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Vamana (, ) also known as Trivikrama (), Urukrama (), Upendra (), Dadhivamana (, ), and Balibandhana (), is an

avatar Avatar (, ; ) is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means . It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearance" is sometimes u ...

of the

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

deity

Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...

. He is the fifth avatar of Vishnu and the first

Dashavatara The Dashavatara (, ) are the ten primary avatars of Vishnu, a principal Hindus, Hindu god. Vishnu is said to descend in the form of an avatar to restore cosmic order. The word ''Dashavatara'' derives from , meaning "ten", and , roughly equi ...

in the

Treta Yuga ''Treta Yuga'' (IAST: ''Tretā-yuga'') (Devanagari: त्रेतायुग), in Hinduism, is the second and second-best of the four '' yugas'' (world ages) in a '' Yuga Cycle'', preceded by '' Krita (Satya) Yuga'' and followed by '' Dvapara ...

, after

Narasimha Narasimha (, , or , ), is the fourth avatara of the Hindu god Vishnu in the Satya Yuga. He incarnated as a part-lion, part-man and killed Hiranyakashipu, ended religious persecution and calamity on earth, and restored dharma. Narasimha has th ...

. First mentioned in the

Vedas FIle:Atharva-Veda samhita page 471 illustration.png, upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the ''Atharvaveda''. The Vedas ( or ; ), sometimes collectively called the Veda, are a large body of relig ...

, Vamana is most commonly associated in the

Hindu epics Indian epic poetry is the epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent, traditionally called ''Kavya'' (or ''Kāvya''; Sanskrit: काव्य, IAST: ''kāvyá''). The ''Ramayana'' and the '' Mahabharata'', which were originally composed i ...

and

Puranas Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...

with the story of taking back the three worlds (collectively referred to as the

Trailokya Trailokya (; ; , Tibetan: khams gsum; zh, 三界; ) literally means "three worlds".Fischer-Schreiber ''et al.'' (1991), p. 230, entry for "Triloka". Here, synonyms for ''triloka'' include ''trailokya'' and ''traidhātuka''. It can also refer ...

) from the daitya-king

Mahabali Mahabali (IAST: Mahābalī), also known as Bali, Indrasenan, or Māveli, is a daitya king featured in Hinduism. He is the grandson of Prahlada, and a descendant of the sage Kashyapa. There are many versions of his legend in ancient texts suc ...

by taking three steps to restore the cosmic order and push Mahabali into the netherworld. He is the youngest among the

adityas In Hinduism, Adityas ( ) refers to a group of major solar deities, who are the offspring of the goddess Aditi. The name ''Aditya'', in the singular, is taken to refer to the sun god Surya. Generally, Adityas are twelve in number and consi ...

, the sons of

Aditi Aditi (Sanskrit: अदिति, lit. 'boundless' or 'limitless' or 'innocence') is an important Vedic goddess in Hinduism. She is the personification of the sprawling infinite and vast cosmos. She is the goddess of motherhood, consciousne ...

and the sage

Kashyapa Kashyapa (, ) is a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism., Quote: "Kasyapa (Rudra),(Vedic Seer)..." He is one of the Saptarishis, the seven ancient sages of the ''Rigveda''. Kashyapa is the most ancient and venerated rishi, along with the other Sa ...

Nomenclature and etymology

'Vāmana' (Sanskrit वामन) means 'dwarf', 'small' or 'small or short in stature'. It also means 'dwarfish bull', which is notable as

is directly associated with dwarfish animals (including bulls) in the

(see below). Stated in

Puranic Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...

literature to be born of the great sage

and his wife

, other names or

epithet An epithet (, ), also a byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) commonly accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a real or fictitious person, place, or thing. It is usually literally descriptive, as in Alfred the Great, Suleima ...

s referring to Vamana include:

Legend

After

Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes Indra is the m ...

(The king of the devas, the son of

and

) is defeated by the daitya called

Bali Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller o ...

, the king of the

asura Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the wor ...

s, the great-great grandson of Kashyapa and

Diti Diti () is a daughter of the ''Prajapati'' Daksha in Hinduism. She is a wife of the sage Kashyapa and the mother of the demonic race Daityas and the divine group of Marutas. Legend According to the '' Puranic'' scriptures, Diti is one of ...

, the devas ultimately seek refuge in

, who agrees to restore Indra to power. To do so, Vishnu incarnates as Vamana (the son of Kashyapa and Aditi). The devoted Bali conducts ritual

sacrifices Sacrifice is an act or offering made to a deity. A sacrifice can serve as propitiation, or a sacrifice can be an offering of praise and thanksgiving. Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Greeks ...

(partaken by the asuras, but not the devas under Bali's rule), one of which is attended by Vamana, who requests only three feet (steps) of land (usually to build a fire-altar). Bali agrees, despite being warned about Vamana's true nature as Vishnu (usually by his preceptor, the sage Shukra, a descendant of

Bhrigu Bhrigu (, ) is a rishi in Hindu tradition. He is one of the seven great sages, the Saptarshis, and one of the many Prajapatis (the facilitators of creation) created by Brahma. He was the first compiler of predictive astrology and also the aut ...

). Vamana grows in size, and in three strides, encompasses all of existence and beyond. The three worlds are restored to Indra, and Bali and the asuras are banished to

Patala In Indian religions, Patala ( Sanskrit: पाताल, IAST: pātāla, lit. ''that which is below the feet''), denotes the subterranean realms of the universe – which are located under the earthly dimension. Patala is often translated as u ...

, the netherworld.

Symbolism

A. A. Macdonell states that the 'reason why Visnu took his three steps is a secondary trait. He thrice traversed the earthly spaces for man in distress (6, 49); he traversed the earth to bestow it on man for a dwelling (7, 100); he traversed the earthly spaces for wide-stepping existence (1, 155); with

he took vast strides and stretched out the worlds for our existence (6, 69). This feature in the nowiki/>Rigveda">Rigveda.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Rigveda">nowiki/>Rigvedamay ultimately be traced to the myth of Vishnu's dwarf incarnation which appears in the Itihasa">epics Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale Epic(s) ...

and

Puranas Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...

. The intermediate stage is found in the

Brahmana The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedas, Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rigveda, Rig, Samaveda, Sama, Yajurveda, Yajur, and Athar ...

s ([

Shatapatha Brahmana The Shatapatha Brahmana (, , abbreviated to 'SB') is a commentary on the Yajurveda, Śukla Yajurveda. It is attributed to the Vedic sage Yajnavalkya. Described as the most complete, systematic, and important of the Brahmanas (commentaries on the ...

] 1, 2, 5; [Taittiriya Samhita] 2, 1, 3; [Taittiriya Brahmana] 1, 6, 1), where Vishnu takes the form of a dwarf, to reclaim the earth for the devas by means of sacrifice.The three points in sun's course: Roy states that '

's three strides alluded to in the

Rigveda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' (, , from wikt:ऋच्, ऋच्, "praise" and wikt:वेद, वेद, "knowledge") is an ancient Indian Miscellany, collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canoni ...

have been variously interpreted as symbolizing the three different positions of the

sun The Sun is the star at the centre of the Solar System. It is a massive, nearly perfect sphere of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core, radiating the energy from its surface mainly as visible light a ...

at its rising, peak and setting. The three worlds and the three planes: J. Muir mentions Sayanas take on the three steps of Vishnu found the White

Yajurveda The ''Yajurveda'' (, , from यजुस्, "worship", and वेद, "knowledge") is the Veda primarily of prose mantras for worship rituals.Michael Witzel (2003), "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in ''The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism'' (Edito ...

(5.15). 'Vishnu, becoming incarnate as Trivikrama (the god who stepped thrice), strode over the whole universe. The same idea is expressed by the

Rishi In Indian religions, a ''rishi'' ( ) is an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mention in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "gre ...

s, "In three places he planted his step, (one step on the earth, a second in the atmosphere, and a third in the sky) as

Agni Agni ( ) is the Deva (Hinduism), Hindu god of fire. As the Guardians of the directions#Aṣṭa-Dikpāla ("Guardians of Eight Directions"), guardian deity of the southeast direction, he is typically found in southeast corners of Hindu temples. ...

Vayu Vayu (; ), also known as Vata () and Pavana (), is the Hindu deities, Hindu god of the winds as well as the divine messenger of the gods. In the ''Vedic scriptures'', Vayu is an important deity and is closely associated with Indra, the king o ...

, and

Surya Surya ( ; , ) is the Sun#Dalal, Dalal, p. 399 as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchaya ...

each after the other". Agni (Fire) is found on the ground, Vayu (Air) prevades the atmosphere and Surya(Sun) high in the dome of sky, thus the three steps symbolise the three planes, the ground below, air in between, and the sky above. Yajna1

Three states of sleep and wakefulness: S. Chanda states the three strides symbolize the three states of existence – Jagrat (Awake), Swapna (Dream Sleep) and ''sushupti'' (Deep Sleep). The final step of Vamana is on the head of Bali which symbolizes Liberation and the transcendence of these states.

Nirukta

Written by the

grammar In linguistics, grammar is the set of rules for how a natural language is structured, as demonstrated by its speakers or writers. Grammar rules may concern the use of clauses, phrases, and words. The term may also refer to the study of such rul ...

ian Yaska,

Nirukta ''Nirukta'' (, , "explained, interpreted") is one of the six ancient Vedangas, or ancillary science connected with the Vedas – the scriptures of Hinduism.James Lochtefeld (2002), "Nirukta" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 2: ...

is one of the six

Vedanga The Vedanga ( ', "limb of the Veda-s"; plural form: वेदाङ्गानि ') are six auxiliary disciplines of Vedic studies that developed in Vedic and post-Vedic times.James Lochtefeld (2002), "Vedanga" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia o ...

s or 'limbs of the

', concerned with correct

etymology Etymology ( ) is the study of the origin and evolution of words—including their constituent units of sound and meaning—across time. In the 21st century a subfield within linguistics, etymology has become a more rigorously scientific study. ...

and interpretation of the Vedas. The entry for Vishnu (relating to the

) states (square brackets ' are as per the original author): This account essentially states that the three footsteps may symbolise the positions of the sun or physical existence conceptualised as 'three worlds'. In regard to the references to Sakapuni and Aurnavabha, K. S. Murty states that 'Yaska was not the first to interpret Vedic words as he did. He referred to a Nighantu with Samamnaya which he cited and explained. He had predecessors like Sakapuru, Audumbarayana, Aupamanyava and others'.

Vedas

Rigveda

Samhita

Roy states that the

Rigvedic The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' (, , from ऋच्, "praise" and वेद, "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts (''śruti'') known as the ...

passages referring to

's three strides are obviously the nucleus, out of which the legend of the Dwarf was created. But the Rigveda, however, does not describe Vishnu as dwarf or ''Vamana'''. W. J. Wilkins agrees, stating that in regard to the Vishnu strides of the Rigveda, 'in these verses there is probably the germ of the Dwarf Incarnation'. In regard to the above-quoted verses, it is commonly accepted that there are

Seven Continents A continent is any of several large geographical regions. Continents are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria. A continent could be a single large landmass, a part of a very large landmass, as in the case of As ...

or 'regions of the earth'. A. Glucklich adds that 'In the

Matsya Purana The ''Matsya Purana'' (IAST: Matsya Purāṇa) is one of the eighteen major Puranas (Mahapurana), and among the oldest and better preserved in the Puranic genre of Sanskrit literature in Hinduism. The text is a Vaishnavism text named after the h ...

, for instance, there is a seven-part map of the world ...

t has T, or t, is the twentieth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''tee'' (pronounced ), plural ''tees''. It is d ...

one centre, where an immense mountain –

Mount Meru Mount Meru (Sanskrit/Pali: मेरु)—also known as Sumeru, Sineru or Mahāmeru—is a sacred, five-peaked mountain present within Hindu, Jain and Buddhist cosmologies, revered as the centre of all physical, metaphysical and spiritua ...

(or Maha Meru, Great Meru) – stands ... The continents encircle the mountain in seven concentric circles ... It seems clear that the Himalayas were the approximate location of Mt. Meru'. In regard to the three steps of

, Glucklich points out that in some legends of Vamana and the

Asura Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the wor ...

-King

, that 'the first tepcovered the entire earth, the second covered the atmosphere, and the third measured heaven in its entirety'. M. Haug, in his translation of the

Aitareya Brahmana The Aitareya Brahmana () is the Brahmana of the Shakala Shakha of the Rigveda, an ancient Indian collection of sacred hymns. This work, according to the tradition, is ascribed to Mahidasa Aitareya. Authorship Sayana of Vijayanagara, a 14th ce ...

(1.1.5) of the

, clarifies that the 'three worlds' often means the Ground (Earth), the Air (Atmosphere), and the Sky (Heavens). Three steps thus encompasses all of physical existence (although in some

Puranic Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...

accounts Vamana does so in only two steps). D. Goodall also relates more a

mystical Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight ...

interpretation of what 'three worlds' symbolises, as provided by the

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad The ''Brihadaranyaka Upanishad'' (, ) is one of the Mukhya Upanishads, Principal Upanishads and one of the first Upanishadic scriptures of Hinduism. A key scripture to various schools of Hinduism, the ''Brihadaranyaka Upanisad'' is tenth in the ...

, including

Mind The mind is that which thinks, feels, perceives, imagines, remembers, and wills. It covers the totality of mental phenomena, including both conscious processes, through which an individual is aware of external and internal circumstances ...

Speech Speech is the use of the human voice as a medium for language. Spoken language combines vowel and consonant sounds to form units of meaning like words, which belong to a language's lexicon. There are many different intentional speech acts, suc ...

, and

Breath Breathing (spiration or ventilation) is the neuroscience of rhythm, rhythmical process of moving air into (inhalation) and out of (exhalation) the lungs to facilitate gas exchange with the Milieu intérieur, internal environment, mostly to flu ...

(see

Upanishad The Upanishads (; , , ) are late Vedic and post-Vedic Sanskrit texts that "document the transition from the archaic ritualism of the Veda into new religious ideas and institutions" and the emergence of the central religious concepts of Hind ...

section, below). Notably, Muir also states that although '''Adabhya can be translated as 'who cannot be deceived' (as provided by Griffiths, above), it can also be translated as 'the unconquerable preserver', and notes that the 'idea of Vishnu being preeminently the preserver of the universe, which became current in later times .e. in the Trimurti">Trimurti.html" ;"title=".e. in the Trimurti">.e. in the Trimurti may possibly have been derived from this verse'.

Aitareya Brahmana

The concept of

obtaining the three worlds for the Deva (Hinduism)">Devas from the

s in three steps is clearly explained in the

. The

Samhita verse referred to (6.69.8) regarding

and Vishnu battling the Asuras states 'Ye Twain have conquered, ne’er have ye been conquered: never hath either of the Twain been vanquished. Ye, Indra-Vishnu, when ye fought the battle, produced this infinite with three divisions'. The

Maruts In Hinduism, the Maruts (; ), also known as the Marutagana and sometimes identified with Rudras, are storm deities and sons of Rudra and Prisni. The number of Maruts varies from 27 to sixty (three times sixty in RV 8.96.8). They are very viol ...

, referred to as 'the sons of

Rudra Rudra (/ ɾud̪ɾə/; ) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the ''Rigveda'', Rudra is praised as the "mightiest of the mighty". Rudra ...

' are frequently mentioned throughout the

, including in relation to the above quotation, producing rain (1.38.7).

is the god of rain and as stated in the

, 'rain gives food' (2.5.41; pp. 106). This is elaborated upon in the

Aitareya Aranyaka The ''Aranyakas'' (; ; IAST: ') are a part of the ancient Indian Vedas concerned with the meaning of ritual sacrifice, composed in about 700 BC. They typically represent the later sections of the Vedas, and are one of many layers of Vedic text ...

(Aranyaka 2, Adhyaya 3) which states "the seed of the devas is rain. The seed of rain is herbs. The seed of herbs is food". Additionally, in the

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; ), often referred to as the Gita (), is a Hindu texts, Hindu scripture, dated to the second or first century BCE, which forms part of the Hindu epic, epic poem Mahabharata. The Gita is a synthesis of various strands of Ind ...

Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...

states 'All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of

yajna In Hinduism, ''Yajna'' or ''Yagna'' (, Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐd͡ʒɲə ) also known as Hawan, is a ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras. Yajna has been a Vedas, Vedic tradition, described in a layer of Vedic literature ...

' (3.14).

Sama Veda

Samhita

The translator, R.T.H. Griffith, states in his introduction to the

Sama Veda The ''Samaveda'' (, , from '' सामन्'', "song" and ''वेद'', "knowledge"), is the Veda of melodies and chants. It is an ancient Vedic Sanskrit text, and is one of the sacred scriptures in Hinduism. One of the four Vedas, it is a l ...

that it 'is made up of hymns, portions of hymns, and detached verses, taken mainly from the ''

'''. The above-quoted Sama Veda hymn, for example, is taken directly from Rigveda hymn 1.22.

Pancavimsa Brahmana

The terms 'stoma' and 'saman' from the above-quoted Pancavimsa

refer to

mantra A mantra ( ; Pali: ''mantra'') or mantram (Devanagari: मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) belie ...

s and hymns, such from the

. The Jaiminīya

has a similar verse (1.3.3.2; also of the Sama Veda) which omits

's strides but explains the Varavantiya saman as 'He who desired cattle should apply the Varavantiya Saman.

Prajapati Prajapati (, ) is a Vedas, Vedic deity of Hinduism. He is later identified with Brahma, the creator god. Prajapati is a form of the creator-god Brahma, but the name is also the name of many different gods, in many Hindu scriptures, ranging f ...

created the animals. Having been created they ran away from him. By means of the Varavantiya Saman he held them back. Because he held them back (''avarayat'') therefore the Varavantiya is called the Varavantiya. The application of the Varavantiya as the agnistoma Saman is made in order that the animals remain present and do not run away'. In the

Taittiriya Samhita The ''Taittirīya Shakha'' (Sanskrit, loosely meaning 'Branch or School of the sage Tittiri'), is a ''shakha'' (i.e. 'branch', 'school', or rescension) of the Krishna (black) Yajurveda. The Taittiriyas are themselves divided into numerous sub-s ...

5.5.8 (Black

) Varavantiya is also explained as 'Prajapati created

; he gni eingcreated, went away from him; him gnihe rajapatichecked (''avarayata'') by the Varavantiya, and that is why the Varavantiya has its name. By the Cyaita he congealed him, and that is why the Cyaita has its name. In that he reverences, with the Varavantiya, he restrains him, and by the Cyaita he congeals him'. The strides of Vishnu are thus referred to in regard to restraining animals from running away from sacrifices (often in rituals rice-cakes and other plant or milk-based foods would be

symbol A symbol is a mark, Sign (semiotics), sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, physical object, object, or wikt:relationship, relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by cr ...

ically sacrificed while the actual animals they represented would be left unharmed). This idea of being restrained by Vishnu strides may be linked to

often being restrained or bound in the legend of Vamana.

Yajur Veda

White Yajurveda: Vajasaneyi Samhita

In regard to the above quotation, Aiyangar states that long (i.e. including braided) hair indicates Munis, and shaven hair indicates 'an

ascetic Asceticism is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures through self-discipline, self-imposed poverty, and simple living, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their pra ...

of the order of sannyasin'. Roy argues that in 'the Satarudriya hymn of the

.e. Vajasaneyi Samhita, Book 16, as quoted above

is referred to as ''vamana''. Rudra is said to preside over the asterism of Ardra and may, therefore, be understood to denote the star'. However, the terms 'thousand-eyed' (i.e.

Purusha ''Purusha'' (, ʊɾʊʂᵊ ) is a complex concept whose meaning evolved in Vedic and Upanishadic times. Depending on source and historical timeline, it means the cosmic being or self, awareness, and universal principle.Karl Potter, Presupposit ...

, see second account of Vamana in the Harivamsa, below), 'mountain-haunter' (e.g.

1.154, above), and 'Sipivishta' given in the above-quote all also apply to

. In addition, the

(attached to the Vajasaneyi Samhita), relates the legend of Vishnu as a Dwarf, not Rudra /

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

. Regardless, in the

Puranas Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...

there are legends of both Vishnu and Shiva incarnating as Brahmin-dwarfs, and the above-quoted hymn provides the essential ingredients: the

Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

, the

Dwarf Dwarf, dwarfs or dwarves may refer to: Common uses *Dwarf (folklore), a supernatural being from Germanic folklore * Dwarf, a human or animal with dwarfism Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * Dwarf (''Dungeons & Dragons''), a sh ...

, and the concept of growth.

White Yajurveda: Shatapatha Brahmana

Muir states about this legend in the

that '

is represented as a

dwarf Dwarf, dwarfs or dwarves may refer to: Common uses *Dwarf (folklore), a supernatural being from Germanic folklore * Dwarf, a human or animal with dwarfism Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * Dwarf (''Dungeons & Dragons''), a sh ...

, and as having, under the form of

sacrifice Sacrifice is an act or offering made to a deity. A sacrifice can serve as propitiation, or a sacrifice can be an offering of praise and thanksgiving. Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Gree ...

, conquered the whole earth...

his His or HIS may refer to: Computing * Hightech Information System, a Hong Kong graphics card company * Honeywell Information Systems * Hybrid intelligent system * Microsoft Host Integration Server Education * Hangzhou International School, ...

contains the germ of the story of the Dwarf .e. Vamanaincarnation'. This legend is given in relation to the ''Darsapûrnamâseshtî'', or 'New and Full-moon Sacrifices'. The translator, Eggeling, states (footnote 59:1 of the given link) that the above-quoted legend 'represents the ''Purva-Parigraha'', or first enclosing of the

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...

by a single line being drawn with the wooden sword sacrificial instrument called a ''satasphyam''on each of the three sides'. He also supposes (while admitting he cannot prove it) that the size of

may represent 'the sun-light, which, on shrinking to a dwarf's size in the evening, is the only means of preservation left to the devas'. This instruction, relating directly to the Vishnu strides mentioned in the

, is also given in relation to the ''Darsapūrnamāseshtī'', or 'New and Full-moon Sacrifices'. The three strides of Vishnu are not mentioned in direct relation to the legend of Vishnu as a dwarf. Instead, they are mentioned in regard to the performance of

s to consecrate the sacrificial ground (e.g. to drive away the

Rakshasa Rākshasa (, , ; ; "preservers") are a race of usually malevolent beings prominently featured in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Folk Islam. They reside on Earth but possess supernatural powers, which they usually use for evil acts such as ...

s or 'demons' and solidify their own power). This quote shows that 'Bali' is used refer to oblative portions or sacrificial offerings in ritual ceremonies such as the Agnihotra. In combination with 'Bali' being used to refer to taxes (see Taittiriya Brahmana, below), it therefore seems possible these meanings are linked with

being a king that loved to perform sacrifices and give sacrificial offerings (e.g. such as three steps of land).

Black Yajurveda: Taittiriya Samhita

As per the above quote from the Taittirya Samhita, the sacrificial fee for

is a dwarf-animal (also stated in 1.8.1 (ox), 1.8.8, and 1.8.17). As D.A. Soifer states, the 'series of connections inherent in all this seems to be as follows: Visnu's three steps regain the worlds - Vishnu as a dwarf takes the three steps - a dwarf animal is sacrificed to Visnu to gain the power of this three steps'.

Black Yajurveda: Taittiriya Brahmana

This quote shows that 'Bali' is used refer to taxes paid to the King. It seems possible that this is linked to the character of Bali being a king (of the Asuras) who - also consistent with the other meaning of 'sacrificial offerings or oblations' - loved to perform sacrifices and give sacrificial offerings (such as land requested by dwarf-

s).

Atharva Veda

Upanishads

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

The

is one of the

Mukhya Principal Upanishads, also known as Mukhya Upanishads, are the most ancient and widely studied Upanishads of Hinduism. Composed between 800 BCE to the start of common era, these texts are connected to the Vedic tradition. Content The Principal U ...

or Principal 108

Upanishads The Upanishads (; , , ) are late Vedic and post-Vedic Sanskrit texts that "document the transition from the archaic ritualism of the Veda into new religious ideas and institutions" and the emergence of the central religious concepts of Hind ...

. From the last book of the

Satapatha Brahmana The Shatapatha Brahmana (, , abbreviated to 'SB') is a commentary on the Śukla Yajurveda. It is attributed to the Vedic sage Yajnavalkya. Described as the most complete, systematic, and important of the Brahmanas (commentaries on the Vedas), it ...

(Kanva

recension Recension is the practice of editing or revising a text based on critical analysis. When referring to manuscripts, this may be a revision by another author. The term is derived from the Latin ("review, analysis"). In textual criticism (as is the ...

; this article cites the Madhyandina recension in the section above, which does not contain the Upanishad),Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, , pages 389-397 it is a treatise on Atman (Soul or Self), and has been commented upon by figures such as Adi Shankar and

Madhvacharya Madhvacharya (; ; 1199–1278 CE or 1238–1317 CE), also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' (dualism) school of Vedanta. Madhva called his philosophy ...

. According to this Sruti scripture, the concept of the 'three worlds' does not just refer to physical reality (i.e. ground, atmosphere, and sky). It also has other - more mystical - meanings, including

, and Vital Force. As such, the legend of Vamana striding over the three worlds in two or three steps also may have more mystical meanings, and those provided by the

seem to be consistent with established Vedic concepts such as Pancha Bhoota (the

classical element The classical elements typically refer to Earth (classical element), earth, Water (classical element), water, Air (classical element), air, Fire (classical element), fire, and (later) Aether (classical element), aether which were proposed to ...

s). For example, it is stated by the above-quoted Upanishad that the first step on the earth also represents the organ of speech (' vac' or 'vak'). According to other authoritative - including Sruti sources - the first step, ground, and speech are all represented by

(God of Fire; fire-altars are key components of

): * Sayana states that the first step on the earth is represented by

(see above). *The

(Black

) 1.7.11 states 'Agni with one syllable won speech' (2.1.4 also explains the symbolic significance of the number three). * The

(White Yajurveda) 3.2.2.13 states 'Agni is speech'.

Itihasa (Epics)

Mahabharata

The

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...

, ascribed to the sage

Vyasa Vyasa (; , ) or Veda Vyasa (, ), also known as Krishna Dvaipayana Veda Vyasa (, ''Vedavyāsa''), is a ''rishi'' (sage) with a prominent role in most Hindu traditions. He is traditionally regarded as the author of the epic Mahabharata, Mah� ...

, is one of two epic poems (

Itihasa In Hinduism, Itihasa-Purana, also called the fifth Veda, refers to the traditional accounts of cosmogeny, myths, royal genealogies of the lunar dynasty and solar dynasty, and legendary past events, as narrated in the ''Itihasa'' (Mahabhara ...

) in the

cannon. Most notably, of the 18 the books (''parvas'') of the Mahabharata, the sixth (called the Bhishma Parva) is the

, containing the teachings of

(synonymous with

Hari Hari () is among the primary epithets of the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu, meaning 'the one who takes away' (sins). It refers to the one who removes darkness and illusion, the one who removes all obstacles to spiritual progress. The name Ha ...

, as evidenced by the Mahabharata itself). The main account of Vamana is quoted above from chapter 270 of the third book, the

Vana Parva The Vana Parva ("Book of the Forest") is the third of the eighteen ''parvas'' (books) of the Indian epic ''Mahabharata''.van Buitenen, J.A.B. (1975) ''The Mahabharata: Book 2: The Book of the Assembly Hall; Book 3: The Book of the Forest''. Chicag ...

, in its entirety. All other references cited are either brief mentions of this legend or supplementary information such as blessings that can be obtained in relation to Vamana. Notably, academics such as J. Melton and C. A. Jones state that '

Onam Onam () is an annual harvest and Hindus, Hindu cultural festival celebrated mostly by the people of Kerala. A major annual event for Malayalis, Keralites, it is the official festival of the state and includes a spectrum of cultural events. H ...

, an ancient rice harvest festival, is now tied to the story of King

as recounted in the epic Indian tale, the

...

, impressed with Mahabali's devotion, granted him alithe boon of being able to revisit his former subjects once a year'. However, no references were provided and no such account has been found in the Mahabharata (at least in the translation by K.M. Ganguli). Other notable details include: * Referring to the

(i.e. the three steps of Vishnu), it is stated ' He is the great

Boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...

. He is the great Man-Lion, and He is the Three-stepped Lord' (Book 6, Bhishma Parva, LXVII) *

gave birth to the devas (including Vamana),

the Asuras, and Danu the

Danavas In Hindu mythology, the danavas are a race descending from Kashyapa and his wife Danu, a daughter of the progenitor god, Daksha. It is mentioned that there are one hundred danavas. Origin The danavas are a mythological race of asuras, the ...

; all are wives of

(Book 12, Santi Parva, CCVII) *

, while informing the sage

Narada Narada (, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage-divinity, famous in Hinduism, Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of the Manasputra, mind-created children of Brahma, the creator ...

of His incarnations including Vamana, states 'The

... were re-created by me in the

Satya Yuga ''Satya Yuga'' ( ''Krita Yuga'', IAST: ''Kṛta-yuga''), in Hinduism, is the first and best of the four '' yugas'' (world ages) in a '' Yuga Cycle'', preceded by '' Kali Yuga'' of the previous cycle and followed by '' Treta Yuga''. ''Satya Yug ...

(Golden Age). They have once more disappeared or may only be partially heard here and there in the

Puranas Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...

' (Book 12, Santi Parva, CCCXL) *It is stated that 'By observing a fast on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of

Ashadha Ashadha or Aashaadha or Adi () is a month of the Hindu calendar that corresponds to June/July in the Gregorian calendar. In India's national civil calendar, this month is the fourth month of the year, beginning on 22 June and ending on 22 July. I ...

and worshipping

as the dwarf (who beguiled the

king Vali), one attains to the merits of the Naramedha sacrifice and sports in happiness with the

Apsara Apsaras (, , Khmer language, Khmer: អប្សរា are a class of celestial beings in Hinduism, Hindu and Culture of Buddhism, Buddhist culture. They were originally a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters, but, later play ...

s' (Book 13, Anusasana Parva, CIX) *

states 'who behold a

that is a

in stature, or a

boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...

that has just risen from water and that bears on his head a quantity of mud taken up from the bank, have never to meet with any evil. They become freed from every sin' (Book 13, Anusasana Parva, CXXVI)

Harivamsa

= First account

= The first account consists of only one chapter (Bhavishya Parva: XXVII / 27). It begins with the Daitya

, having conquered

and the devas, conducting a

Rajasuya Rajasuya () is a śrauta ritual of the Vedic religion. It is ceremony that marks a consecration of a king. According to the Puranas, it refers to a great sacrifice performed by a Chakravarti – universal monarch, in which the tributary princes ...

sacrifice, officiated by Shukra and joined by 'many

Brahmanas The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedas, Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rigveda, Rig, Samaveda, Sama, Yajurveda, Yajur, and Athar ...

observant of

vows and well read in the

'. At this sacrifice

Sarasvati Saraswati (, ), also spelled as Sarasvati, is one of the principal Devi, goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of knowledge, education, learning, arts, speech, poetry, music, purification, language and culture. Together with the godde ...

(

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...

) appears and grants Bali a boon. Vamana is then born, takes the three worlds away from Bali in three footsteps, and restores

to power while the ' Daityas entered into the nether region'. Bali gratifies the devas with an 'offering of

ambrosia In the ancient Greek mythology, Greek myths, ambrosia (, ) is the food or drink of the Greek gods, and is often depicted as conferring longevity or immortality upon whoever consumed it. It was brought to the gods in Mount Olympus, Olympus by do ...

', and so 'was shorn of his sins and became immortal'.

= Second account

= The second account of the legend of Vamana is very similar to the accounts in the

and

Vamana Purana The ''Vamana Purana'' (, IAST: ), is an ancient Sanskrit text that is at least 1,000 years old and is one of the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. The text is named after one of the incarnations of Vishnu and probably was a Vaishnava text ...

. As shown above in comparison to the Vamana Purana, there are even strong similarities in wording, despite being a different translation of different text by a different translator. It therefore seems likely that either all three texts share a common source, or that one is the origin of the others. The second - and main - account of Vamana consists of 7 chapters (Bhavishya Parva: XL-XLVI / 40–46). '

, the well-dressed son of

Marichi Marichi () or Mareechi or Marishi is the mind-born son of Brahma, and one of the Saptarishi in Hindu mythology. He is also the father of Kashyapa, and the grandfather of the ''devas'' and the ''asuras''. In Jainism, he is referred to as o ...

, espoused two sisters of

and

'. Aditi gives birth to the twelve classes of celestials /

Adityas In Hinduism, Adityas ( ) refers to a group of major solar deities, who are the offspring of the goddess Aditi. The name ''Aditya'', in the singular, is taken to refer to the sun god Surya. Generally, Adityas are twelve in number and consi ...

/ Suras (e.g. '

' is the name of a post or class of a god, not an individual), and Diti gives birth to the demons / Daityas /

s, including

Hiranyakashipu Hiranyakashipu (, ), also known as Hiranyakashyap, was a daitya king of the asuras in the Puranas. In Hinduism, Hiranyakashipu's younger brother, Hiranyaksha, was slain by the Varaha (boar) avatar of Vishnu. Angered by this, Hiranyakashipu ...

, the great-grandfather of

. After Hiranyakashipu is destroyed by the

incarnation, the noble Bali is crowned King of the Asuras (XL). Having defeated Indra and the Suras, Bali is congratulated by

(XLI). The devas seek refuge with their mother, Aditi, at her Hermitage. She tells Indra 'yourself and all the immortals cannot slay

Virochana Virochana () is an asura king in Hinduism. He is the grandson of Hiranyakashipu, the son of Prahlada (according to the Atharvaveda The Atharvaveda or Atharva Veda (, , from ''wikt:अथर्वन्, अथर्वन्'', "priest" ...

's son, Bali. Only the thousand-headed

is capable of slaying him and none else'. The devas and Aditi then approach Kashyapa, who agreeing with their desire to restore Indra's throne, takes them to the celestial abode of

Brahmaloka Brahmaloka (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मालोक, IAST: Brahmāloka) or Satyaloka (Sanskrit: सत्यलोक) sometimes refers to the realm of Brahma, the creator god, a member of the Trimurti along with Vishnu and Shiva, along with his ...

to speak with

Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...

. Brahma advises them to seek

, and they do so 'at the northern bank of the ocean of milk... Reaching that place called

Amrita ''Amrita'' (, IAST: ''amṛta''), ''Amrit'' or ''Amata'' in Pali language, Pali, (also called ''Sudha'', ''Amiy'', ''Ami'') is a Sanskrit word that means "immortality". It is a central concept within Indian religions and is often referred to i ...

the Suras along with Kashyapa began to practice hard austerities for many years with a view to propitiate the thousand-eyed intelligent

Yogi A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation in Indian religions.A. K. Banerjea (2014), ''Philosophy of Gorakhnath with Goraksha-Vacana-Sangraha'', Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. xxiii, 297–299, 331 ...

Narayana Narayana (, ) is one of the forms and epithets of Vishnu. In this form, the deity is depicted in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, symbolising the masculine principle and associated with his role of creation. He is also known as Pu ...

' (XLII). Vishnu, pleased with the austerities of the devas, agrees to Kashyapa's request to be born as Indra's 'younger brother, ever enhancing the joy of thy kinsmen and as the son of myself and Aditi'. Back at the Hermitage 'filled with saints they he devasengaged in the study of the

and awaited Aditi's conception;. After a thousand years of pregnancy, Aditi, gives birth to Vamana, 'the protector of the devas and the destroyer of the Asuras' (XLIII). Praised and Eulogised by the devas, Vamana agrees to attend the horse sacrifice of Bali with the

Vrihaspati, and while there 'will do what I think proper for regaining the three worlds'. At the sacrifice Vamana 'assumed the form of a boy, had smokey eyes, wore sacrificial thread well-polished, and deer-skin. He had an umbrella and staff in his hands. Although not aged he appeared like an old man'. Appearing to Bali, Vamana 'of wonderful speech, with reasons and arguments laid down in the Vedas, but not visible to any, described himself unto Bali as being identical with

'. Astonished, Bali asks about Vamana and what He wants (XLIV). After describing the details and merits of the

Ashvamedha The Ashvamedha () was a horse sacrifice ritual followed by the Śrauta tradition of Vedic religion. It was used by ancient Indian kings to prove their imperial sovereignty: a horse accompanied by the king's warriors would be released to wander ...

sacrifice, Vamana requests three steps of land before Bali is warned by Shukra 'do not promise him any gift... He is the Great Lord

. Having assumed the form of a dwarf through his

Maya Maya may refer to: Ethnic groups * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Mayan languages, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (East Africa), a p ...

he has come here to impose on you for the well-being of the king of devas ndra. Bali, pleased that the Lord of Sacrifice has personally attended, rejects the protests of both Shukra and his grandfather

Prahlada Prahlada () is an asura king in Hindu scriptures. He is known for his staunch devotion to the preserver deity, Vishnu. He appears in the narrative of Narasimha, the lion avatara of Vishnu, who rescues Prahlada by disimboweling and killing hi ...

to gift three footsteps of land to Vamana, who then displays his Universal Form. Angry, the other Asuras approach Vamana 'like insects going to a fire' (XLV). Increasing His gigantic form, Vamana smashes 'all the sons of Diti with his palms and feet'. The Asura leaders are destroyed, the three worlds possessed 'with his three-foot steps' are given back to Indra, and Bali is pleased to be assigned 'the region under the earth called Sutala'. Bali is also conferred a boon where he will benefit from the merits of things like improper sacrifices and vow-less studies, etc. Vishnu divides the world, and later

and

Garuda Garuda (; ; Vedic Sanskrit: , ) is a Hindu deity who is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. This divine creature is mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain faiths. Garuda is also the half-brother of the D ...

discuss Vishnu with Bali, bound by celestial serpents (XLVI).

= Links to the Varaha incarnation

= * Notably, the horse-sacrifice (

) is described as 'the best of all sacrifices' and that this 'great

s inthe shape of a

with golden horns, iron hoops and gait fleet like the mind, which has profuse gold and is the origin of the universe, is highly sacred'. This may link to the

Varaha Varaha (, , "boar") is the avatar of the Hinduism, Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of a wild boar, boar. Varaha is generally listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu. In legend, when the demon Hiranyaksha steals ...

incarnation (Bhavishya Parva: XLV) *

, after the three worlds were taken from him by the Vamana incarnation and stricken by the consequences, mentions

lifting the Earth to

(Bhavishya Parva: XLVI)

Ramayana

Valmiki version 1

* Siddhacrama is the name of the Hermitage 'of the high-souled Vamana' (Vol 1, Balakandam - XXIX)

Valmiki version 2

Adhyatma Ramayana

Mahapuranas

Agni Purana

The first brief account of the legend of Vamana in the Agni Purana, consisting of only 7 verses (or

Slokas Shloka or śloka ( , from the root , Macdonell, Arthur A., ''A Sanskrit Grammar for Students'', Appendix II, p. 232 (Oxford University Press, 3rd edition, 1927).) in a broader sense, according to Monier-Williams's dictionary, is "any verse or stan ...

), has been quoted above in full. Notably, despite only being two paragraphs in length, it seems to contain all the fundamentals of the legend (i.e. more elaborate accounts consisting of several chapters still follow the same steps or formula): #

and the devas are defeated by

, the demonic king who now rules the three worlds # The devas ultimately seek refuge in

, who is born to

as Vamana the

-dwarf, to defeat Bali # Vamana attends a

Sacrifice Sacrifice is an act or offering made to a deity. A sacrifice can serve as propitiation, or a sacrifice can be an offering of praise and thanksgiving. Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Gree ...

being performed by the noble Bali, who ignores warnings about Vamana to knowingly grant three steps of land # Vamana repossesses the three worlds in three steps which are given to Indra who rules again, and Bali is sent to the Netherworld. Other details include: * Siddhasrama is stated to be 'the place where

manifested as the Dwarf' (5.9) * Images of Vamana,

Hayagriva Hayagriva ( IAST , ) is a Hindus, Hindu deity, the horse-headed avatar of Vishnu. The purpose of this incarnation was to slay a Danava (Hinduism), danava also named Hayagriva (A descendant of Kashyapa and Danu), who had the head of a horse a ...

, and

should be placed in the south-east, south-west, north-west, and north-east, respectively (43.2) * Vamana is stated to bear 'the

Conch Conch ( , , ) is a common name of a number of different medium-to-large-sized sea snails. Conch shells typically have a high Spire (mollusc), spire and a noticeable siphonal canal (in other words, the shell comes to a noticeable point on both ...

, Disc, Mace, and Lotus' (48.4) *

details the means of worshipping Vamana, via observation of the ''Sravanadvadasi''

Vrata Vrata is a Sanskrit word that means "vow, resolve, devotion", and refers to pious observances such as Fasting#Hinduism, fasting and pilgrimage (Tirtha (Hinduism), Tirtha) found in Indian religions such as Hinduism and Jainism. It is typically ...

in the month of Bhadrapada (189.3-15) * Of the 12 battles or wars between the Devas and

s, the first involved

, the second Vamana, and the third

(276.10-11) * Vamana should be worshipped at Kuruksetra (305.6)

Bhagavata Purana

The main account of the legend of Vamana in the Bhagavata Puran is narrated by Sukadeva Gosvami to King Pariksit (canto 8, chapters 15–22). Given its similarity to legends provided in the Harivamsa, as well as the

Matsya Matsya () is the fish avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. Often described as the first of Vishnu's Dashavatara, ten primary avatars, Matsya is described to have rescued the first man, Manu (Hinduism), Manu, from a great deluge. Matsya may be dep ...

Vamana Vamana (, ) also known as Trivikrama (), Urukrama (), Upendra (), Dadhivamana (, ), and Balibandhana (), is an Dashavatara, avatar of the Hinduism, Hindu deity Vishnu. He is the fifth avatar of Vishnu and the first Dashavatara in the Treta ...

, and Skanda Purunas, it seems this account either shares a common source, or more likely (on the assumption the Bhagavata was written later) was derived from at least one of these other accounts. Quotes given below in the chapter summaries are taken from the chapter introductions provided by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) for conciseness. After the Churning Of The Ocean Of Milk (see Kurma),

was defeated and killed by the Devas led by

, but was brought back by Sukracarya, who becomes his

preceptor A preceptor (from Latin, "''praecepto''") is a teacher responsible for upholding a ''precept'', meaning a certain law or tradition. Buddhist monastic orders Senior Buddhist monks can become the preceptors for newly ordained monks. In the Buddhi ...

(or acarya; 11). After performing the Visvajit-

, and rebuilding his strength, Bali travels to the city of Indrapuri with his army for another battle with Indra, while ' Brhaspati advised the demidevas to leave the heavenly planets and keep themselves somewhere invisible... hen Bali in performing one hundred asvamedha-yajnas... enjoyed the opulences of the heavenly planets' (15).

, to help her son Indra, performs penances to propitiate

, as taught by

(16).

, 'being very pleased by the '' payo-vrata'' ceremony performed by Aditi... agreed to become her son' (17). After Vamana is born and assumes the form of a dwarf, the Jatakarma (birthday) and sacred thread ceremonies are performed. Vamana then visits the sacrificial arena f Balion the northern side of the

Narmada River The Narmada River, previously also known as ''Narbada'' or anglicised as ''Nerbudda'', is the 5th longest river in India and overall the longest west-flowing river in the country. It is also the largest flowing river in the state of Madhya Prade ...

, at the field known as Bhṛgukaccha, where

brahmanas The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedas, Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rigveda, Rig, Samaveda, Sama, Yajurveda, Yajur, and Athar ...

of the

dynasty were performing

s... after washing the Lord's feet, Bali

Maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and Medieval India, medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a pri ...

immediately accepted the water from the Lord's feet on his head and felt that he and his predecessors had certainly been glorified. Then Bali Maharaja inquired of Lord Vamanadeva's welfare and requested the Lord to ask him for money, jewels or anything He might desire' (18). Maharishi Bhrighuji

Vamana praises Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa before asking for three footsteps of land. However, Sukracarya knows the dwarf is Vishnu acting on behalf of Indra, and so forbids Bali to gift anything (19). As it 'is the duty of a householder to maintain the principles of religion... Bali Maharaja thought it improper to withdraw his promise... Lord Vamanadeva then immediately extended Himself into a universal body. By the mercy of Lord Vamanadeva, Bali Maharaja could see that the Lord is all-pervading and that everything rests in His body... The Lord gradually covered the entire surface of the world, and by extending His body He covered the entire sky. With His hands He covered all directions, and with His second footstep He covered the entire upper planetary system. Therefore, there was no vacant place where He could take His third footstep' (20). Seeing Bali deprived of everything in two steps, angry demons attack Vamana, but are defeated and - on Bali's order - are banished to the netherworld. Bali is arrested and bound with the rope of

Varuna Varuna (; , ) is a Hindu god. He is one of the earliest deities in pantheon, whose role underwent a significant transformation from the Vedic to the Puranic periods. In the early Vedic era, Varuna is seen as the god-sovereign, ruling the sky ...

, before Vishnu asks for the third step of land promised. However, as 'Lord Vishnu appreciated Bali Maharaja's determination and integrity, when Bali Maharaja was unable to fulfill his promise, Lord Vishnu ascertained that the place for him would be the planet Sutala, which is better than the planets of heaven' (21). Bali remembers the devotion of his grandfather,

, and so offers his head to Vishnu for the third step; pleased with this devotion, Krishna offers 'His disc to protect Bali Maharaja' and promises to remain with him as a doorkeeper (22). Other details include: * Vamana is the 15th overall incarnation of Krishna (1.3.19) *Vamana is stated to have had a wife called Kirti with whom 'He begot one son, named Bṛhatsloka, who had many sons, headed by Saubhaga' (6.18.8). Aiyangar states that Kirti means 'Fame', Brihat-soka means 'great praise', and Sanbhaga means 'Happiness'. The only other mention of a wife is made in the Vishnu Puran, whose name there is stated to be Padma or Kamala (see below) * According to the Brahmavaivarta Puran, Aditi performed a different ceremony to beget Vamana, called the ''Supunyaka

'' (see below) * The 'kaccha' from 'Bhrgukaccha' (8.18) refers to

tortoises Tortoises ( ) are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin for "tortoise"). Like other turtles, tortoises have a turtle shell, shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard ...

, as well as to soil *

informs his parents,

Vasudeva Vasudeva (; Sanskrit: वसुदेव ), also called Anakadundubhi (''anakas'' and ''dundubhis'' both refer to ''drums'', after the musicians who played these instruments at the time of his birth), is the father of the Hindu deities Krishna ( ...

and

Devaki Devaki (Sanskrit: देवकी, International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''Devakī'') is a character in Hindu texts, Hindu literature, most noted for being the mother of the god Krishna. She is one of the seven daughters of ...

, that He was also previously their son as Vamana (also known as Upendra) when they were

and

(10.3.42) * Bana, the eldest son of Bali, was a devotee of

and 'especially satisfied the lord by playing a musical accompaniment with his one thousand arms' (10.62.2)

Brahma Purana

First account

Although the first account of the legend of Vamana in Brahma Purana is brief and otherwise entirely typical in nature, it is notable that 20 of the 28 verses focus on detailing the names and attributes of the

s that either attacked and/or were destroyed by Vamana. The remaining 8 verses (or

slokas Shloka or śloka ( , from the root , Macdonell, Arthur A., ''A Sanskrit Grammar for Students'', Appendix II, p. 232 (Oxford University Press, 3rd edition, 1927).) in a broader sense, according to Monier-Williams's dictionary, is "any verse or stan ...

) relay the legend itself, whereby Vishnu adopts the dwarf-form of Vamana, attends 'the

of the powerful

', crushes the demons in His gigantic form, and returns control of the three worlds to

Second account

The second account of the legend of Vamana consists of an entire chapter (Gautami-Mahatmya: 4; 68 verses). Narrated by

, it differs from the usual accounts insofar as the devas led by

are 'defeated' not in a literal battle, but rather by the good and noble qualities of the invincible

, under whose rule 'there were no enemies, no ailments, no anxieties in any way.. While Bali was ruling over the kingdom, none of these was seen even in dream, viz.

famine A famine is a widespread scarcity of food caused by several possible factors, including, but not limited to war, natural disasters, crop failure, widespread poverty, an Financial crisis, economic catastrophe or government policies. This phenom ...

, evil, denial of God, rwickedness'. Jealous and miserable, the devas seek refuge in

, who states Bali is a devotee, 'cannot be conquered by Devas or

s', but can be bound 'by means of words with miraculous power' to return the kingdom to them. Vishnu enters the womb of

and is born as the dwarf, Vamana. Assuming the form of a

, Vamana then attends the sacrifice of Bali 'singing Saman verses'. The

of the demons, Sukra - a descendant of Bhrgu - warns Bali and his wife about Vamana, and Bali responds 'Blessed I am because the lord of

is coming to my house so unexpectedly'. Vamana requests three steps of land, this is granted by Bali, and Vamana grows in size, covering all of existence in two steps, as quoted above. Pleased with Bali, Vamana offers a boon but Bali does not wish for anything. The three worlds are returned to Indra, and Bali and his family are sent to the netherworld.

Brahmanda Purana

A brief account of the legend of Vamana is provided in the

Brahmanda Purana The ''Brahmanda Purana'' () is a Sanskrit text and one of the eighteen major Puranas, a genre of Hindu texts. It is listed as the eighteenth Maha-Purana in almost all the anthologies. The text is also referred in medieval Indian literature as th ...

(Part 3: 73.75-87). It is notable as one of the few accounts where Bali is neither forewarned nor aware of the true nature of Vamana, or the consequences for gifting a three footsteps of land. In addition, while Bali and other '

s along with their sons and grandsons' are driven to Sutala by Vamana, the 'cruel ones among them were lsokilled'. After the Devas,

(including

), and human beings see the gigantic universal form of Vamana - containing the universe within it - the three worlds are bestowed back to the 'noble-souled' leader of the Devas,

. Other details include: * The tip of one of

's toes, while He took the three steps to reclaim the three worlds from

, created the

Ganges The Ganges ( ; in India: Ganga, ; in Bangladesh: Padma, ). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary rive ...

river (37.4-5) * Of the 12 battles or wars between the Devas and

s, the first involved

, the second Vamana, and the third

(72.73) * Bali is described as 'noble-minded' and as a 'great

n' (74.26)

Brahmavaivarta Purana

The legend of Vamana quoted above seems to be unique to the Brahmavaivarta Purana (Krsna-Janma-Khanda: Chapter 47). In this account, Visvakarma is employed by

to rebuild the city of ''

Amaravati Amaravati ( , Telugu language, Telugu: ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Guntur district on the right bank of the Krishna River, southwest of Vijayawada. The city derives its name from the nearby his ...

'' after it is destroyed. A year later, with Indra still not satisfied and unable to return to his abode, Visvakarma seeks the help of

. Brahma in turn seeks the help of

, who incarnates in the 'form of a Brahmana boy... He wore a serene smile on his face which was quite charming'. Indra becomes arrogant and haughty after being asked about the length of time Visvakarma must be engaged, so as quoted above, Vamana points out there have been innumerable Indras in innumerable universes. Countless thousands of ants appear, and Vamana states to Indra that every one of them was previously enthroned as an

. He adds that all the ants had achieved their positions - high and low - because of their

Karma Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called ...

s, alone. A sage called Lomasa arrives later, and asked why a patch of hair was missing from his chest, states that he loses a hair every time an Indra dies. He adds that there have been innumerable Brahmas, and that yet with 'the fall

eath Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all of Earth's water is c ...

winks but once'. Vamana - who turns out to be '

in the form of Vishnu' - and Lomasa disappear. Indra, looking at 'the whole scene like a dream', is left more humbled and intelligent. Visvakarma is thus generously rewarded with riches for his work by Indra and sent back to his own abode. A more typical account of Vamana is also provided elsewhere in the

Purana Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...

. Quoted below, it is given as one of a series of examples where Indra becomes arrogant and so has his pride shattered by

(Indra's pride and humbling is also the premise of other legends such as that of Kurma, the tortoise incarnation): Other details include: * It is stated that Bali consumes the

improperly performed (also stated in other texts such as the Harivamsa and

; Part 1: Prakrti-Khanda - 42) * The ''Supunyaka''

(vow) is undertaken by women ('in the bright thirteenth day of the moon in the month of Magha') to propitiate

and through His favour beget a son; it is stated that

performed the ''Supunyaka''

to get 'a son who happened to be the dwarf incarnation' (Part 1: Ganapati-Khanda - 6); According to the Bhagavata Puran, Aditi instead performed the '' payovrata'' (see above). * The

Sutapa and his wife Prsni pleased

so much with their

tapas Tapas () are appetisers or snacks in Spanish cuisine. They can be combined to make a full meal and are served cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as , which are battered, fried baby squid; or , spicy potatoes). In some bars ...

(religious austerities) that he agreed to be their son, including a second time as Vamana in their incarnations as

and

, and ultimately a third time as

in their incarnations as

and

(Part 2: Krsna-Janma-Khanda - 7) * Ratnamala, the daughter of Bali, 'felt attracted towards Vamana and desired to have him as her son, she had thought in her mind that the son like him should be fed by her from her breasts'. Her wish was granted by

: incarnated as

Putana In Hinduism, Pūtanā () is a Rakshasa, rakshasi (demoness), who was killed by the infant-god Krishna. Putana disguises as a young, beautiful woman and tries to kill the god by breast-feeding poisoned milk; however Krishna sucks her milk as well ...

, the demoness breastfed poison to baby

before being killed (and therefore liberated) by Him (Part 2: 10 and 115) *

incarnated as a dwarf Brahmana - described almost identically to Vamana - when concerned for

Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...

, who had grown weak due to practising austerities (Part 2: 40); this may be a reference to Vajasaneyi Samhita (White Yajurveda, Book 16, see above).

Garuda Purana

It seems that the legend of Vamana is only briefly mentioned in the

Garuda Purana The Sanskrit text ''Garuda Purana'' () is one of 18 Mahapurana (Hinduism), Mahapuranas in Hinduism. The ''Garuda Purana'' was likely composed in the first millennium CE, with significant expansions and revisions occurring over several centuries ...

, such as in the example quoted above. Other details include: * 'Vamana' is one of the 1,000 names of Vishnu ( Vishnu Sahasranama), as is 'Balibandhanakrt' ('who fettered the demon bali'), Trivikrama ('having three steps'), and 'Bali' (Part 1: 15.3) * The Salagrama stone for Vamana 'is circular and short' (Part 1: 45.20) * Vamana is listed as fifth in

, the ten principle incarnations of

(Part 1: 86.10-11) * 'Vamana' is one of the names of Vishnu to repeat at a sacred rite to take place 'On the eighth day in the dark half mingled with the Rohini star' (Part 1: 131.3; 10–16) * Bali is stated by

to be the son of Virocana, grandson of

, the son of Hiranyakasipu (killed by the

avatar of Vishnu), and to have had 100 sons of his own, the eldest being Bana (Part 1: 6.45-46) * During the reign of the next (eighth) Manu called Savarni, Bali will be elected to the post of

(Part 1: 87.36) * It is stated that the 'idol of dadhivamana amanashould have the size of barely corn. It should be round, blue in hue, slender in proportion and of pleasant aspect. It should wield a pair of wheels, five gopuras, bow and arrow. It should be straight and round and adorned with a garland of wild flowers. It should contain a thousand heads, a silvery dot on the right side of the forehead and an auspicious semicircular mark on the left and the full moon in the middle. Such auspicious gifts are attended by good fortune to the donor' (Part 2: 26.63-66)

Kurma Purana

In the Kurma Purana, there are two accounts of Vamana.

First account

In the first account, following the part quoted above, Vamana covering all three worlds in three steps splits the

cosmic egg ''Cosmic Egg'' is the second studio album by Australian rock band Wolfmother, released on 23 October 2009. It is the first album by the second lineup of the band, featuring vocalist, songwriter and lead guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and ...

, and the consequent flow of water rushing into it is 'termed by

' as the

. Vamana then tells

that he will be banished to the netherworld until merging with Him at the time of dissolution (i.e. at the end of the

Kalpa Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Niiralan monttu, Olvi Areena. Team history Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club r ...

, which lasts 1,000

Yuga A ''yuga'', in Hinduism, is generally used to indicate an age of time. In the ''Rigveda'', a ''yuga'' refers to generations, a period of time (whether long or short), or a yoke (joining of two things). In the ''Mahabharata'', the words ''yuga' ...

s in total). Vamana gives the three worlds back to Indra before disappearing in front of everyone's eyes. In the nether world, the devotee Bali seeks instruction from his grandfather,

, to worship and seek refuge in

(16.46-69). Prahlada is also directly linked with the legend of

, the fourth (man-lion)

incarnation Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It is the Conception (biology), conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic form of a god. It is used t ...

of Vishnu, who killed

. Hiranyakashipu is the father of Prahlada, great-grandfather of Bali, and elder brother of

Hiranyaksha Hiranyaksha (, ), also known as Hiranyanetra () was an asura king as per Hindu mythology. He is described to have submerged the earth and terrorised the three worlds. He was slain by the Varaha (wild boar) avatar of Vishnu, who rescued the ...

. The latter was killed by

, the third (boar) incarnation of Vishnu. Both Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha themselves are the first of three incarnations of Jaya and Vijaya, the doorkeepers of Vishnu cursed by the

Four Kumaras The Kumaras are four sages (''rishis'') from the Puranic texts of Hinduism who roam the universe as children, generally named Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, and Sanatkumara. They are described as the first mind-born creations and sons of the cr ...

Second account

In a second and much briefer account, it is stated that in 'this Vaivasvata Manuvantra, Vishnu was born of

and

as Vamana. Winning the three worlds with his three steps, this high-souled lord gave in to

the triple world bereft of all obstacles... Since this entire world was entied by the high-souled Vamana, therefore he is called by all as Vishnu due to the root 'Vis' (to enter) involved herein' (49.33-36). Vaivasvata, also known as ''Shraddhadeva Manu'', is the current and seventh of fourteen total Manus that rule the current

in succession. Vaivasvata is also directly linked with the legend of

, the first (fish) incarnation of

, who rescued him from the

deluge A deluge is a large downpour of rain, often a flood. The Deluge refers to the flood narrative in the biblical book of Genesis. Deluge or Le Déluge may also refer to: History *Deluge (history), the Swedish and Russian invasion of the Polish-L ...

at the end of the reign of the sixth Manu, '' Chakshusha''.

Linga Purana

In the

Linga Purana The ''Linga Purana'' (लिङ्गपुराण, IAST: ) is one of the eighteen '' Mahapuranas'', and a ''Shaivism'' text of Hinduism. The text's title '' Linga'' refers to the iconographical symbol for Shiva. The author(s) and date of the ...

, the legend of Vamana is only briefly mentioned, as quoted above. Other details include: * 'Vamana' and 'Trikrama' ('one who has taken three steps') are listed as two of the 1,000 names of

(Part 1: 65.54b-60) * Matala, the netherworld or Hell, 'is occupied by Ananta, Mucukunda and king

who is the resident of

and

Svarga Svarga (, ), also known as Swarga, Indraloka and Svargaloka, is the celestial abode of the devas in Hinduism. Svarga is one of the seven higher lokas ( esoteric planes) in Hindu cosmology. Svarga is often translated as heaven, though it is reg ...

' (Part 1: 45.11) *It is stated that ' Omkara is identical with the three worlds, the three

, the three sacrificial fires, the three steps of

, the three scriptures, viz. Rk, Samans and Yajur

s' (Part 1: 91.52) *Vamana is listed in the Dashavatara, or ten principle incarnations of

(Part 2: 48.31-32)

Markandeya Purana

It seems that in the

Markandeya Purana The ''Markandeya Purana'' (; IAST: ) is a Sanskrit text of Hinduism, and one of the eighteen major Puranas. The text's title Markandeya refers to a sage in Sanatana Dharma, who is the central character in two legends, one linked to Shiva and oth ...

, the legend of Vamana is not mentioned.

Matsya Purana

In the

, three chapters are dedicated to the legend of Vamana. It has elements and descriptions very similar to that of the

in particular. In this account,

Shaunaka Shaunaka (, ) is the name applied to teachers, and to a Shakha of the Atharvaveda. It is especially the name of a celebrated Sanskrit grammarian, author of the , the , the , six Anukramaṇīs (indices) to the Rigveda, and the Vidhāna of the Rig ...

tells

Arjuna Arjuna (, , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, �ɾd͡ʒun̪ə is one of the central characters of the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the third of the five Pandava brothers, and is widely regarded as the most important and renowned among them. ...

that after

is vanquished by the

s, his mother,

, 'the mother of the Devas began to practise rigid austerities. For one thousand years she worshipped Lord

by living on air alone, and on seeing Her children oppressed by the surasshe said to Herself that Her sons were born in vain'.

, pleased with the devotion of Aditi, agrees to her request to restore Indra to power and states 'I shall therefore be born of you through

when I shall kill all the demons' (CCXLIV / 244). After the demons lose their lustre,

enquiries from his grandfather and Devotee of Vishnu,

, what the reason is. Meditating on

, Prahlada has a vision of Vamana and informs Bali, who initially scoffs but apologises after being cursed as 'indiscriminate, vicious and disrespectful'. Upon the birth of Vamana, 'all the Devas, even the Demons, men, earth, heaven, nd thesky became peaceful', while

prays and performs the appropriate birth ceremonies. Brahma gives Vamana a (Black) deerskin to wear, Vrihaspati the sacred thread,

(Son Of Brahma) the Danda, Vasitha the Kamandala, Angira gives Kusa grass and the

, Pulaha the Aksasutra (Rosary Beads), and

Pulastya Pulastya (Sanskrit: पुलस्त्य) is one of the ten Prajapati, and one of the mind-born sons of Brahma in Hinduism. He is also one of the Saptarishi (Seven great sages) in the first age of Manu, the Manvantara.< ...

the white raiment. As Vamana proceeds to the sacrifice of King Bali, the 'portion of the land on which Vamana put His feet in walking sank down and a deep hole appeared there and He made the whole world with all its mountains to oceans... quiver though He walked slowly' (CCXLV / 245). Kashyapa muni statue in Andhra Pradesh

Bali enquires from his preceptor Shukra why his sacrifices are not being accepted by

, and is informed Vamana is coming to the sacrifice. Although realising that

cannot be refused, Bali is still considers it 'uncommon good fortune that the Lord, for whose sake various asceticism, gifts, sacrifices, etc., are performed' will accept his offering in person. Bali offers any riches or any amount of land Vamana chooses, but is requested to give only three steps. Upon agreement, Vamana 'spread His vast Form and He measured the earth in the twinkling of an eye', and spreading over the three worlds, 'killed the great Asuras for the benefit of the Devas'. Vamana gives the three worlds to

and the nether regions to Bali, with the promise that after ' Vaivasvata Manu Manu">th and current ruling Manuis succeeded by Savarni Manu, you will become Indra .e. King Of The devas. Vamana also mentions that as Bali in 'ancient times' had worshipped Him most devoutly, he can go to live in

, 'abounding in excellent gardens, palaces, luxuriant flowers, lakes, rivers' etc. Vamana then vanishes (CCXLVI / 246). Other details include: * The oldest of

's 100 sons is Bana, who had 1,000 arms (VI.6-10 / 6.6-10) *Bali reigned for 20,080,000 years (XLVII.55-57 / 47.55-57) * The queen of Bali is ''Vindhyabali'' (CLXXXVII.38-42 / 187.38-42) * The place where Bali performed sacrifices is called ''Ilavrita Varsa'', 'famous as being the birthplace of all the Devas' (CXXV.1 / 135.1) * Shuka states 'O

, your grandson, King

, will reign with all glory, in different realms for, even, Lord

will promise this secretly to your grandson, when He will deprive him of his kingdom in His Dwarf incarnation...

, the most supreme Lord of the entire universe, has spoken to me, as a secret, that Bali will be the future King of the Devas [i.e.

], and therefore He, invisible to all, is awaiting that time, O Prahlada'. (XLVII.213-244 / 47.213-244) * It is stated "''Namah Karanavamanya'' on the fore of the teeth [is] sacred to heSvati asterism and heVamana (Dwarf)

" (LII.18 / 52.18)

Narada Purana

In the

Narada Purana The ''Naradiya Purana'' (, ) or ''Narada Purana'' (), are two Vaishnavism texts written in Sanskrit language. One of the texts is termed as a Major Purana, also called a Mahapurana, while the other is termed as a Minor Purana (''Upapurana'' ...

, the legend of Vamana is given in chapter eleven. The (anonymous) translator in footnote 12 to this chapter (p. 208) states that the 'gift of land has been highly praised as the most meritorious, from ancient times. Apararka quotes many verses from the Visnudharmottara Puran, the Aditya Purana and

... and states that there is no gift comparable to the gift of land. Verses pertaining to land-grant are common not only in

Puranas Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...

or Smrti works but are recorded on inscriptions and copper-plates of such grants all over India'. In this account,

visits and offers

a boon, being pleased with her penances. Aditi requests that her sons, the Devas, be restored to power, but without 'any harm unto he Daityas, since they too are my sons' (i.e. via her sister and co-wife of

). Vishnu agrees, and promises to be born as her son, Vamana. Praised by Kashyapa upon His birth before taking 'leave of his mother and father, that

bachelor Vamana, went over to the great sacrifice of the supremely affluent Daitya [

], that was being performed'. Sukra warns Bali and advises him not to give anything to Vamana, but Bali refuses, stating 'O preceptor, you should not tender such advice which is contrary to the path of virtue. If Visnu himself partakes of oblations or gifts, what can be better than that?' Vamana arrives, is greeted by Bali in reverence, and explains the virtues of gifting lands to

with the story of Bhadramati before asking for 'a plot of land measuring three steps'. As Bali takes up a pitcher of water to offer the land, Sukra attempts to obstruct the flow of water to prevent the offering, but Vamana uses the tip of Kusa/Darbha grass to touch the spout of the pitcher and completes it. 'Vishnu, that Soul of the Universe began to grow in size till he reached the abode of

', and taking three steps, pierces the crust of the

Cosmic Egg ''Cosmic Egg'' is the second studio album by Australian rock band Wolfmother, released on 23 October 2009. It is the first album by the second lineup of the band, featuring vocalist, songwriter and lead guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and ...

. The water that flows in and washes His feet 'thereby became pure and sanctified the world... It was served as resorted by the seven sages (The

Ursa Major Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear, is a constellation in the Northern Sky, whose associated mythology likely dates back into prehistory. Its Latin name means "greater (or larger) bear", referring to and contrasting it with nearby Ursa M ...

). Then it fell on the top of mount Meru' to become the

. The three worlds are thus return to the Devas, Bali is given Rasatala 'along with all his

s', and Vamana goes to a 'forest for performing penance' (11). Other details include: * On the Dvadasi day in the bright half of the month of Asadha, one should fast and worship Vamana, who 'is the bestower of intellect' (e.g. Part 1: 17.59-61, Part 4: 120.36b-41a) * Chapter 10 details the defeat of the Devas by Bali, where the

s also attempt to convince

to stop her penances to Vishnu (Part 1: 10) * During the eighth ''

Manvantara A ''manvantara'', in Hindu cosmology, is a cyclic period of time identifying the duration, reign, or age of a Manu, the progenitor of mankind. In each ''manvantara'', seven Rishis, certain deities, an Indra, a Manu, and kings (sons of Manu) are ...

'' (i.e. reign of the 8th of 14 total Manus in this

; currently we are ruled by the seventh) thanks 'to the power of the Puja of

, Bali is remembered as their

.e. King of the devas (Part 1: 40.30) * 'Bali' is mentioned as a food offering (rice ball) in sacrifices several times throughout (e.g. Part 2: 51.82b-83 and Part 3: 70.24-27) *Vamana is stated to have been 'installed by all the Devas' at Kotitirtha (Part 5: 65.29b-30a)

Padma Purana

In the

Padma Purana The ''Padma Purana'' (, or ) is one of the eighteen Puranas#Mahapuranas, Major Puranas, a genre of texts in Hinduism. It is an encyclopedic text, named after the lotus in which creator god Brahma appeared, and includes large sections dedic ...

, two accounts of the legend of Vamana are given.

First Account

The first is related by the sage

Bhishma Bhishma (), also known as Pitamaha, Gangaputra, and Devavrata, is a central figure in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. He was a statesman and military commander of the ancient Kuru Kingdom. Renowned for his wisdom, valor, and unwavering principles, ...

(Part 1: chapter 30), which took place 'formerly in the

'. Similar to the legend of

Vritra Vritra (, , ) is a danava in Hinduism. He serves as the personification of drought, and is an adversary of the king of the devas, Indra. As a danava, he belongs to the race of the asuras. Vritra is also known in the Vedas as Ahi ( ). He appe ...

in the Bhagavata Puran, Baskali (i.e. Bali) conquers the devas led by

after attaining the boon of invincibility from

, forcing them to ultimately seek

for refuge. Vishnu agrees to help, and

(Wife Of

) is pregnant for 1,000 divine years with the Vamana

. It is noted that Aditi 'entertained a malicious design' to destroy the demons during her pregnancy. At 'the time as ordained, the god, the lord of lords (i.e. Visnu), kind to all beings, of pure and scanty hair, having the beauty of the moon, the conch and the (sun-) rise, became (i.e. was born as) Aditi's son'. Vamana later travels with Indra to the city of Baskali to request three steps of land. To the amazement of Indra, in the city there 'was no religious merit, no lore, no architecture, no art that did not exist (i.e. that was not found)', and even the

were being recited by 'virtuous demons'. Baskali himself 'was conversant with righteousness, was grateful, truth-speaking, and had his senses controlled'. Delighted, Baskali compares seeing Indra to sacrifices like the Agnistoma and

. Indra praises Baskali and requests three steps of land for the dwarf-

brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

to have a fire-sanctuary to make sacrifices. Baskali praises and surrenders to Vamana as Vishnu who 'has performed a hundred sacrifices endowed with excellent sacrificial fees', adding that Vishnu 'killed

Vrtra Vritra (, , ) is a danava in Hinduism. He serves as the personification of drought, and is an adversary of the king of the devas, Indra. As a danava, he belongs to the race of the asuras. Vritra is also known in the Vedas as Ahi ( ). He appea ...

Namuci' (a legend also related to the development of the

incarnation). Although advised by Sukra to gift nothing to Vamana or else face total destruction, Baskali considers himself lucky to be able to surrender to Vishnu and wants to give everything. Indra repeats that only three steps of land are requested, and 'Baskali then gave (the piece of land measured by) three (foot-) steps to the dwarf, after (pouring) water (on his hand), saying 'Let

himself be pleased with me'. The first step of Vamana is on the

, the second is on

Dhruva Dhruva (Sanskrit: ध्रुव, , Literal translation, lit. "''unshakeable, immovable, fixed or eternal"'') was an Asceticism, ascetic devotee of Vishnu mentioned in the Vishnu Purana and the Bhagavata Purana. The Sanskrit term ''dhruva na ...

(the polar star), and the third reaches outside the universe. Water rushing in through the crack in the edge of the universe caused by the tip of Vishnu's toe becomes the river Visnupadi (i.e. the

), an auspicious and

holy river Sacred waters are sacred natural sites characterized by tangible topographical land formations such as rivers, lakes, springs, reservoirs, and oceans, as opposed to holy water which is water elevated with the sacramental blessing of a cleri ...

. Vishnu offers Baskali a boon, and is requested only for increased devotion and a death at His hands in order to enter the realm even 'inaccessible to the ascetics'. Vishnu agrees and promises to kill Baskali when they incarnate and battle as

and

, respectively. Otherwise, after being deposed, 'Baskali lived happily in the netherworld hileIndra also protected the three worlds'.

Second account and other details

The second account, narrated by Mahadeva (i.e.

), is much shorter and more typical in nature. In this, Vamana is implored by the devas to visit the sacrifice of Bali to request the three worlds from him. Vamana, this time alone without Indra, is greeted and worshipped by Bali, explains the merit of donating land, and requests three steps, which is granted despite the protests of Sukra. Vamana then 'abandoned his dwarfish form... extending up to fifty

crore Crore (; abbreviated cr) denotes the quantity ten million (107) and is equal to 100 lakh in the Indian numbering system. In many international contexts, the decimal quantity is formatted as 10,000,000, but when used in the context of the India ...

s (of

yojana A yojana (Devanagari: योजन; Khmer language: យោជន៍; ; ) is a measure of distance that was used in ancient India, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. Various textual sources from ancient India define Yojana as ranging from 3.5 to 15& ...

s) he seized the earth along with the seas and mountains, along with the oceans, islands, devas, demons and human beings'. As

places his second and third steps, creating the sacred

in the process,

is granted the ability to see his universal ' Janardana-form' (similar to that witnessed by Arjun in the

). Other details include: * The 'three objects' (Trivarga) of worldly existence specified by Baskali (i.e. Bali) are

Dharma Dharma (; , ) is a key concept in various Indian religions. The term ''dharma'' does not have a single, clear Untranslatability, translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit ''dhr-'', meaning ''to hold ...

Artha ''Artha'' (; ; Pali: Attha, Tamil: பொருள், poruḷ) is one of the four goals or objectives of human life in Hindu traditions.James Lochtefeld (2002), The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Rosen Publishing, New York, , pp 55–56 ...

, and

Kama ''Kama'' (Sanskrit: काम, ) is the concept of pleasure, enjoyment and desire in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It can also refer to "desire, wish, longing" in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh literature.Monier Williamsका� ...

(Part 1: 30.94) * 'Vamana' is listed as one of the hundred names of Vishnu (Part 3: 87.10-24) * Vamana 'removed, with the auspicious glances, the sin of

... lord Vamana, shining in the group of

at the head of the sacrifice, adorned with Brahmanic glory (Part 4: 98.52-78) *Vamana should be worshipped - amongst other devas - during Amalaki Ekadasi (Part 7: 45.49-52) *In the Hymn called 'Apamarjana', Vamana is assigned to 'the roots of the ears' (Part 7: 78.16.29) *The 'round and small' salagrama stone is called 'Vamana' (Part 8: 120.51b-73) *

as Vamana is stated to dwell in Holy places called Kanyakubja and Vamana tirtha (Part 8: 133.2-12 and 160) *Reference is made to a sage called Vamana who, amongst others, served

due to the grace of

Ganesha Ganesha or Ganesh (, , ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva (Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in the Ganapatya sect. His depictions ...

(Part 8: 138.1-15) *Vamana is listed in the Dashavatara, the ten principle incarnations of

(Part 7: 66.44-54, 71.23-29, and Part 9: 229.40-44)

Shiva Purana

It seems that the legend of Vamana is only briefly mentioned in the

Shiva Purana The ''Shiva Purana'' (original Sanskrit title: Śivapurāṇa (शिवपुराण) and Śivamahāpurāṇa (शिवमहापुराण) is one of eighteen major texts of the '' Purana'' genre of Sanskrit texts in Hinduism, and part o ...

. The translator, J.L.Shastri, notes in the fourth part (page 1659, footnote 93) that '

is called Balisadman - the abode of

. According to a legend God

in the form of a

Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' (; IAST: ''Brahman'') connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality of the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part XII In the ...

craved from Bali the boon of three steps of ground and having obtained it stepped over heaven and earth in two strides but then out of respect to Bali's devotion and his grandson

's virtues, he stopped short and left to him Patala, the nether region'. However, Prahlada is actually the grandfather of Bali (being the son of

), not his grandson as incorrectly stated by Shastri. Other details include: * Bali conquering the devas led by

is a prelude to the legend of the Kurma incarnation, where the Devas and

s form a pact to churn of the ocean of milk (Part 2: 15).

is present at the churning where a 'great battle for the possession of Amrta ensued between the devas and the Asuras', and after gaining possession of it, where

incarnates as

Mohini Mohini (Sanskrit: मोहिनी, ') is the Hindu goddess of enchantment. She is the only female avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. She is portrayed as a ''femme fatale'', an enchantress, who maddens lovers and demons, sometimes leading them ...

to give the Amrita to the devas (Part 3: 22) * Aniruddha (incarnation / grandson of

) sneaks into the residence of Bana (son of

) to form an alliance with Usa (daughter of Bana; Part 2: 51–53). This legend is repeated in other

Puranas Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...

such as the

Srimad Bhagavatam The ''Bhagavata Purana'' (; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam)'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' () or simply ''Bhagavata (Bhāgavata)'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen major Puranas (''Mahapuranas'') and one o ...

. * The eldest son of Bali, Bana 'became a devotee of

. He was highly respected and intelligent' (Part 1: Rudra-Samhita: 51.14-15) * There is a mountain called Vamana (Part 3: Uma Samhita: 18.47) * Hiranyaksipu, Hiranyaksa, Virocana (Bali's father) 'and

worship

every day' (Part 4: Kotirudra-Samhita 37.18); the exception is Prahlada (son of Hiranyaksipu, father of Virocana, and grandfather of Bali) who does not worship Shiva but instead worships Vishnu * Vamana is listed in the Dashavatara, the ten principle incarnations of

(Part 4: Vayaviya-Samhita: 30.56-58 and 31.134-136)

Skanda Purana

Notably, this above-quoted incident is not mentioned in either of the two legends of Vamana given in the

Skanda Purana The ''Skanda Purana'' ( IAST: Skanda Purāṇa) is the largest '' Mukhyapurāṇa'', a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is of Shaivite literature, titled after Skanda, a son of Shiva and Parv ...

First account

In the first account (part 1, chapters 18–19), after being defeated by the Daityas (led by

), the shamed Suras (led by

) disguise themselves as different animals and go to the hermitage of

and

for refuge. Aditi wishes to help the Suras, so on the advice of Kashyapa, she performs the ''Ekabhakta'' rite for

for a year (details and instructions are provided, including the most auspicious timings and star

constellation A constellation is an area on the celestial sphere in which a group of visible stars forms Asterism (astronomy), a perceived pattern or outline, typically representing an animal, mythological subject, or inanimate object. The first constellati ...

s). Pleased with Aditi's holy penance, Janardana (Vishnu), on 'the Dvadasi day which coincided with he Sravana constellation ppeared inthe form of a Brahmacarin (religious student). He was two-armed and had lotus-like eyes. He had the colour of the flower of Atasi (

Hemp Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest ...

). He was adorned with a garland of sylvan flowers'. Pondering how to defeat the Daityas, Vamana first orders his gada (mace) to kill Bali, but it replies that this is impossible as Bali is 'a great Brahmanya (well-versed in the

, friendly and hospitable to

)'. His discus and Sarnga bow give the same reply when ordered to kill Bali, too: 'Just as you are Brahmanya, O

, so is this great Daitya alled Balialso'. Meanwhile, the Daityas conquer heaven (abandoned by the Suras) and install Bali on Indra's throne. Bali's previous life as a sinful gambler is recounted, before it is revealed Aditi completed her

(vow) - upon which Vamana, 'Aditi's son in the form of a great religious student' appeared - just before Bali's 100th horse-sacrifice. At the sacred thread ceremony performed by

for Vamana,

gives the sacred thread, Soma gives the staff, the Earth gives two

sandal Sandals are an open type of shoe, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by straps going over the instep and around the ankle. Sandals can also have a heel. While the distinction between sandals and other types of footwear can sometim ...

s, and

Bhavani Bhavānī (also known as Bhāvya, Tulajā, Turajā, Tvarita, Aṃbā, Jagadambā and Aṃbē) is an epithet associated with Durga. Bhavani translates to "giver of life," meaning the power of nature or the source of creative energy. She is cons ...

gives

alms Alms (, ) are money, food, or other material goods donated to people living in poverty. Providing alms is often considered an act of Charity (practice), charity. The act of providing alms is called almsgiving. Etymology The word ''alms'' come ...

. Also given a girdle and deer-hide by unknown parties, Vamana proceeds to Bali's next sacrifice. Although Bali is willing to give the Brahmin the whole earth, Vamana requests only three steps of land, before Sukra warns Bali that the religious student ('Batu') is

in disguise, and in relation to the Kurma incarnation, that Vishnu had previously incarnated as

to take the

away from the Daityas to give to the Suras (Chapter 18). In the next chapter, Bali states that he intends to give whatever is asked as 'Lord

, the soul of everyone has come here out of sympathy for me, in order to redeem me'. Sukra curses Bali for ignoring his advice and retreats to a Hermitage. There is no mention of Sukra attempting to block the offering or losing his eye. Vamana takes two steps, the first covering the earth and the second all existence; the water used by

to wash the foot of Vishnu that took the second step produces the

. Vamana returns to His original size, and through

, admonishes and binds Bali for only gifting two steps, not three as promised (since all existence had been covered in only two). Vindhyavali, Bali's wife, sees through this ruse and offers the heads of Bali, her son Bana, and herself for

to step on. Delighted, Vishnu releases Bali from his bonds, instructs Bali to rule in Sutala, and offers a boon. Bali states 'I do not wish for anything except your lotus-like feet, O Lord'. Vishnu promises to be Bali's gatekeeper forever, and all 'the beggars and mendicants of the three worlds went to Bali. Visnu who stood at the entrance to his abode, granted to them whatever they desired to get'. The account then ends with a eulogy to

, by whose favour 'that Bali became thus' (i.e. happy and blessed; Chapter 19).

Second account and other details

In the second account (part 12, chapter 63, verse 237 onward), after the request of the devas granted a boon by

, Vamana is born 'as the delighter of

' some time later. At this time Bali was performing 'a hundred horse sacrifices with a desire to take away the kingdom of

'. Vamana, singing 'the Mantras of all the four Vedas', arrives at Bali's sacrifice officiated by figures such as

and Bhrgu. Announced by the doorkeepers, Vamana is taken by Bali to the centre of the hall, and asked His reason for coming as well as whatever He may desire. Vamana requests three steps of land. Bali offers much more, but Vamana repeats he wishes for three steps of land. Against the advice of Bhrgu ( Sukra in the first account), this is granted by Bali, and 'Hari immediately occupied the cosmos. The entire region of heearth including mountains, forests and jungles was covered by two and a half ootsteps. Having conquered the

s, Vamana gives the three worlds back to Satakratu (

) and returns to earth. The remainder of the chapter concerns the merits of the Vamana Tirtha (holy site) related to this legend. Other details include: * The city of

(i.e. the netherworld) is called Bhogavati (Part 3: Purvardha: 11.14) * The 12-month ''Jyesthapancaka

'' to

is described in detail, including mention of Vamana (Part 5: 44.12) *Bali requests from Vamana that if 'people offer lamps to

Naraka Naraka () is the realm of hell in Indian religions. According to schools of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, ''Naraka'' is a place of torment. The word ''Neraka'' (modification of ''Naraka'') in Indonesian language, Indonesian and Malaysian langu ...

ellon the fourteenth day f Dipavali, the festival of lights">Dipavali.html" ;"title="f Dipavali">f Dipavali, the festival of lights all their forefathers shall cease to be in

' (Part 6: Karttikamasa-Mahatmya - 9.49b-60) *In the procedure for Puja Mandala Construction for Vaishnavism, Vishnu worship, Vamana, along with the Gautama Buddha, should be installed at 'the front of the eastern filament... both of them dark as a cloud (in complexion), compassionate, quiescent, celibate, wearing sacred thread and white garments, holding a full bloomed lotus in the right hand, ndthe left hand indicating ''Abhaya'' (protection from fear) by its position' (Part 7: Vaisakhamasa Mahatmya: 27.25-26) *When the murti of Vamana is installed in the house 'he makes people prosperous' (Part 11: Uttarardha: 61.220) *Vamana is listed in the Dashavatara, the ten principle incarnations of

(Part 15: Reva Khanda: 151.1-7) *Bali is to take the position of

during the reign of the eighth Manu (Part 18: Nagara Khanda: 273.4-6)

Vamana Purana

There are two main accounts of the legend of Vamana in the

. At least 18 chapters relate directly to Vamana and events or characters relating to the legend. H.H. Wilson summarises the legend of Vamana in this

Purana Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...

as 'the birth of

as a dwarf, for the purpose of humiliating Bali by fraud, as he was invincible by force. The story is told as usual; but the scene is laid at

Kurukshetra Kurukshetra () is a city and administrative headquarters of Kurukshetra district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is also known as Dharmakshetra ("Realm of duty") and as the "Land of the Bhagavad Gita". Legends According to the Puranas ...

'. This somewhat curt summation is fundamentally inaccurate and misleading since Bali is neither humiliated nor defrauded. As a general rule, Bali is a noble-souled and religious character fully aware of exactly who Vamana is and who knowingly grants three footsteps of land in spite of being warned of the consequences. This is the case in both accounts contained in the Vamana Purana, where far from being 'humiliated', Bali is installed as ruler of the netherworlds and is promised the post of

(i.e. King of the devas).

First account

The first account is remarkably similar to that of the

(see above), and consists of 9 chapters (Saromabatmya: 2-10). It begins with the coronation of

as the King after defeating

. Noble and religious, Bali is congratulated for his victory and blessed by

Sri Shri (; , ) is a Sanskrit term denoting resplendence, wealth and prosperity, primarily used as an honorific. The word is widely used in South and Southeast Asian languages such as Assamese, Meitei ( Manipuri), Marathi, Malay (including In ...

(2). Meanwhile, Indra returns to his mother,

, who states Bali can only be defeated by

. Aditi and the devas go to

, 'the creator of beings, the Supreme Master of the entire progeny' who then takes them to

, the celestial abode of

(3). Brahma informs the devas that the three worlds will be delivered by 'Him who is the Lord of all the worlds, the eternal master of the universe, and the First born they call the Primordial First Deity. Even the devas do not know who the Great One is'. From there the devas travel to 'the northern bank of the Ksiroda Ocean, in the northern direction, where the Creator of the universe is present... the region known as Amrta'. There, knowing 'Lord

, the thousand-eyed god' could only be realised through spiritual union, practiced holy vows and recited the

for 1,000 years (4). Kashyapa also eulogises Vishnu by reciting many of His names, including 'Devadeva' ('God of devas') and 'Prasitara' ('the Eater of the oblation at the sacrifice') and states the importance of

(5). Narayana agrees to the request of Kashyapa to 'be born as the younger brother of Indra, the promoter of the happiness of the relatives, and the dear son of Aditi'. Returning to the Hermitage of Kashyapa, Aditi then performs penances for 10,000 years (6). Pleased with her penance Vishnu appears, agrees to Aditi's wish to restore her son Indra to power, and becomes conceived in the womb (7). After the demons lose their lustre, Bali enquiries from his grandfather and Devotee of Vishnu,

, what the reason is. Meditating on

, Prahlada has a vision of Vamana and informs Bali, who scoffs and is consequently cursed as for his disrespect towards 'the all-pervasive, supreme spirit' (8). Bali apologises, is forgiven by Prahlada, and accepts he will lose his kingdom as a result of the curse. Meanwhile, Vamana is born to Aditi after 10 months of pregnancy. Brahma performs the Jatakarma ceremony and other rites before gifting a black deer skin, Brhaspati the sacred thread, Marici the Asadha staff, Vasistha a Kamandalu,

Angiras Angiras ( (stem), , , nominative singular , , , rendered Angirā in Hindi) was a Vedic rishi (sage) of Hinduism. He is described in the ''Rigveda'' as a teacher of divine knowledge, a mediator between men and gods, as well as stated in othe ...

a silken cloth, and so on. The dwarf then proceeds slowly to the sacrifice of Bali, His footsteps leaving hollows in the earth (9). Bali is warned by Sukra about the arrival of Vamana, and advised to refuse any request made. Bali responds that he could not refuse the Lord of Sacrifices even if he wanted to, and considers himself very fortunate the Lord is arriving to his

Yajna In Hinduism, ''Yajna'' or ''Yagna'' (, Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐd͡ʒɲə ) also known as Hawan, is a ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras. Yajna has been a Vedas, Vedic tradition, described in a layer of Vedic literature ...

personally. Bali offers Vamana 'a gift of anything that belongs to me' and Vishnu requests 'three strides for a Fire Sanctuary ltar. Bali agrees and as 'soon as water fell in his palm the Dwarf assumed non-dwarfish dimensions and showed instantly his form, comprehending all devas'. In three steps Vamana regains the three worlds which are returned to Indra, while Bali is promised to become Indra on 'the expiry of the Vaivasvata period' (i.e. end of the rule of the seventh Manu); until then, he is to rule in Sutala, 'crowded with hundreds of palaces and provided with comforts necessary for devas'. The remainder of the chapter concerns the importance of sacrifices, and the merits achieved by Bali though improper practices of others, such as 'sacrifices performed without faith' (10).

Second account

The second account - excluding chapters not directly related to the legend, such as Bali conquering the devas beforehand and the pilgrimage of Prahlada after cursing Bali - consists of at least 5 chapters (Saromabatmya: 50–51, 62, and 64–65). In this,

travels to

to confer with

and

, where he is told that he lost his Kingdom due to his sin of attempting to destroy the fetus of

(saved by

), another wife of

and mother of the Daityas. Indra performs penances, of which he tells his mother,

. Aditi in turn performs penances, and pleased, Vishnu agrees to be born as her son (i.e. Vamana) to restore

to power (50). Similar the first account, Bali is warned about the birth of Vamana and cursed after failing to take the threat seriously, albeit this time by his grandfather Prahlada (not Sukra), who then goes on a pilgrimage (51). Vamana is born, and eulogised by Brahma who performs the Upanayana and Jatakarma ceremonies and others. Pulaha gives the sacred thread to Vamana,

two white garments,

Agastya Agastya was a revered Indian sage of Hinduism. In the Indian tradition, he is a noted recluse and an influential scholar in diverse languages of the Indian subcontinent. He is regarded in some traditions to be a Chiranjivi. He and his wife ...

a deer skin, Bharadvaja a girdle, Marici a staff, Vasistha (son of

) rosary beads,

a broom of

Kusa grass ''Desmostachya bipinnata'', commonly known as halfa grass, big cordgrass, and salt reed-grass, is an Old World perennial grass, long known and used in human history. The grass is tall, tufted, leafy, perennial grass, branching from the base, erec ...

, King

Raghu Raghu () is a ruler of the Suryavansha dynasty in Hinduism. According to the '' Raghuvamsha'', he is the son of King Dilīpa and Queen Sudakshina. The history of his dynasty is elaborated upon by the poet Kalidasa in his ''Raghuvamsha''. He ...

an umbrella, Nrga a pair of shoes, Brhaspati a water-jar, and so on. Vamana states 'I will go to Kuruksetra which confers great prosperity. There the sacred Asvamedha Sacrifice of the king of demons aliis going on' (62). Sukra advises Bali not to give anything to Vamana. This advice is rejected by Bali, who relates the story of Nisakara 'the son of Kosakara, which took place on the Malaya Mountain in olden days'. It is similar to the legend of

Bharat Bharat, or Bharath, may refer to: * Bharat (term), the name for India in various Indian languages ** India, a country ** Bharata Khanda, the Sanskrit name for the Indian subcontinent ** Bharatavarsha, another Sanskrit name for the Indian subcon ...

, insofar as it concerns a person that having remembered their previous births, pretended to be mentally-handicapped, and suffered mistreatment by others as a result, in order to 'no longer commit terrible sins with my mind, actions and speech' (64). Vamana arrives at the sacrifice of Bali and requests three steps of land. Bali offers much more but Vamana again repeats 'Give me three steps; I do ask for this much only'. Bali agrees, and just 'as the water (of the pitcher) fell on the hand (of

) he assumed a divine, multifarious, world-embracing form for the purpose of pervading the three worlds'. In two steps, Vamana covers all existence and creates the

. Vamana then tells Bali he must 'supply my (remaining) step or accept captivity'. Bali's son, Bana, sees through the ruse and points out Vishnu could traverse all of existence in a single step despite being in the small form of a dwarf.

responds that His three steps were also for the benefit of Bali, and to the King directly, says, 'O King, till my honorarium is paid, you go and live free from diseases in the subterranean region called Sutala (good-surfaced) which is highly beneficial'. As in the first account, Vishnu also states that improper sacrifices will also benefit Bali while resident in the netherworld, in addition to other sacred rituals such as Dvara-

pratipada Pratipada () or Prathama () is the Sanskrit word for "first", and is the first day in the lunar fortnight (''Paksha Paksha () refers to a fortnight or a lunar phase in a month of the Hindu lunar calendar. Literally meaning "side", a paksha i ...

. Then, 'having restored heaven to Indra, and enabling the devas to enjoy their shares in sacrifices, the omnipotent Lord of the universe disappeared' (65).

Varaha Purana

In the

Varaha Purana The ''Varaha Purana'' (, ) is a Sanskrit text from the Puranas genre of literature in Hinduism. It belongs to the Vaishnavism literature corpus praising Narayana (Vishnu), but includes chapters dedicated to praising and centered on Shiva and Sha ...

, it seems that the legend of Vamana is only briefly mentioned, as quoted above. Other details include: * Vamana is one of the 10 primary incarnations ( Dashavatar) of

(Part 1: 4.2-3, 113.42 and Part 2: 211.69) * In 'the month of Caitra (Mesa), Visnu should be worshipped on Dvadasi day after due fasting. The feet should be worshipped as Vamana' (Part 1: 43.1-2) * Worship of Vamana removes 'all stupefaction' (Part 1: 48.18) *It is said that the 'only means for redemption for those who are ignorant and indifferent to

dharma Dharma (; , ) is a key concept in various Indian religions. The term ''dharma'' does not have a single, clear Untranslatability, translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit ''dhr-'', meaning ''to hold ...

and do not have compassion or give gifts, is to perform worship and

to Lord Vamana at the confluence at

Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the states and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located south-east of Delhi; and about from the town of Vrindavan. In ancient ti ...

when the star Sravana is in combination with Dvadasi in the month of Bhadrapada' (Part 2: 174.53-54)

Vayu Purana

In the

Vayu Purana The ''Vayu Purana'' (, ) is a Sanskrit text and one of the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. ''Vayu Purana'' is mentioned in the manuscripts of the Mahabharata and other Hindu texts, which has led scholars to propose that the text is among the ...

, the legend of Vamana is briefly recounted in the second part (36.74-85), an excerpt of which is quoted above. A simplified version of the legend (in comparison to many others), after Vamana takes back the three worlds from the

s, 'he forced them to retreat to the bottom of the nether-world along with their sons and grandsons. Namuci, Sambara and

(were among them). The cruel

were killed'. Bali is also stated to have been 'bound with great nooses along with his kinsmen, friends, and followers'. The previous two incarnations of

prior to Vamana are stated to be

and

. Notably, deviating from incarnations typically listed, the fourth listed (occurring in the tenth

) is Dattatreya, the fifth (fifteenth Treta Yuga) is Mandhatr, the sixth (nineteenth Treta Yuga) is

Parashurama Parashurama (), also referred to as Rama Jamadagnya, Rama Bhargava and Virarama, is the sixth avatar among the Dashavatara of the preserver god Vishnu in Hinduism. Hindu tradition holds him to be the destroyer of the evil on Earth. According t ...

, and the seventh (twenty-fourth Treta Yuga) is

Ram Ram, ram, or RAM most commonly refers to: * A male sheep * Random-access memory, computer memory * Ram Trucks, US, since 2009 ** List of vehicles named Dodge Ram, trucks and vans ** Ram Pickup, produced by Ram Trucks Ram, ram, or RAM may also ref ...

. Other incarnations following Rama have not been listed here. Other details include: * The sons of Bali 'established the disciplines of four castes on this earth' (Part 2: 37.26-32) * There are two different Balis. The first is

, the rival of

conquered by Vishnu/Vamana in three steps. The second is 'another East Indian King who being childless requested rogenythus to

Dirghatamas Dirghatamas () was an ancient Indian sage well known for his philosophical verses in the Rigveda. He was the author of Suktas (hymns) 140 to 164 in the first mandala (section) of the Rigveda. Background Dirghatamas was one of the Angirasa rish ...

' (Part 2: 37, footnote 1, page 796). The anonymous translator notes that the Vayu Puran seems to mix-up or confuse these two Balis in chapter 37 (i.e. Mahabali was not childless) * It is stated that 'He who was formerly

, the son of Virocana, will become their devas">he devas

' (Part 2: 38.21-22) * It is stated that a son of Bali, Cakravarma, will be incarnated as Karn, one of the main villains of the

(Part 2: 7.32)

Vishnu Purana

It seems that the legend of Vamana is only briefly mentioned in the

Vishnu Purana The Vishnu Purana () is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of ancient and medieval texts of Hinduism. It is an important Pancharatra text in the Vaishnavism literature corpus. The manuscripts of ''Vishnu Purana'' have survived into ...

. According to the notes of the translator, H.H. Wilson, 'Fuller details occur in the

Bhagavata Purana The ''Bhagavata Purana'' (; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam)'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' () or simply ''Bhagavata (Bhāgavata)'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen major Puranas (''Mahapuranas'') and one ...

, Kurma,

, and

'. However, it is stated in the above quotation that Vamana had a wife called Padma or Kamala, an incarnation of His eternal consort

. The only other mention of a wife is made in the Bhagavata Purana, whose name was Kirti (meaning 'Fame', see above).

Sangam Literature

Several texts of the Tamil

Sangam literature The Sangam literature (Tamil language, Tamil: சங்க இலக்கியம், ''caṅka ilakkiyam''), historically known as 'the poetry of the noble ones' (Tamil language, Tamil: சான்றோர் செய்யுள், ''Cā ...

such as '' Mullaippāṭṭu'' and '' Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai'' mention Vishnu's incarnation of Vamana, addressed as Trivikrama, referring to his act of spanning the Earth.

Festivals

Balipratipada

Balipratipada Balipratipada ('), also called as ''Bali-Padyami'', ''Padva'', ''Virapratipada'' or ''Dyutapratipada'', is the fourth day of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. It is celebrated in honour of the notional return of the daitya-king Bali (Mahabal ...

is an ancient festival observed during the five days of

Diwali Diwali (), also called Deepavali (IAST: ''Dīpāvalī'') or Deepawali (IAST: ''Dīpāwalī''), is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. It symbolises the spiritual v ...

that amongst other things commemorates the Bali-Vamana legend. The legend signifies devotion, goodwill and generosity.

Onam

In one version of the Vamana legend, when Mahabali offered himself for Vishnu's third step, it was an act of Mahabali's devotion. Vishnu granted him a boon. Mahabali chose to revisit earth, once every year, the lands and people he previously ruled. This revisit marks the festival of

, as reminder of the virtuous rule and his humility in keeping his promise before Vishnu. A simpler form of this legend, one without Mahabali, is found in the ''

'' and the Vedic text ''Shatapatha Brahmana'' where a solar deity is described with powers of Vishnu. This story likely grew over time, and is in part allegorical, where ''Bali'' is a metaphor for thanksgiving offering after a bounty of rice harvest during monsoon, and ''Vishnu'' is the metaphor of the Kerala Sun and summer that precedes the Onam. The story of Mahabali is important to Onam in Kerala, but similar Mahabali legends are significant in the region of Balia in Uttar Pradesh, Bawan also in the same state, Bharuch in Gujarat, and Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra. The story is significant not because Mahabali's rule ended, but it emphasizes the Hindu belief in cyclical nature of events, that no individual, no ruler and nothing lasts forever, except the virtues and self understanding that overcomes all sorrow.

Iconography

Vamana iconography varies by region. Three icons are common, one shows his left foot raised above his knee, the second shows his foot above his navel, and the third shows it raised above the forehead. These icons respectively symbolize the three worlds – netherworld, earth and heaven – Vamana covered as Trivikrama.

Temples

The Vamana iconography and images are found in many

Vaishnava Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, '' Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along wit ...

temples. Some Vamana temples include: * Vamana temple at Marhia, Jabalpur (dated to 5th-century,

Gupta Empire The Gupta Empire was an Indian empire during the classical period of the Indian subcontinent which existed from the mid 3rd century to mid 6th century CE. At its zenith, the dynasty ruled over an empire that spanned much of the northern Indian ...

era) * Vamana temple in

Nagpur Nagpur (; ISO 15919, ISO: ''Nāgapura'') is the second capital and third-largest city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is called the heart of India because of its central geographical location. It is the largest and most populated city i ...

complex of Ramagiri Temples,

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

(5th-century CE) * Vamana along with other avatars of Vishnu, at the

Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh The Dashavatara Temple is an early 6th century Hindu temple located at Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh, Deogarh, Lalitpur district, India, Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh which is 125 kilometers from Jhansi, in the Betwa River valley in northern-central ...

, Jhansi (

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

, dated 500-500 CE)Alexander Lubotsky (1996),
The Iconography of the Viṣṇu Temple at Deogarh and the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa
', Ars Orientalis, Vol. 26, The Smithsonian Institution and Department of the History of Art, pp. 65-80 * Thrikkakara Temple, Thrikkakkara,

Cochin Kochi ( , ), formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. The city is also commonly referred to as Ernaku ...

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

* Velloor Sree Vamana Swamy Temple,

Kottayam Kottayam () is a city in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is the district headquarters of the district and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kottayam has a population of ...

, Kerala * Mithranandapuram Vamanamoorthy Temple,

Thrissur Thrissur (, ), Renaming of cities in India, formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the List of most populous urban agglomerations in Ke ...

, Kerala * Mathampilly Vamana Murthy Temple, Chelamattom,

Ernakulam Ernakulam () is the central business district of the city of Kochi, Kerala, India. It is the namesake of Ernakulam district. The eastern part of Kochi city is mainly known as Ernakulam, while the western part of it after the Venduruthy Bridge ...

, Kerala * Thrivikramamangalam Mahavishnu (Vamana) Temple, Thirumala,

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the Capital city, capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the ...

(Protected monument) * Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram in

Kanchipuram Kanchipuram (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: '; ), also known as Kanjeevaram, is a stand alone city corporation, satellite nodal city of Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the Tondaimandalam region, from ...

* Vamana Temple, Eastern Group of Temples,

Khajuraho Khajuraho () is a city, near Chhatarpur in Chhatarpur district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. One of the most popular tourist destinations in India, Khajuraho has the country's largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous ...

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...

* Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tirukoyilur in Tirukoilur,

Viluppuram District Viluppuram, Villupuram or Vizhuppuram is one of the 38 districts that make up the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It was founded on 30 September 1993, prior to which it was part of the Cuddalore district. Vizhuppuram district lies in the way of the ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

* Kazheesirama Vinnagaram in Sirkazhi,

* In Jagannath Puri Temple the tower of the main sanctuary has three subsidiary shrines, Varaha on south, Narasigha on west and Vamana on north. The high relief Vamana Dev intricately describes the incident of Bali. File:Shivas Kinder - 0192.jpg, Vamana taking a giant step, Nepal File:Badami Cave Temples 22.jpg, Vamana at the Badami cave temples,

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

File:Pattadakal Virupaksa. Mandapa east wall, north side. Trivikrama.JPG, Vamana striding the heavens,

File:Vamana Avatar.jpg, Dwarf Vamana avatar at

Rani ki vav Rani Ki Vav () is a stepwell situated in the town of Patan, Gujarat, Patan in Gujarat, India. It is located on the banks of the Saraswati River, Gujarat, Saraswati River. Its construction is attributed to Udayamati, the spouse of the 11th-centur ...

, Patan,

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

File:AthenaIndia 0306 036.jpg, Vishnu as Trivikrama,

Mamallapuram Mamallapuram (also known as Mahabalipuram), is a town in Chengalpattu district in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, best known for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of 7th- and 8th-century Hindu Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram. It ...

File:Vamanavataram at Srikurmam Temple.jpg, Dwarf Vamana at Srikurmam,

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

File:Ellora, maharashtra 1997004.jpg, Vamana at Ellora Caves,

References

External links

*
Vamana Avatar
{{Authority control Dwarves (folklore) Akilattirattu Ammanai Ayyavazhi mythology Buddhist mythology Creator gods Avatars of Vishnu Jain mythology Salakapurusa Ancient Indian culture Names of God in Hinduism Hindu given names

Nomenclature and etymology

Legend

Symbolism

Nirukta

Vedas

Rigveda

Samhita

Aitareya Brahmana

Sama Veda

Samhita

Pancavimsa Brahmana

Yajur Veda

White Yajurveda: Vajasaneyi Samhita

White Yajurveda: Shatapatha Brahmana

Black Yajurveda: Taittiriya Samhita

Black Yajurveda: Taittiriya Brahmana

Atharva Veda

Upanishads

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Itihasa (Epics)

Mahabharata

Harivamsa

= First account

= Second account

= Links to the Varaha incarnation

Ramayana

Valmiki version 1

Valmiki version 2

Adhyatma Ramayana

Mahapuranas

Agni Purana

Bhagavata Purana

Brahma Purana

First account

Second account

Brahmanda Purana

Brahmavaivarta Purana

Garuda Purana

Kurma Purana

First account

Second account

Linga Purana

Markandeya Purana

Matsya Purana

Narada Purana

Padma Purana

First Account

Second account and other details

Shiva Purana

Skanda Purana

First account

Second account and other details

Vamana Purana

First account

Second account

Varaha Purana

Vayu Purana

Vishnu Purana

Sangam Literature

Festivals

Balipratipada

Onam

Iconography

Temples

See also

References

External links