How did Raksha Bandhan come into existence in Hinduism?

Raksha Bandhan 2024 is the beautiful relationship between brother and sister. It shows the beautiful bond between the siblings. It distinguishes the relationship from others. In Indian mythology, brother-sister relations stand for each other in testing times. Krishna-Subhadra-Balaram, Yama-Yami, Krishna-Draupadi, and many other characters come to live in the human race, which shows how beautiful the relationship is. 

However, Krishna and Draupadi aren’t brother-sisters by blood, but they represent the essence of the bond of siblings in Vedic stories.

Let’s find out how this charming festival came into existence in Hinduism and why Rakhi is celebrated around the globe. 

What is the significance of the Raksha Bandhan Story, as per Hinduism?

Rakha means protection. Bandhan means beautiful duty. In Sanskrit, it translates into ‘the knot of protection’. 

The ritual is so beautiful and auspicious. Sisters and brothers visit each other to tie a thread of protection (rakhi). 

Sisters, or Dharma sisters (if someone has no sister of his own and wants someone as his sister to fill the gap in a lovely relationship), tie a thread of bonding to her brother’s wrist. 

This beautiful Raksha Bandhan story signifies the gathered prayers, and we’ll wish for her brother. Brothers, in return, offer a beautiful gift that their sisters like and wish for.

The History of Raksha Bandhan 

Indian mythology is a hub of beautiful and never-heard tales of divine beings. These Vedic stories are filled with wisdom, knowledge, and transcendental happiness. Let’s discover some of the most famous and intriguing history of Raksha Bandhan in Hindu scripture.

Sachi and Indra: Rakhi as Amulets

The Bhavishya Purana, one of the most anticipated Puranas among the 18, is the last one, filled with unbelievable details of the future. It mentions the Kalki Avatar of Lord Vishnu, the last incarnation among the Dashavatar, who will save the earth from Kali, the demon of Kaliyuga. 

It narrates a tale of Sachi and Indra, the Queen and King of Heaven, and how Raksha Bandhan came into practice in Hinduism. 

Bhavishya Purana narrates a tale of Indra and King Bali and their battle. Sachi, the wife of Indra, wanted to protect her husband from the deadly battle with Bali, the demon King of Pataal.

She tied a holy thread to Indra’s wrist as an amulet to protect his life. 

However, in ancient India, wives and mothers used to tie the amulets to protect male members before they went to war. Tying threads is not limited to brother-sister relationships; it is a symbol of protection. Any relationship can practice it for the sake of protection for their loved ones. 

Lakshmi and Bali: Shri Honours King Bali as Her Brother

Shrimad Bhagavad Purana and Vishnu Purana narrate a beautiful tale about how Rakhi began. However, the tale is connected to the Vamana avatar of Lord Vishnu. 

The Vedic story goes like this: 

King Bali was respected for his generosity. He became very popular for his good deeds. Aditi is the mother of Devtas, the demigods, and is jealous of the news. She wanted to test the generosity of the king, and thus she sent Lord Vishnu to test him. 

Lord Vishnu took the Vamana avatar, a Brahmin dwarf, and went to the court of Mahabali. Varana, the avatar of Lord Vishnu, asked King Bali for a piece of land as an alm. He asked to be given enough land to place his three steps. 

King Bali found the request odd but eventually agreed, thinking that the dwarf Brahmin had tiny feet and only required a little earth. Mahabali’s advisor and Guru Shukracharya warned him that Vamana did not seem like an ordinary person. He should be careful. 

Bali was the man of his word, and he granted the wish of Vamana to take three steps. 

Vamana began to grow in size, as no one ever thought. He expanded himself to cosmic proportions. 

1. At his first step, Vamana covered the earth.
2. At the second step, he covered the skies.
3. And at the third step, the Brahmin dwarf had no place to put his head, so Mahabali offered his head, knowing he was not an ordinary person. 

Vamana placed Mahabali in the Netherlands. Thereafter, he learned about the dwarf as the Lord Vishnu. 

He was an avid devotee of the Lord Vishnu. Bali asks for a blessing. Vishnu was brought back from the Netherlands. He promised Mahabali that he would always protect his land and his people. 

Why did Lord Vishnu take the form of a doorman?

As per the blessing, Mahabali became even more devoted to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu needed to fulfill the blessing of Mahabali. Therefore, Lord Vishnu took the form of a doorman and placed himself outside of the Mahabali’s palace in the Pataal. Mahabali was not aware of the Lord’s protection for him and his subjects in his kingdom in this way from everyday danger. 

Why did Goddess Lakshmi take on the form of a human? 

Mahabali requested Lord Vishnu to bless him with his protection and let him live in his palace. Goddess Lakshmi became worried. Therefore, she had to come down as a human and request that King Bali accept her as a citizen, narrating the story that her husband had gone far on a long errand. 

Why did Goddess Lakshmi tie a rakhi to King Bali?

King Bali protected Devi Lakshmi as his sister. In the month of Purnima, Devi Lakshmi tied a thread to the wrist of King Bali. Mahabali was touched by the gesture of the goddess Lakshmi and promised to grant her any wish she wanted.

Bali asked the goddess, disguised as an ordinary woman, what she wanted as a gift. Goddess Lakshmi pointed at a Bali palace gatekeeper and said she wanted to reunite with her husband.  

What did King Bali gift Goddess Lakshmi for tying a rakhi? 

King Bali was astonished at the request and appeared at a loss for words. The gatekeeper and the woman came together to unite and took their original forms as the Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. 

Seeing that Lord Vishnu was taking care of Bali’s kingdom and his land and that goddess Lakshmi was an ordinary woman whom he considered her sister, he asked her to return to Vaikuntha. 

Thus, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi reunite. King Bali became a brother of Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Vishnu was his brother-in-law. How could a brother see his sister as the problem? 

King Bali became even more renowned for his generosity. The Raksha Bandhan festival was known as Baleva, as King Bali used to love Lord Vishnu. 

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