Re: Happy Onam! (Monday - 09/16/13)
Are Onam and vAmana dvAdashi pretty much the same? The bhAgavatam seems to imply that His appearance as vAmana pretty much happened the same day as His initiation into the sacred thread and His arrival in the sacrifice of baLi mahArAja.
As far as the message that it connotes, I think it's more this: The Lord Himself will intervene to bless His devotee, even if that devotee is born into a dynasty that has historically been inimical to Him. When He punishes, it is no different than when He blesses. The bhAgavata purANa indicates that while vAmana took back from baLi the three worlds and all their opulences for indra, He nevertheless rewarded baLi with sovereignty over the planet sutaLa and a later birth as manu in the sAvarNi manvantara. And, He personally agreed to be the door-keeper for baLi during his tenure as the ruler of sutaLa.
What I find interesting is why this particular holiday is primarily celebrated in Kerala. Does anyone know the reason for it? Is there some connection in legend to baLi chakravarthi and the people of Kerala?
Philosoraptor
"Wise men speak because they have something to say. Fools speak because they have to say something." - Plato
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