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Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha! Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!

Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vasudevaya! Om! Ham! Hanumathe Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

SRI VAAMANA AVATHARA

Significance

Sri Vamana Avathara was fifth in the line of Dasavatharas of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu.

This avathara took place during Treta Yuga before Sri Parashurama Avathara. Lord

Maha Vishnu took this avathara in order to suppress the arrogance, vanity and pride of

Emperor Bali (Bali Chakravarthi) and to restore the glory, power and authority of Lord

Indra over the Heaven who had lost his power and kingdom (Swarga) to King Bali. Sri

Vishnu Sahasra Nama Sthothra describes in sloka # 17 and 56, the Lord as Upendro

Vaamanah and Trivikramah.

Lord in this avathara was known as Vamana because he was dwarf in form at the

beginning. He was known as Trivikrama because he is the one who has conquered

the three worlds, Earth, Upper worlds and Nether worlds. He grew to a gigantic size

while suppressing the King Bali and conquered the Universe with just three paces of

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his foot. He was also referred as Upendra as he was known to be the younger brother

of Indra. We find all the three names Trivikrama, Vamana and Upendra while reciting

24 Kesava Namas. An exclusive Purana named after Lord Vamana called Sri Vamana

Purana scripted by Lord and Sage Veda Vyasa forms part of 18 great Puranas called

Ashtadasa Puranas.

Lord Vamana was born as the son of Sage Kashyapa (Kashyapa Prajapathi) and his wife

Aditi in accordance to the penance done by the couple and prayers of Indra and other

Deities. He was born on Bhadrapada Sukla Dwadasi day under the star constellation

of Sravana Nakshatra. This day every year is celebrated as Vamana Jayanthi the day

on which Lord Sri Vamana was born. As soon as he was born He took no time in

attaining the boyhood becoming a Vatu (Brahmachari). Lord Brahma himself initiated

the Gayathri Manthra to Sri Vamana. His attire was that of a typical Brahmin

Brahmachari, wearing a Koupeena (Loin cloth), a sacred thread, holding a Chatthra

(Umbrella) in one hand and Dhanda/Kamandalu (stick and water jug) in the other, his

upper body covered with Deer skin, wearing a ring of Dharbha (Kusa grass) to his third

finger.

Significance of Three Steps

Lord Vamana went to King Maha Bali and asks for three steps of land measured by his

foot as charity. Initially Bali hesitated to donate just three paces of land as it is a

disgrace to his status and was guilty to give such charity. But later agreed, upon

insisting by Lord Vamana and promised to give three paces of land as charity

measured by Sri Vamana’s foot. When Maha Bali completed the ritual process of

donating the land, Lord Vamana assumed his cosmic form (Trivikrama), measured the

entire Earth including the nether worlds by his first step.

With his second step He measured the entire upper worlds. When his foot reached

the zenith it crossed the Sathya Loka where Lord Brahma stays. Seeing the foot of

Lord Maha Vishnu, Lord Brahma offered abhishekam and washed the Lord’s foot and

the water that fell from His foot sanctified the entire Universe. We find in the verses

of great composer and Saint Sri Annamacharya referring to the foot washed by Lord

Brahma (Brahma Kadigina Padamu) in one of his verses on Lord Sri Venkateswara.

When the entire Universe was conquered by just two paces of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu

(Vamana) there was no space left in the Universe to keep Vamana’s third pace.

When Lord Vamana asked Maha Bali the space to keep his third pace, all the pride and

vanity of Maha Bali had vanished and he had no hesitation in surrendering before the

Supreme Lord. Having realised the Supreme Reality, Bali readily offered his own head

to keep the Lord’s third step. Lord Vamana immediately placed his third pace (his

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foot) on the head of Bali and sent him to the nether worlds. Thus the ahankara

(egoism) of Maha Bali was suppressed and Indra was restored with his kingdom.

Uniqueness

Sri Vamana Avathara is the first Avathara where Lord Sri Maha Vishnu took complete

human form though dwarf at the beginning. The uniqueness of this Avathara is that

the Lord did not use any weapon. The only weapon he used was that of begging in

front of King Bali in accordance to the Brahmanic (Brahmachari) form he had

attained. The Lord did not kill the King Bali even though he was an Asura. He

conquered him in a Vedic way with his intelligence. Unlike other Avatharas, Vamana

Avathara was a Sattvik Avathara. Lord had to resort to this strategy due to the

promise he had made to his beloved devotee Prahlada not to kill any of his

descendants. Astrologically Jupiter (Guru) is said to be the Paramatma Amsa of

Vamana Avathara.

Message from Avathara

Hidden behind every Avathara of Paramatma there is a message/moral conveyed. In

this Sri Vamana Avathara the message is total surrender to the God however mighty

one may be. When once you shed your ego and surrender totally with devotion at

the feet of the supreme Lord there is nothing one can worry about and will get total

protection. This is what exactly has happened in case of Bali who had no other

alternative but to surrender to the Lord Trivikrama who had conquered the three

worlds.

When King Bali surrendered in front of Lord Vamana with total devotion, the Lord was

very much pleased and gave him boons voluntarily without being asked by King Bali.

He not only made him the ruler of the nether world Suthala but also assured him that

He would always protect his kingdom. He also assured Bali that he would become the

Indra in the next Manvanthara. By the touch of Lord’s foot on the head of King Bali

all his sins got cleaned up, he became immortal (Chiranjeevi). This is what one

should understand that we should never ask for alms to the Supreme Lord. If you ask

you will get only what you had asked. It you don’t ask you will get everything that

you require.

The story of Bali also bring out the reality that, there is nothing permanent and

nothing to be taken for granted in this world be it wealth, beauty, power, status,

position or family and nothing belongs to anyone. Even the mighty have to fall on

one day or the other. We have several such historical examples that we are also

seeing in this modern world.

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Story of King Bali

Focus of Sri Vamana Avathara falls on the story of King Bali. Popularly referred to as

Bali Chakravarthi or Maha Bali he was a Daitya (Asura) King in the lineage of Prahlada

(Bhaktha Prahlada). He was the grand son of Prahlada and son of Virochana.

Prahlada, his grand father was an ardent and coveted devotee of Lord Sri

ManNarayana for whose sake the Lord took the avathara of Lord Narasimha. Sage

Sukrachaarya (Daitya Guru) was his preceptor helping King Bali in all his endeavors.

Bali was a mighty and valorous Asura who had conquered all the three worlds

including Heaven and Indra had to surrender to him. He was very arrogant, proud

and egoistic. At the same time he was virtuous, an exemplary King dedicated to the

welfare of the people in his kingdom. He was also famous and known for his

charitable qualities. King Bali learned all the Shastras and obtained Vedic knowledge

under the guidance and supervision of his illustrious grand father Prahlada. During his

reign the country and the people were very prosperous. With the help of his preceptor

Maha Bali had conquered the three worlds and dethroned Indra from Heaven and

occupied Amaravathi the capital of Indra. Celebrating his successful expedition Maha

Bali was performing a great Yagna with the help of his Guru, Sage Sukrachaarya.

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Lord Sri Maha Vishnu in his Vamana avathara mission enters the Yagnashala (sacred

fire place) as a Brahmachari, where Bali was performing Aswamedha yaga. Lord

Vamana after entering the Yagnashala asks King Maha Bali for three paces of land

measured by his foot as charity. When King Bali was in the process of fulfilling the

request of Vamana, Sage Sukrachaarya realizes that Vamana was none other than the

Supreme Lord Maha Vishnu himself. Sensing the trickery of Lord Vishnu, Sukrachaarya

advises and prevails upon King Bali to retract from his promise. But Bali refuses to

heed to his Guru’s words and insists upon going ahead with his promise to the Lord

Vamana. Due to this Bali had to face the curse at the hands of his own Guru Sage

Sukrachaarya who cursed him to lose his power and position. Prior to this on an

earlier occasion also Maha Bali had to receive the brunt from his own grand father

Prahlada for contesting the supremacy of Lord Maha Vishnu. Sukracharya’s curse had

added fuel to the fire.

Literally Bali means sacrifice. King Bali is a classic example of Aatmanivedanam,

complete surrender with devotion to the Supreme Lord and taking refuge in Him to

achieve the ultimate goal. Knowing from his preceptor that the one who has come

for charity is none other than Lord Sri Maha Vishnu and knowing fully well that he is

going to fail in keeping up his promise, Bali did not listen to his Guru and wanted to

proceed honouring his word. Bali was prepared for all consequences and felt that

there cannot be a better fortune and poorva janma sukrutha for him (in the position

of a giver to the Lord) than this, when the Lord himself has come and seeking charity

from him with stretched hands.

Bali is also an outstanding example of supreme sacrifice where he has sacrificed

everything he had, knowing fully well that he is going to lose his rulership on the

three worlds and that is going to ruin him. Bali did not deter from the curse given by

his preceptor since the offering is to the Supreme Lord who is the Supreme Preceptor.

Ultimately when King Bali fell short of fulfilling his promise given to Vamana, he

surrendered completely before the Supreme Lord for which he was amply rewarded

by the Lord for his virtues. He became the ruler of Suthala (Nether world) with Lord

himself protecting his kingdom, became immortal, and got identified as the future

Indra of the next Manvanthara period.

Festivals related to Vamana Avathara:

The day on which Lord Vamana was born is celebrated every year on Bhadrapada

Sukla Dwadasi Day as Vamana Jayanthi.

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The sacred day on which King Bali gave charity to Lord Vamana is celebrated as Bali

Paadyami (Bali Prathipada) which occurs during Diwali festival on Kartheeka Sukla

Prathipada day.

Similarly, Onam a popular festival among Keralites is also connected to King Bali as it

is believed that King Bali would return to the Earth (Kerala) every year during Onam.

Kerala was said to be the capital of King Bali.

Temples of Vamana Avathara:

Some of the famous temples of Lord Vamana are,

Ulagalanda Perumal temple: It is a temple of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu in Trivikrama

roopa (Vamana Avathara). The statue is 35 ft. height and 24 ft. width. It is said

that during Vamana Avathara Lord Vishnu appeared to King Bali at this place. It is

also said that the Lord showed his Trivikrama roopa to Lord Aadisesha at this place.

This temple is located in Shiva Kanchi (Kaancheepuram) in Tamil Nadu state.

Thrikkara Temple: The only Vamana temple in Kerala near Cochin famous for Onam

festival. This place is said to have been the capital of King Bali.

Tirukoilur -Ulagalanda Perumal Temple: Situated in Tirukoilur in South Arcot district of Tamil Nadu this temple is dedicated to Lord Trivikrama (Vamana). Vamana Temple in Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu bhargavasarma