Vishnu's fifth incarnation, this time in the shape of a dwarf ("vamana").
The Vamana avatar, like all of Vishnu's avatars, appears in
times of crisis and serves to restore cosmic balance that has been thrown out
of equilibrium.
The source of the problem in this case is a demon (asura) named Bali, who has grown so powerful that he can rule the entire universe and do whatever he wants.
In this case, as in many others, Vishnu uses cunning and
trickery rather than overt power to defeat and subdue this disruptive force.
Bali is sponsoring a great sacrifice to which all the gods
and sages have come, according to legend.
Vishnu appears as a dwarf who is disguised as a mendicant
brahmin.
As part of the gift-giving (dana) connected with sacrifice,
Bali lavishes lavish presents on all in attendance, and he pledges to give
Vamana everything he desires.
Vamana declines the promise of riches, land, and material goods, instead requesting simply three paces of land on which to build his own sacrifice altar.
Bali is pleased by the request and gives it without
hesitation, despite Shukra, his religious preceptor (guru), telling him not to.
Vamana starts to grow as soon as Bali pours water on
Vamana's hand, signifying that the gift has been bestowed irreversibly.
He expands to the point when he takes up all of the space in
the universe, and then he starts to walk his three steps.
He spans the earth with his first stride, the skies with his
second, and there is nowhere else to go with his third.
Bali recognizes his loss and recommends that Vishnu's third
step should fall on his head as a sign of submission.
Bali is pushed down into the nether realm by Vishnu's third
step, where he remains the monarch.
Bali's tragedy, like those of many previous avatars, teaches
a valuable lesson: Vishnu's goal is not to kill him, but to restore cosmic
equilibrium that has been disrupted by one entity obtaining excessive or
inappropriate power.
Bali retains his power as a result of his devotion to
Vishnu, although on a smaller scale.
The idea of measuring out the mono poem in three phases may
be found in Vishnu's mythology's earliest layer.
Vishnu is depicted as a protective and beneficent god who
sets the borders of the cosmos with three steps in one of the few hymns to him
in the Rg Veda (1.154), the earliest Hindu holy source.
Trivikrama ("three stages") is the term given to
this incarnation of Vishnu; it's possible that the theme from this hymn was
grafted onto the Vamana narrative as part of the pantheon's assimilation process.
