Srimadbhagavatham skandha 8-chapters 13 to16 -The story of mahbali

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Chapter13to 17- Story of Mahabali

 

In the seventh manvanthara the Lord was born as the

son of Kasyapa and Adhithi , who was the mother of all devas. This was the

Vamanavathara when the Lord begged three feet of earth from Mahabali and punished him for his arrogance but blessing

him at the same time.

 

Parikshith asked Suka the

reason why the Lord of the universe went to Bali like a beggar asking three

feet of earth and then cheated him by becoming Thrivikrama and punished him,

sending his to the nether world. Suka said that Mahbali who was killed during

the battle that ensued between devas and

asuras after the amrthamathana, and was revived by Sukra. He was asked to perform

visvajith yajna by Sukra and others as a result of which he acquired a

divine chariot inlaid with gold and a never exhaustible quiver. Prahlada

presented him with an unfading garland and Sukra gave him a conch. With these

he went o devaloka and captured it . Brhaspati advised the devas to go away and

hide themselves as no one could vanquish Mahabali except the Lord hImself.

Mahabali ruled over all the three worlds and he was described by Suka as one of

noble heart, mahaamanaaH.

 

Adhiti

became grief-stricken by the calamity that happened to her sons the devas. She

asked her husband Kasyapa to give her some advice to make her sons regain their

kingdom of heaven. He instructed her to observe payovratha and worship the Lord,

who is sarvabhootha guha vasa, the indweller of the hearts of all, vaasudeva, the Lord of all lives, jagathguru, the preceptor of the

world, and dheenaanukampin, one who shows mercy to the afflicted,

because the devotion to the Lord is amogha , infallible.

 

The

vrata is to be observed for 12 days in suklapaksha of the month Phaalguna. The

Lord is to be invoked and worshipped by abhisheka with milk and aradhana.the

one who observes this vratha should take only milk and nothing else.This vrata

should be observed from Suklapaksha prathama till thrayodhasi After finishing

the vratha people of all sorts irrespective of caste and creed should be fed

and dhakshina should be given to the priests and acharyas. Then only one should

eat with his family.

 

Adhithi

observed this vratha as told and the Lord appeared before her and told her that He knew her heart and since

Mahabali was invincible he had to be vanquished by other mean and for that the

Lord said that He would be born to Adhithi as her son and would accomplish the

deed.