Vamana Avatar: The Divine Dwarf

As the dwarf brahmin Vamana the Lord asked King Bali for three steps of land and, as Trivikrama, measured all the worlds.

Vamana, the divine dwarf, is the fifth avatar of Lord Vishnu and is regarded as the first in fully human form. The asura king Bali, grandson of Prahlada, had conquered the three worlds, and Indra and the devas had lost their kingdom. Their mother Aditi worshipped the Lord with a special vow, and he appeared as the son of Aditi and the sage Kashyapa, a small brahmin boy named Vamana.

Bali was a very generous king. He was performing a great sacrifice at which whoever asked for anything received it. Vamana came to the sacrifice carrying an umbrella and a water pot and asked only for as much land as he could measure with three steps. Bali's guru Shukracharya warned him that this was Lord Vishnu himself, but Bali refused to break his word. As the water of the gift was poured, Vamana grew into the cosmic form of Trivikrama. With one step he covered the earth, with the second the heavens, and no place was left for the third. Bali humbly offered his own head. Pleased with his surrender, the Lord gave him the realm of Sutala, said to be more splendid than heaven, and promised to stand guard at his door himself.

This took place in Treta Yuga. Vamana teaches humility, and Bali teaches that true greatness lies in offering everything, even oneself, to the Lord.

Number

5

Yuga

Treta Yuga

Form

Dwarf brahmin

Source

Shrimad Bhagavatam, Canto 8