A PURANIC STORY FOR SHRAVANA/ THIRUVONAM NAKSHATRA

A demon king called BALI had taken all the 3 worlds, i.e. earth, heaven & the netherworld/hell,  through his might and prowess.  The beaten devas (demi-gods) appealed to VISHNU for help.  Vishnu assured them that he would restore their heavenly abode to them and rid the universe of the rule of the demons.

So he waited for Bali to perfom a big YAGYA (an elaborate religious ritual ceremony).  One of the many rules rule for those performing yagya of this big scale, is that one cannot refuse the demand of any brahmin's request at that point in time. Vishnu, cleverly took the form of a young brahmin boy  (in his VAMANA FORM) requested help from Bali. He asked  "Can I get a land which could cover my 3 strides?".  Bali was amused by this request seeing the Brahmin wanting as little as 3 foot strides of land only.

Bali's preceptor, SUKRACHARYA, could see through Vishnu's act and warned Bali not to give in to the innocent boy's request.  Bali, being a man of his words, insisted he is obliged to fulfil the boy's wish at whatever cost it may be. This infuriated Sukracharya and he left the assembly immediately.

When Bali was pouring the sacred water from his pot as a ritual marking for granting the boy's wish, Sukracharya assumed a tiny form and stuck himself in the pot's spout so that water cannot come out from the pot. This act prevented the water flowing out from the pot. Vishnu obviously knew what was going on, so he took out a sharp blade of grass to clear the obstruction.  As he poked towards the pot's spout, the blade of the grass destroyed one of Sukracharya's eyes, and this is the reason why Sukracharya is seen to have one eye ever since.

With the obstacle successfully removed and the ritual over, it was time for the boy to take his 3 strides worth of land. Suddenly, the boy's size started to increase until it got so big that no one can see his head anymore.  In one stride, he took both the netherworld/hell and the earth, and in the 2nd stride, he took heaven. Then Vishnu turned around Bali and asked "Now where do I put my 3rd foot?" Bali surrendered by offering his own head to be put in the 3rd stride. And Vishnu smiled and happily put his foot on Bali's head. WoW!

Bali was immediately transported into the lowest among the 14 lokas.  And Vishnu had now restored the earth to humans and the heavens to the gods.  He was very pleased with Bali's magnanimity, so he decided to confer upon him the status - doorkeeper of "the outer-most universal sheath".

From this story, it will reveal everything about the nature , functioning and quality of SHRAVANA/THIRUVONAM.  Vishnu in his Vamana form as the brahmin boy relates to the amiable and innocent front projected by this nakshatra. This nakshatra is clever in achieving its goals and is very good in its execution skills in much the same way as Vishnu.

Shravana/Thiruvonam borns are known to very good executors.  Employers should look out for this nakshatra borns as their Administrative Executives.

On the astrological front, being one eye blinded,  that is the reason why Venus/Sukracharya doesn't like to be placed in this nakshatra. Other nakshatras in MAKARAM such as UTTARASHADA and DHANISHTA seems alright with Venus/Sukracharya, except for SHRAVANA/THIRUVONAM.

Regards,

Jyotisha Ravi