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Concept
Vamana
Summary
Vamana (Vāmana), also known as Trivikrama (), Urukrama (), Upendra (), Dadhivamana (दधिवामन), and Balibandhana () is an avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu. He is the fifth avatar of Vishnu, and the first Dashavatara in the Treta Yuga, after Narasimha.
Originating in the Vedas, Vamana is most commonly associated in the Hindu epics and Puranas with the legend of taking back the three worlds (collectively referred to as the Trailokya) from the daitya-king Bali by taking three steps to restore the cosmic order. He is the youngest among the adityas, the sons of Aditi and the sage Kashyapa.
'Vāmana' (Sanskrit वामन) means 'dwarf', 'small' or 'small or short in stature'. It also means 'dwarfish bull', which is notable as Vishnu is directly associated with dwarfish animals (including bulls) in the Vedas (see below). Stated in Puranic literature to be born of the great sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi, other names or epithets referring to Vamana include:
After Indra (The king of the devas, the son of Kashyapa and Aditi) is defeated by the daitya called Bali, the king of the asuras, the great-great grandson of Kashyapa and Diti, the devas ultimately seek refuge in Vishnu, 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 (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). 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, the netherworld.
J. Roy states that the 'Dwarf or Vamana incarnation of Vishnu is purely an Allegory and seems to be a development of the idea of Vishnu's three strides, alluded to repeatedly in the Rigveda.
Official source
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