The problem with electronic mode of communication is that it has given birth to a new breed of experts called pop experts. Pop-psychologists, Pop-Cricketer experts, Po-political commentators and many more. One of these categories is that of pop-mythologists. They do not even do their basic research and start passing half-baked knowledge as information. That is how they participated in the distortion of history around the pious festival of Onam.
Onam and Marxist propaganda
This year’s festival of Onam has ended, but the rumours around its origin have not. Even this year the festival of Onam was pushed as a secular festival, which means that every religious identity group has a claim on it. Yes, anyone can celebrate it, but not everyone can claim it as their own. Let us decode the reason why it is celebrated in the first place by understanding its origin.
Rishi Kashyap-The ancestor of everyone
Every living entity present on planet Earth has its ancestral origin in Rishi Kashyap.
In Purans like Padma, Koorma, Bhavishya and Vishnu Puran and in Mahabharat, it is mentioned that Rishi Kashyap had 13 wives. One of the ladies he got married to was Diti. Diti was the daughter of the illustrious Daksha Prajapati and Daksha was Bhagwan Brahma’s Manas Putra.
The birth of daityas and Vishnu avatars taking control
Children of Diti and Rishi Kashyap came to be known as Daityas. In Sat Yug, Diti is said to have enticed Rishi Kashyap for a union at the time of dusk. She was quite eager for the child and for this purpose had no qualms in disturbing Rishi’s “Dhyan”. Despite the lapse in Dhyan mudra, Rishi asked her to wait for a few minutes. The reasoning behind it is that during dusk hours, Shiv Ji keeps his three eyes wide open as his crown of matted hair is covered with the dust of shamshan.
But Diti was not convinced, and Rishi Kashyap gave in. As a result of the union at inauspicious hours, twins Hiraṇyakashipu and Hiraṇyakṣha were born. Both were destined to create havoc in three loks namely Devlok, Bhulok and Patal Lok. While Hiranyaksha was killed by the Varaha avatar of Bhagwan Vishnu, it took a lot of innovative thinking to get rid of Hiranyakashipu. Bhagwan Vishnu took the Narsimha avatar to rip Hiraṇyakashipu asunder with his bare hands.
Prahalad, Mahabali and tussle with Devs
But all was not bad with Diti’s descendants. It was destined that her grandson Prahlad would be a devotee of Bhagwan Vishnu. Bhagwan Vishnu killed Hiraṇyakashipu only to protect Prahlad. Prahlad inculcated the virtues of Bhakti in his progenies, as he attained Vishnuloka. The most prominent of Prahlad’s progeny was Mahabali, a grandson of Prahlad. Maahabli is tough to comprehend if you look at him from the lens of good and evil. Mahabali, like any good king should, went on to extend the confines of his kingdom. In no time, Mahabali was the swami of all three lokas and the Devas were expelled from their seats in Swaragaloka.
The fight between Devas and Daityas is a family brawl. They are technically cousins as Adityas the foremost among Devas are the descendants of Rishi Kashyap from his other wife Aditi, the eldest daughter of Daksha Prajapati. They are 12 in number and their names are Vivasvan, Aryaman, Tvashta, Savitr, Bhaga, Dhata, Mitra, Varuna, Amsa, Pushan, Indra and Vishnu. Bhagwan Indra and Bhagwan Vishnu went on to carve out more prominent space for themselves. While Vishnu Ji sits in Vaikunth Dham, Indra went on to become king of Devs and Swarga.
Concept of Devraj
Indra is a Deva, a concept and a position of power all at the same time. Indra changes in every Manvantara. A Manvantara lasts 30,67,20,000 years. Each Manvantara is led by a Manu, Savarni is the current Manu. Every Manvantara has a different Indra and Mahabali himself presides as the Indra.
Coming back to the main story – Save Vishnu, Indra was the most virtuous among the Devas hence he attained the title of Devraj. He presided over the royal assembly of Devas consisting of other Adityas, Sadhyas, Maruts, Vishwedevas, Rudras and Ashwini Kumar. Like a modern cabinet, Devas took charge of individual portfolios. Varun, Agni, Pavan devas took charge of Waters, Fires and Winds respectively.
Mahabali was a threat to Devraj Indra
Even when Mahabali was busy conquering different loks, Indra feared his dethronement. Mahabali was extremely powerful, a no-nonsense man diplomatically, and used to run his army like a seasoned army general. After Bali deposed the Devas of their thrones, Devas became homeless. And without them Earth became unpredictable. Out of options, Devas went to Bhagwan Vishnu.
Many sides of Mahabali
Bhagwan Vishnu knew that Mahabali was not a Hiranyaksh or Hiranyakashipu so punishing him was not an option. Mahabali used to donate Chaturthansh (25%) of his revenues to the poor and needy. He was a great bhakt of all three Tridevas namely Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesha.
Bhagwan Vishnu was aware of his limitations in getting Swaragalok back for the Devas. Victory without dignity is not a victory at all. However, there was an opportunity. Mahabali was about to perform his 100th Yagya. Indra is also known as Shatakratu (The performer of 100 Yagyas). After performing the 100th Yagya, Bali would have ascended the throne of Indra.
Vaman avatar and his demands
Daityaraj Mahabali respected Cows and Brahmins following the ancient Sanatani principle of ‘गोब्रह्मण्य देवाय गोब्राह्मण हिताय च|’ and this knowledge was not lost on Bhagwan Vishnu
Vishnu Ji came to the Earth as a Brahmin in his Vaman avatar. Vamana Avatar was affable, unharming and most benign. Bhagwan Vamana was a Dwarf Brahmin. Bhagwan Vamana, went to the Yagya Sthali requested Mahabali to give him land he could cover with 3 steps. Mahabali thought of it as a petty request, given his reputation of being Daanveer. Also, he had conquered both heaven and Earth, so it must have felt quite insulting to him as well. Apparently, he offered a bigger piece of land to him, which of course was rejected by Bhagwan Vamana. Mahabali told him to take whatever he wants.
Mahabali abided and ended up losing his territories
It was then the time for Bhagwan Vaman to take a massive form. With his first step, he measured the Swarga Lok, with the second step, whole Earth came under his control. Now only Patal lok remained. He asked Mahabali for the third step and Mahabali being a worshipper of Bhagwan Vishnu and Brahmins obliged by offering his head to Vaman avatar. Mahabali had now accepted Patal Lok as his permanent residence. As Bhagwan Vamana put his feet on his head, both descended to Patal Loka.
Vishnu Ji in Patal lok and Devi Laxmi’s issues with it
Charmed by Bali’s altruism, Bhagwan Vishnu offered him to ask for a Vardaan. Mahabali was just not willing to let go of his Bhagwan and asked Bhagwan Vishnu to stay in Patal Lok with him.
Vishnu Ji’s new abode was now Patal lok and that meant Vaikunth lok was bereft of him. Devi Lakshmi felt miserable without her husband and Devas felt orphaned because of the absence of Narayana, the foremost among Devas.
Raksha Sutra and Vishnu Ji returning to Vaikunth
Devi Lakshmi decided to take matters in her own hands as she went to Patal lok to look for Bhagwan Vishnu. There she saw Bhagwan Vishnu and asked him to come with her. Bhagwan Vishnu narrated the whole story and how he was dutybound to stay with Bali. Devi Lakshmi thought of an ingenious idea and tied a Raksha Sutra on Mahabali’s wrists. Through this Raksha Sutra, both Devi Lakshmi and Mahabali become brother and sister. Mahabali offered to give Ma Lakshmi a gift, Devi Lakshmi asked Mahabali to allow Bhagwan Visnu to return to Vaikunth Dham.
This incident forms the basis of the Raksha Sootra mantra that Pundits chant while tying it your wrists:
‘येन बद्धो बली राजा दानवेन्द्रो महाबल:। तेन त्वामनुबध्नामि रक्षे मा चल मा चल।।
Etymology of Onam
Onam is celebrated to celebrate the arrival of Vaman avatar on Earth. The word Onam itself has its origin in Sanskrit word śroṇā (श्रोण). Śroṇā /śravaṇā (श्रोण/श्रवण) is the birth Nakshatra of Bhagwan Vishnu. Śrimad Bhāgavata Purāṇa traces Bhagwan Vishnu’s birth date as Shrāvaṇa Dvādashi. Shrāvaṇa Dvādashi is the exact date of Onam. Only the ignorant or the benefactor of ani-Hindu propaganda can term it as coincidence and there are many.
Also Read: Parashuram Jayanti, Akshay Tritiya and some more festivals that Hindus need to know about
Intellectuals benefitted from misinformation
Over the years, first evangelicals and then Marxist started to propagate Onam as a Dravidian ritual. They termed Mahabali as a Dravidian while Vaman avatar was presented as Aryan king who subjugated a Dravidian one. Needless to say, they did not cite any evidence to prove their points.
Intellectuals of the day have taken a different route. Walking on the postmodernist track, they simply push Onam as a secular festival.
Eliminating Hindu influence is the end goal
Bharatvasis never had nor do they have any qualms about anyone following any religion. To assume that what transpired in Europe and the Middle East would happen in India was never a pragmatic move. Ultimately, it ended up benefiting them in spreading their own religions in India. The population of Hindus is increasing at a slower pace than those of other religions in Southern states. All thanks to Marxist propaganda.
Onam is just another example of cultural appropriation. There is no Dravidian angle here. There is no Aryan angle here. Onam and the stories around it are simply the story of a Danveer Mahabali, Bhakta Vatsal Maha Vishnu and Pati Paraayana Maha Lakshmi. Everything except this is a big fat lie.
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