OF BHAKATAVAESA OR INDIA. 
43 
combat in order to perpetuate tlie memory of their victories. 
A natural assumption leads one to infer that the names of 
the conquered demons or Asuras represent those of the forces 
they led to battle, and that the Asuras Malla, Bala, Bali, 
Bala, Bali or Yali, Vala and others were chiefs of the 
aboriginal race. 
Krsna is thus called Mallari,'^ the enemy or destroyer of 
the Asura Malla ; Indra is renowned as Valadvis or Valana- 
sana, enemy or destroyer of the demon Vala,^^ the brother 
of Vrtra, and as Balanasana and Balarati, enemy or destroyer 
of Bala}'^ Visnu goes by the name of Balidhvamsin/^ for 
he defeated the great giant king Bali in the shape of a 
dwarf in the Vamana Avatara. Eama covers his name with 
doubtful glory by killing in unfair fight the mighty so- 
called monkey-king Bali or Yali, the brother of Sugriva ; 
hence Rama's name Balihantr. 
" Though Vala need not he taken in the Egveda as a demon, he is 
regarded as such in later works. He may purhaps have heen confounded 
later on with Bala. 
'2 Malldri or Malhdri is in the Maratha country regarded as an incarna- 
tion of Siva, and is also called Khandoha. 
^3 Or Valabhit, Valavrtraghna, Valavrtrahan, Valasudana, Valahantr, 
and Valarati. 
1* Or Balanisudana, Balabhit and Balasudana. 
Or Balindama, Balibandhana and Balihan. Bali or Mahahali was the 
son of Virocana and father of Bdna. He ruled over the three worlds, estab- 
lished, according to the Matsya-Purana, at the desire of Brahma, the four 
castes, and was eventually reduced by Visnu to become the king of Patala. 
He is still the most popular legendary king among the whole Hindu popu- 
lation, especially in South-India. We find a Makahalipura on the Son river 
in the North, and near Madras in the South. The people remember to this 
day the prosperity enjoyed \mder his sway. Once a year Bali is said to 
visit the earth, but this visit is not celebrated simultaneously throughout 
India. His greatest fea«t falls on the fuUmoon in the month of Karttiki, 
when the com standing in the fields, the cow-houses, wells, and particularly 
the dwelling-houses, are illuminated with lamps. In Mysore popular songa 
are sung in his praise on the last day of the Navaratri. The Hindu people 
worship him also during the Pongal, when gourds (in Sanskrit kusmdnda) are 
given to Brahmans. Bali is worshipped in Malabar on the Onam festival. 
He does not die and is one of the seven Cirajlvins, 
