(Vishukkani)
Today marks the beginning of New Year. People of Kerala celebrate it in a traditional way by having the holy vision of Vishukkani in the morning. They have delicious dishes and all merriment. It is a festive occasion for the farmers who bring home the harvested grain. It is, in fact, a holy day for them as they reap the fruit of their hard labour after toiling hard from morning to evening in their fields all the year round. The farmers lead a very hard life. This is the time of their rejoicing as the harvested grain ensures them freedom from all worries and makes them happy and blissful. Happiness is true holiness. True bliss lies in cultivating the principle of love and leading a life of contentment. We should always be contented. When there is no contentment, worries raise their head. All troubles are created by worrying. (SSS Vol.39, p. 206)
Kerala Is The Land Of Three Avatars
Bali was a great devotee. He identified his well-being with the welfare of his subjects and was an exemplary ruler. He considered the people as limbs of his own body. The people also regarded him as the heart of the body of citizenry. In Bali’s realm poverty and want were unknown. The country enjoyed prosperity through timely rains and good harvests. Even today Kerala is a land of luscious vegetation enjoying the bounties of nature. Because it was such a sacred region, it witnessed three Avatars of the Divine: the Varaha Avatar (in which Lord took the form of a boar to destroy Hiranyaksha), the Narasimha Avatar (for the protection of Prahlada) and the Vamana Avatar (for conferring immortal glory on Bali). It is significant that all the three avatars were concerned with redeeming members belonging to the same lineage:Hiranyaksha,Hiranyakashipu, Prahlada and Bali (Prahlada’s grandson).
Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu were brothers who were originally the gate-keepers of Vishnu--- Jaya and Vijaya. They were born as demons as a result of a curse by sages whom they had offended. They had been filled with pride because of their constant nearness to God and the service they were rendering’ In their pride they slighted even the sages and consequently they had to take birth as demons. No room should be given to self-conceit which is an incurable disease. Because of their conceit even the great ones are made to be born as demons. This was the fate of Jaya and Vijaya, the guardians of the Lord’s abode--Vaikuntha. (SSS Vol.20, pp. 200-201)