Hari Om Parents,
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU.
According to his Guru's instructions, Bali started to perform the 100 yagnas. During this time, Kashyapa and Aditi had a very good, pious and intelligent but an adult dwarf son called Upendra or Vamana who was also the brother of Indra. This boy was an incarnation of Lord Narayana. Bali had completed 99 yagnas and about to commence the 100th yagna. Indra got frightened that his position will go away and did not know what to do. Then he decided to seek the help of his brother, Upendra and went to him and sought his help. Upendra promised to help him.
He reached the place where Bali was performing his yagna. The guards informed Bali that a brahmin boy had come to his doorsteps seeking alms. Bali came out and looked at the boy and felt like falling at his feet. He asked him what he wanted and that he can fulfill any wish of the boy. Upendra asked for just three paces of land measured by his own feet. Bali laughed and asked the boy to wish for even more. But Vamana insisted on only three paces of land. So, Bali accepted the boy's request and was about to offer when the guru Shukracharya stopped him saying that this boy was none other than Vishnu himself and that he had come to snatch away all his riches. But Bali was determined to give the three paces of land whoever the boy may be. So, Shukracharya cursed Bali that he will lose all his riches because he had disregarded his guru's advice. Bali remained calm and offered the three paces of land to Vamana.
Just then the Lord grew up in size until he covered the entire universe. His first step measured the entire earth and with the second one all the heavens. Now there was nowhere for the Lord to keep his third step. Bali requested the Lord to keep his third foot on his head. Vamana was greatly pleased with Bali's devotion and placed his foot on Bali. Bali was thrilled to receive the Lord's blessings and requested him that this devotion should stay with him forever.
The Lord said, "Bali! I take away all the riches from a person which makes a person to forget Me. These riches give rise to all kinds of evil and an evil person cannot think of the Me. Now that your riches have been snatched away by Me you can forever remember Me." Thus did the Lord bless Bali and disappeared.
Let us also remember the Lord in our hearts forever because the riches and prosperity that we have will be gone one day but the Lord will remain forever. He is the highest wealth that we can have.
Malathy Balasubramanian
Saratha Arthanari.
