The essence of Ramzan is much more than eating wonderful food. It should be about conservation and giving danam (sakath), right?... Similarly, during X mas, who is popular? Jesus Christ or Santa Claus? I wish, for Onam we start celebrating the appearance of Lord Vamana first and then the king Mahabali. The Lord took the incarnation to show us the importance of the higher pursuits of life. As I wrote in the article, when one gives everything that he 'owns' to the Lord, that is bhakthi and thus Bali became an ideal example of a bhaktha. When one submits himself then that is vijnanam. Thats the blessing Mahabali recieved. I am still at a loss at the Kerala connection of Onam....Bhagavatham doesn't mention that. Gurdevs, Please forgive my 'adhikaprasamgam' and kindly correct if I got it wrong. hari OM! sasnEham Sukumar --- On Sat, 9/19/09, NVP Menon <nvpmenon > wrote: NVP Menon <nvpmenon >[Guruvayur] navaneetham"guruvayur " <guruvayur@grou ps.com>Received: Saturday, September 19, 2009, 3:23 PM Dear GuruDevs,The new navaneetham, september issue has come out very nice again. Our Sunilji has done a great job.Thank you again.We are really happy to see our dear friend, ChandrshekharaMenon and his family..He is doing such an important job of moderating this site and kotiarchana giving opportunity for people like me to write the namajapam every day, giving us peace of mind.My friend, you are never a poojyam by yourself. Remember "Thou are that" You are 100% by yourself. We are very happy to see you as the Member of the month.congratulatio ns and keep up the good work. Thank youIn my opinion ,the best article was of our great Sastriji who explained the human life in such a simple terms. Thank you, Sastriji.I do have an issue with Sukumarji,s concept. I feel it is indeed very approprite to honour Mahabali one day,a king who is supposed to be an embodiment of goodness to the people of Kerala We cannot imagine to see such a great king EVER. .We should not be looking into the historical accuracy of it. He was God,s favourite devotee anyway.We should remember we are also praying to Trikkakkara Appan who is Vamana moorthi during Onam. Hope Sukumarji will pardon me for writing this opinion. Your kavitha is as usual beautiful.Thank you.with prayers,sreedevi Om Namo Narayanaya Make your browsing faster, safer, and easier with the new Internet Explorer® 8. Optimized for Get it Now for Free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 HARI AUM By doing the 'MAHA' (the BIG) 'BALI' (sacrifice) the king became 'MAHABALI'. Mahabali's surrender was total and hence received 'deliverance' unparalleled - visit his 'praja' every year. As Shree Chitpuramji earlier mentioned 'Mahabali' got to go to not 'pathalam' but to 'Sutala' to rule there and thereafter to enjoy for a whole Manvantara ,the position of Indra Anyways these healthy discussions not only increases participation but generate more info, knowledge , wisdom etc from the learned members in the group. Hope more will participate. Regards Balagopal NARAYANA NARAYANA NARAYANA PS:Below Vitala is Sutala. It is reckoned as of some special importance. O Muni! The highly meritorious Bali, the son of Virochana lives here.. The Bhagavân Vâsudeva, brought down this Bali into Sutala, for the welfare of Indra. He assumed the body of Trivikrama and gave to Bali all the wealth of the three Lokas, all the Laksmî went to him and installed him in the position of the Lord of the Daityas. What more can be said than this, that what prosperity, wealth and riches that Indra could not obtain, that S’rî Laksmî Devî Herself has followed Bali. Bali, as the Lord of Sutala, has become entirely fearless, remains here upto this day and is worshipping Vâsudeva. O Nârada! It is said by the high-minded persons that when Vâsudeva Himself, the Controller of all, appeared as a beggar, Bali gave him land, and, therefore, on account of making gift to a good person, he acquired so much prosperity. But this cannot be reasonable. For, it is not at all reasonable to cast the effects of making this gift on Nârâyana, O Nârada! Who is Self-manifest by His own Extraordinary The Devi Bhagavatam: The Eighth Book: Chapter 19 accessed from:http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk08ch19.htm Keep up with people you care about with India Mail. Learn how. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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