Mahabali and Vamana
The story of a God's love for His devotee
"മാവേലി നാട് വാണിടും കാലം മാനുഷ്യരെല്ലാരുമൊന്ന് പോലെ ആമോദത്തോടെ വസിക്കും കാലം ആപത്തങ്ങാര്കുമൊട്ടില്ല താനും"
Each year during Onam, as a Malayalee1 this song starts playing like a broken record in my head, and its verses remain etched in my heart. While I am unsure who the author of this poem that I learned in my childhood is, it pays homage to a man who requires no introduction if you are familiar with the festival Onam - Mahabali, the demon king. The song recounts a time in which he ruled Kerala, when there was a sense of equality, happiness, and security among his people. This is the rough translation of the above poem.
So let me give you a quick summary of the backstory of Onam as per school text books.
Mahabali’s popularity made the gods jealous, and they turned to Lord Vishnu, the sustainer, for help. Vishnu took the form of a Brahmin boy, Vamana, and visited Mahabali during a ritual, asking for three steps of land. Mahabali agreed, but Vamana grew until two steps covered the Earth and the heavens. With nowhere left to give, Mahabali offered his own head for the third step, and was sent to the underworld. Moved by his devotion, Vishnu granted him one boon: to return and visit his people every year during Onam.
The sense of outrage I felt as a kid whenever I thought about this story was not insignificant. It felt like total injustice… until I read the detailed version in the Bhagavatam as an adult. Context matters with any story, and somehow this one, too, got lost in translation 😊
Because I like to tell stories, I did not want to pass down the “text book” version and leave anyone feeling hopeless about God, like I once did. So on this first Onam, I wanted to put this side of the story into words, for my little boy, my nieces, my nephews and my readers.
Now, let's return our focus to our central characters, starting with Mahabali. Ever wonder how a king who’d defeated the gods themselves got outsmarted by a small boy? By the time Vamana showed up, Mahabali wasn’t just powerful, he was sharp, seasoned, and backed by Shukracharya, the guru who took one look at this “boy” and said, don’t do it. He’d already guessed the truth: this was Lord Vishnu.
And yet he summoned no army, no resistance but tears. Because Mahabali wasn’t being tricked and he recognised it. He was being freed, from his own ego, no less, a gift most people spend lifetimes of penance chasing.
Now, considering Lord Vishnu's perspective, Mahabali falls under His twelve great devotees, so naturally He feels special about Bali. He showed the world how righteous His devotee is by testing him in front of an audience, where He knew Bali would only stand by Dharma following his grandfather Prahlad who was yet another one of His great devotees. Not only did He give him liberation from his ego but he He also promised Bali a place in Sutala where He Himself would be the door keeper. Such is the love of Lord Vishnu to His devotees.
One of the most insightful moments in this story occurs when the Lord imparts some wisdom to Bali. That when He intends to lead a person towards destruction, He gives him immense wealth and all the material possessions of the world. In their ego-driven state, the person often forgets their true nature and falls into the cycle of births and deaths. Conversely, when the Lord seeks to rescue someone, He strips away their material possessions. This act forces the individual to turn spiritual, ultimately freeing themselves from the inherent sorrows of the world.
Some people turn atheist over exactly this question- Why do good things happen to the “bad,” and bad things to the “good”? Could I offer them solace with this type of reasoning? I can only try.
Now when I celebrate Onam, I can't help but think of this version of the story, which is all about the deep spiritual connection and love between a devotee and his God. It seems like a cleverly crafted drama presented to the materialistic world, hiding the secret wisdoms of the universe.
God has funny ways of doing things. He loves a good plot twist, and half the time we’re left scratching our heads wondering what He is up to. But zoom out a little, and you will notice He has usually been rooting for us all along.
Happy Onam 🌸
Malayalee is a person who hails from the Indian state of Kerala or is of Malayali descent.