Bali of Afghanistan Corisa - CRUCIFIED
Bali of Afghanistan Corisa - CRUCIFIED
725 BCE
The listing of Bali of Afghanistan/Orissa as a crucified savior originates directly from 19th-century comparative mythicist literature—specifically Godfrey Higgins’ Anacalypsis (1836, Vol. I, p. 257) and Kersey Graves’ The World’s Sixteen Crucified Saviors (1875).
In authentic Hindu scripture (the Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, and Mahabharata), Mahabali is a revered, righteous king (Asura Chakravarti) who surrendered the three worlds to Vamana (the dwarf avatar of Vishnu) and was granted rule over the subterranean realm (Sutala). He was never crucified, executed, or regarded as a martyred sin-bearer.
Profile & Specific Attributes
- Timeline & Dates:
- Claimed Mythicist Date: Active around 725 BCE.
- Puranic Chronology: Set in the Treta Yuga (mythological deep time). The city of Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu, India) contains 7th- and 8th-century CE Pallava dynasty monuments, which 19th-century writers erroneously dated to pre-antiquity.
- Calendar Date of Birth:
- No specific calendar day (like December 25) exists. Celebrated in southern India during the harvest festival of Onam (Chingam month, August/September) and Balipratipada during Diwali (October/November).
- Manner of Departure & Age:
- Claimed Manner: Crucified as an atoning sacrifice and referred to as "Lord Second."
- Scriptural Account: Bali did not die violently. When Vamana expanded into Trivikrama and measured the earth and heavens in two strides, Bali offered his own head for the third stride. Pleased with his devotion and humility, Vishnu pushed him down to rule Sutala (a blessed subterranean realm), granting him immortality and the status of the future Indra in the next cosmic cycle (Manvantara).
- Geographical Locations:
- Higgins and Graves confused multiple locations: combining Afghanistan, Orissa (eastern India), and Mahabalipuram (southern India). In Hindu traditions, his reign is associated with the ancient Narmada River basin and the Malabar coast (Kerala).
Theological & Doctrinal Details
| Category | 19th-Century Mythicist Claim (Higgins/Graves) | Authentic Puranic & Epigraphic Record |
|---|---|---|
| Virgin Birth | Cataloged among miraculous, virgin-born savior gods. | Born biologically to King Virochana and his wife Devamba; grandson of the devotee Prahlada. |
| Crucifixion | Claimed to have been crucified as a sin offering. | Never crucified or executed; remained alive and crowned ruler of Sutala. |
| Salvation / Atonement | Died to atone for human sins and save the race. | Embodies total self-surrender (Atma-Nivedanam) and dharma, rather than vicarious sin-atonement. |
| Descent & Ascent | Descended into hell and resurrected. | Descended peacefully to the subterranean paradise of Sutala with Lord Vishnu as his eternal gatekeeper. |
| Title: "Son of God" | Titled "Lord Second" and savior god of a trinity. | Titled Mahabali, Bali Chakravarti, and Dharmika Raja (Righteous King). |
| Alternate Names | Baliu, Bel, Bali of Corisa. | Conflated by Higgins with the Semitic god Bel/Baal and Mesopotamian deities due to speculative 19th-century etymologies. |
| Part of a Trinity | Second person of an Indian trinity. | King Bali is a mortal/Asura devotee of Vishnu, not a member of the Hindu Trimurti (Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva). |
| Judgment in Heaven | Will judge souls in the afterlife. | Does not judge souls; soul judgment in Hinduism belongs to Yamaraja. Bali is destined to become the ruler of the gods (Indra) in the eighth Manvantara. |
Visual Iconography & Worship
- Visual Depiction:
- Classical Indian sculpture depicts King Bali holding a ceremonial water pot (kamandalu) to solemnize his gift to Vamana, or bowing with folded hands beneath the upraised foot of the giant Trivikrama.
- Worship & Festival:
- During the annual Onam festival in Kerala, elaborate floral carpets (Pookkalam) and feasts (Onasadya) welcome Bali’s spirit back to inspect the prosperity of his subjects.
- During Balipratipada across Maharashtra and Gujarat, devotees build effigies of Bali to celebrate his boundless charity and righteous governance.