Om Trivikramaya vidmahe, Vishvarupaya cha Dhimahi, Tanno Vamana prachodayat
Vamana is the fifth avatar of Lord Vishnu and the first Dashavatara in the Treta Yuga.
Vamana is associated with taking back the three worlds (collectively called the Trailokya) from the daitya king Mahabali by taking three steps to restore the cosmic order and push Mahabali into the netherworld.
Vamana is the youngest among the Adityas, the sons of Aditi and the sage Kashyapa.
‘Vāmana’ means ‘dwarf’, ‘small’ or ‘short in stature’. Vamana is also known as Trivikrama ( three steps), Urukrama (far-stepping), Upendra (Indra’s younger brother as an Aditya), Dadhivamana (milk-dwarf), and Balibandhana (binder or killer of Bali).
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’.
Legend:
After Indra is defeated by the daitya called Bali, the king of the Asuras, the devas 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, one of which is attended by Vamana, who requests only three feet (steps) of land to build a fire altar. Bali agrees despite being warned by sage Shukracharya about Vamana’s true nature as Vishnu.
Vamana grows in size and encompasses all of existence and beyond in three strides. The three worlds are restored to Indra, and Bali and the Asuras are banished to Patala, the netherworld.
Iconography:
Vamana iconography varies but 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 symbolize the three worlds i.e. netherworld, earth and heaven, Vamana covered as Trivikrama.
Bali Pratipada (during Diwali) and Onam are two big festivals dedicated to King Bali.
