Why there's a controversy in Kerala over the representation of Asura king Mahabali
There is a furore in Kerala over the representation of the Asura king Mahabali as a handsome man in a statue to be set up rather than a pot-bellied, comical character as in past depictions. Last year, objections were raised over the Sangh Parivar’s resolve to celebrate Onam as Vamana Jayanti.
In truth, I have always wondered as to why no one ever questioned the Puranic legends that depicted Vishnu having punished a good king and Vishnu-devotee like Mahabali by pushing him into the nether regions. Just and generous, Mahabali was an asura king, and grandson of the saintly Prahlad (whose story is linked to the Holika dahan ritual on the eve of Holi).
Vishnu is said to have assumed the form of a dwarf Brahmin (vamana) and come over to a feast organised by Mahabali to make generous gifts to the learned and Brahmins after having conquered all the three worlds.
After having demanded three measures of land, as per the size of his feet, Vishnu is said to have assumed his huge form, wherein with one foot, the Earth was taken, and with the other, the Heavens. Since there was no other place to place his third foot on, Mahabali in all humility, offered his head to place it on. And with that, Vishnu placed his foot on the king, pushing him to the nether regions.
The question arises - what was Vishnu punishing such a gentle, generous king for? Legends tell us that the king had grown very proud of his goodness and generosity, something which the Gods did not approve of.
But can’t a man who is good and just, be proud of his achievements? Even there, one sees a problem.
How can someone proud, or even egoistic, be so humble as to offer his head to Vishnu - the preserver - and let him have what he desires. In fact, it is the height of humility.
What’s more, his love for his subjects whom he ruled so wisely and well was even acknowledged by Vishnu allowing him to return once every year to meet them during Onam. (In the north, the day is celebrated as Bali Pratipada during Diwali.)
One can only read in this a ploy to deprive a just ruler of his kingdom by the Gods. Veritably, this is how Kerala came to be "God’s Own Country" in millennia to come. Of course, mythologist Dr Devdutt Pattanaik gives an extension to this story, wherein Vishnu and Laxmi accompanied Mahabali to the nether regions.
They stayed on with the king, even as his efforts and good governance turned the nether world into a prosperous place.
Do we then look upon the legend as one representing the conflicts between the Aryan and non-Aryan peoples? The etymology of the terms - asura and deva present a difficult proposition.
Take the case of Ravana and his credentials as a demon king. Ravana is looked upon as a negative character, born of a sage and a demon-princess. He is a complex character, who is learned and yet evil; but not his other brothers-such as Vibhishana or Kumbahakarna. The same goes with the reverence for their father, Vishrava, who is married to a demon-princess, Kaikesi, who is Ravana’s mother.
Again, the Asura sage-Shukracharya is also a revered intellectual. Pattanaik, in his book, Myth=Mithya- A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, tells us that the asuras are seen as keepers of wealth, and associated with the subterranean realm.
"All wealth - whether plant, animal or mineral - ultimately has its origin under the ground. Even Laxmi resides in Pa-tala, the realm beneath the ground," he explains.
The devas-Surya, Chandra, Agni and Indra, coax Laxmi out. The asuras and their guru, Shukracharya, possess the Sanjeevani Vidya to bring the dead to life, and hence restore fertility.
In this respect, the devas and the asuras complement each other; with the fertility of the land that is lost after every harvest, being restored by the guardians of the nether world. Vishnu saw Mahabali as the next Indra. But his presence needed to be in the nether regions. His presence elsewhere was a threat to the balance needed of the universe. This is why he had to be confined to the nether world, according to Pattanaik.
Given this explanation, there is every reason to have Mahabali depicted as a handsome and radiant hero, in line with what was painted by the former king of Travancore-Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma. Asura or non-Asura, a spiritually-inclined king beloved of the masses deserves his due in a democracy.
Whether the Travancore Devaswom Board decides to set up the statue in the Thrikkakara Vamanamoorthy temple in Ernakulam or elsewhere is a matter of debate.
Undoubtedly, the mythical king is far worthy of respect than the Gods who unjustly punished him for being good and generous.
There is no justification in felicitating Vishnu as Vamana, but there is ample reason to celebrate the memory of Mahabali who won the hearts of his people in another day and age, notwithstanding his Asura lineage.
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