In plain words
The Lord shines forth in the universe; the universe shines in the Lord; the bond between the universe and the Lord cannot be broken: hear this, O valiant son of Bhārata!
Embodiments of Prema! Today is Onam, a sacred, divine, splendid and ever new festival day for the people of Kerala. Rising at dawn, taking the ritual oil bath, putting on new clothes, remembering the Name of the Lord, visiting the temples and performing holy rites, the people of Kerala celebrate this festival of Onam with Bhakti and śraddhā. Some recite the Rāmāyaṇa too.
Long ago Emperor Bali, who ruled the kingdom of Kerala, went on loving the people as his own children and serving them. The people too loved Emperor Bali dearly, set many hopes on him and went on with their lives. Emperor Bali performed many sacred rites, yajñas, yāgas and the rest. Once he undertook a great yajña, and on that occasion he made the people a promise, “Whatever anyone asks for, I shall surely give it to him.” Viṣṇu heard this, took the form of Vāmana and came to the sacrificial hall. Seeing the splendour, the divine radiance and the brilliance of Viṣṇu as He entered the sacrificial hall in the form of a little boy holding an umbrella of coconut leaves, Bali's daughter Ratnāvaḷi was struck with wonder: “Ah! Who is this embodiment of divine splendour? If a boy of such great radiance had been born to me as my son, how wonderful that would be!” she thought. As each of them gazed spellbound in his own way at His divine splendour, Vāmana entered the sacrificial hall and came up to the dais. Emperor Bali rose, gave Him a grand welcome and seated Him on a seat that befitted Him: “What have You come for? What have You come hoping for from me?” he asked. “Sir, Emperor Bali! Give Me three paces of ground, and that is enough. I need nothing more,” said Vāmana. Struck with wonder, Emperor Bali said, “Is that all? Very well, take it.” With one pace Vāmana took in the whole of the sky. As He set down the second pace, His foot filled the whole earth. “Where am I to set the third pace?” He asked. Then Emperor Bali: “Swami! What You asked for was three paces of ground. But with two paces You have taken in both earth and sky. Now, where am I to find ground enough for a third pace! Set that third pace on my head,” he prayed. Then Vāmana set His foot on his head and sent him down to Pātāla. “How did he go down to the world of Pātāla?” you may think. When the first two paces were so vast and so mighty, the third pace too would be just the same, would it not! The moment that foot was set on his head, Bali sank down to Pātāla.
Besides this, there were some other reasons for it too. Emperor Bali was a very great man indeed, full of humility and obedience, a great devotee! But there was some Ahaṅkāra in him. God bears with anything, but He does not approve of one who has these two, anger and Ahaṅkāra. What is this Ahaṅkāra? What do you see in yourself to be so proud of? The beauty of your body? The vigour of your senses? The strength of your intellect? Your property and possessions? None of these lasts. Ahaṅkāra becomes the cause of many evil qualities.
God has given every human being five most sacred qualities: Satya, Dharma, Śānti, Prema and Ahiṃsā. Develop them in yourself. These alone are the five life-breaths of man. Anger, envy, hatred and the other evil qualities are the traits of animals. How can one who has such animal traits be a human being? A human being means one who is endowed with good qualities. Follow Satya. Truth is God. Attain Prema. Love is God. Live in love. You are not bringing forth the sacred qualities that lie right within you. You leave aside what lies within and follow the things of the outer world. Look at the box, and it is an iron box. But what lies inside are precious diamonds. What you value is not the box; you value the jewels in the box. This body too is like an iron box. In it are the precious jewels of Satya, Dharma, Śānti, Prema and Ahiṃsā. This body made of the five elements is bound to come to an end one day or another!