Onam a Kerala festival
Sacrifice, is the very Basis of Bliss
This day is celebrated by you as the day when emperor Bali was both humiliated and blessed by God, in the form of Vaamana. Emperor of the three worlds, Bali called himself, so, for, he had Bala (power), more than any one else. He was saturated with egotism. God came to him, while he was busy with a Yaaga (an offering), in the form and guise of a Brahmin boy, and asked for a gift of just three foot-measures of land. Bali told him that he could ask for infinitely more riches and lands; but, the boy insisted on that tiny gift only. The preceptor of Bali warned him about the identity and bonafides of the strange mendicant; he mentioned that he may be God Himself. This made Bali happier, for, if it was true, he was so mighty that even God came to his door as a mendicant. Such was the measure of his conceit.
But, when Vaamana drew Himself up to cosmic proportions and measured the entire earth with one foot and the vast expanse of space with another foot, Bali was humbled; he offered his own head as the third foot-measure, and let himself be trod-down into the nether-world. This day marks the day when the incarnation of Vaamana happened, in order to teach this lesson that pride meets with doom. Once the ego was thus suppressed, Bali became cleansed and God blessed him, with various boons. He assured him that He would ever be his guardian. He permitted him every year, on Onam day, to come up into the world and see for himself his empire and receive therefrom the homage of his people. So, this is the festival of Vaamana's advent as well as Bali's transformation.
This day also extols the merit of gifts, renunciation, charity, however little, to any one, for, all are images of God. Thyaaga (renunciation or sacrifice), is at the very basis of bliss, of grace, of immortality. "Na medhayaa na prajayaa dhanena, thyaagenaike amrithathwam aanasuh" - say the Vedhas. ("Not by intellect, not by progeny, not by riches, but, by renunciation alone can the bliss of immortality be attained"). Onam is the festival which instils this message into those who observe it with an eye on its inner significance.
HAPPY ONAM !!!
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