MAHABALI'S STORY

This is consecrated ground where Vishnu once sat in
meditation. (Although Rama was Vishnu, his human
incarnation made him unaware of his identity at the
moment.) While Vishnu was thus engaged, Mahabali seized
the earth and heaven and brought them under his subjection.
He celebrated his victory by performing a great yagna, and
used this occasion to invite and honour all learned men. All
the gods who had suffered in their encounter with Mahabali
arrived in a body at the spot where Vishnu was in meditation
and begged him to help them regain their kingdoms. In
response to their appeals, Vishnu took birth in a brahmin
family as a person of tiny proportions; within this diminutive
personality was packed a great deal of power and learning. Mahabali was quick to sense his greatness when this
dwarfish man presented himself at the palace gate. Mahabali received the visitor warmly and respectfully.
The visitor said, “I have come from afar after hearing of
your greatness. My ambition in life has been to have a
glimpse of one who is renowned alike for his valour and
generosity. Now, after meeting you, I have attained my life’s
ambition. Achievements such as yours cannot be measured.
When a poor man like me has a glimpse of your divinity, a
part of it comes to me also.”
“Oh great one, do not praise me,” Mahabali replied. “I am
after all a fighter and conqueror—base qualities when
compared to the learning and special attainments of one like
you. I am not easily led by appearances. I can know how
great you must be. I shall be happy if you will accept a gift in
return for the honour you have done in visiting me.”
“Iwant nothing. I need no gift other than your goodwill.”
“No, please don’t go, ask for something, mention anything
you want. It will please me to grant it.”
“If you insist, then give me a piece of land.”
“Yes, choose it wherever you like.”
“Not more than what would be measured in three strides
of my feet …”
Bali laughed, looked him up and down, and said, “Is that
all?”
“Yes.”
“I shall now … ,” began Mahabali, but before he could
complete his sentence, his guru Sukracharya interrupted to
warn, “King, do not be rash. The small figure you see is a
deception: he is minute, but this microcosm …”
“Oh, stop! I know my responsibility. To give while one can
is the right time, and to prevent a gift is an unholy act, unworthy of you. He who is selfish is never worse than the
one who stays the hand that is about to give. Don’t stop me,”
he said; and poured out a little water from a vessel on the
upturned palm of the little man to seal his promise. (It is
found in some texts that at this moment Sukracharya
assumed the size of a bee and flew into the spout of the
vessel in order to block the flow of water and thus prevent the
oath being given. The dwarf, sensing this, took a sharp
dharba grass and thrust it in to clear the obstruction and it
pricked the eye of Sukracharya, who thereafter came to be
known as the one-eyed savant.) Pouring this oblation of
water, Bali said to the little man, “Now measure and take
your three steps of earth.”
The moment the water fell on his hand, this person, who
was a figure of fun even to his parents till then, assumed a
majestic stature spanning the earth and the sky. With the first
step he measured the entire earth, with the second he
covered the heavens. No more space was left in the whole
universe, and he asked Mahabali, “Where shall I place the
third step?”
Mahabali, overawed, knelt, bowed, and said, “Here on my
head, if no other space is available.” Vishnu raised his foot,
placed it on Mahabali’s head, and pressed him down to the
netherworld. “You may stay there,” he said, and thus
disposed of the tormentor of the worlds.
Concluding the story, Viswamithra announced, “This is the
end of our journey for the time being. Here I will perform the
sacrifices under your protection.”
In due course Viswamithra gathered a good company of
saints and made preparations for the yagna, Rama and
Lakshmana guarding the ground. Meanwhile the asuras
assembled in the skies above the holy ground, ready to
disrupt the yagna. The demons were armed with a variety of
deadly weapons; they shrieked and howled and attempted in
other ways to create confusion. They flung boiling water and
offal on the holy ground; uttered menaces, curses, and
blasphemies; tore out huge rocks and flung them down; and
set in force terrifying magical disturbances.
The saints looked distraught. Rama advised the sages,
“Do not feel disturbed. Proceed with your prayers.”
Lakshmana said to Rama, “I will deal with them.” He shot
at them, while Rama sent up his arrows and created an
umbrella to shield the sacrificial fire from being defiled by the
asuras’ blood. Subahu and Mareecha, the sons of Thataka
thought this their best chance to avenge the death of their
mother and aimed their attack at Rama, whose first shot
carried Mareecha far out and threw him into the sea; the
second one eliminated Subahu. The demons who had
gathered with such zest withdrew in panic.
The sacrifice was successfully accomplished.
Viswamithra declared, “Rama, you alone could help me in this task. This was performed not for my personal
satisfaction, but for the good of humanity itself.”
Rama asked, “What next?”
Viswamithra said, “You have accomplished much now.
There is a great deal yet ahead of you,” hinting at the tasks
that Rama would have to fulfill in this incarnation. “For the
present let us proceed towards Mithila City, where a great
yagna is to be performed by King Janaka, and where many
others will be arriving; you may enjoy this diversion.”
Although he suggested this step as a sort of relaxation for
Rama, he knew by foresight that it was but the beginning of a
great series of events in which Rama’s future would be
involved.
At the end of a day’s journeying, they arrived at a valley
where the Ganges was flowing. “There you see,” said
Viswamithra, “the river Ganga, the holiest river in the world,
starting from the Himalayas, running her course through
mountains and valleys and across several kingdoms. Today
she flows along peacefully, but at the beginning … Now
listen to her story.”