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Vamana

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Devanagari
  
वामन

Sanskrit transliteration
  
Vāmana

Vamana

Affiliation
  
Human dwarf and fifth Avatar of Vishnu

Weapon
  
Wooden umbrella and water pot

Vamana (Devanagari: वामन, IAST: Vāmana, lit. dwarf) is described in the Puranas as the fifth avatar of Vishnu, and the first incarnation of the Second Age or Treta yuga.

Contents

Etymology

  • Vamana (वामन) = a dwarf
  • Upendra (उपेन्द्र) = younger brother of Indra
  • Trivikrama (त्रिविक्रम) = one who strode over the three worlds (Svarga, Earth and Patala) in three steps
  • Origin

    Aditi took Payovrata to propitiate Lord Vishnu. As a result, Vamana was born to Aditi and Kashyapa. He is the twelfth of the Adityas.

    Hinduism

    The Bhagavata Purana describes that Vishnu descended as the Vamana avatar to restore the authority of Indra over the heavens, as it had been taken by Mahabali, a benevolent Asura King. Bali was the great grandson of Hiranyakshipu, the grand son of Prahlada and son of Virochana.

    Vamana, in the guise of a short Brahmin carrying a wooden umbrella, went to the king to request three paces of land. Mahabali consented, against the warning of his guru, Sukracharya. Vamana then revealed his identity and enlarged to gigantic proportions to stride over the three worlds. He stepped from heaven to earth with the first step, from earth to the netherworld with the second. King Mahabali, unable to fulfill his promise, offered his head for the third.

    Vamana then placed his foot and gave the king immortality for his humility. He was also allowed to return every year to see the citizens of his country. The festival of Onam for some and first day of [Diwali] for some is related to this return of Mahabali.

    Mahabali is seen as a symbol of prosperity and love. In worshiping Mahabali and his ancestor Prahláda, he conceded sovereignty of Pátála, the netherworld. Some texts also report that Vamana did not step into the netherworld, and instead gave its rule to Bali. In giant form, Vamana is known as Trivikrama.

    Symbolism

  • Mahabali symbolizes Samridhi mean prosperity, the three feet symbolizes the three planes of existence (Jagrat, Swapna and Sushupti) and final step is on his head which elevates from all three states and he attains moksha.
  • Temples

    The Vamana temples are located in

  • Thrikkakara Temple, Thrikkakkara, Cochin, Kerala
  • Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram in Kanchipuram
  • Vamana Temple, Eastern Group of Temples, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
  • Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tirukoyilur in Tirukoilur, Viluppuram district, Tamil Nadu
  • Vaman Temple in Renwal Manji, Jaipur district, Rajasthan
  • References

    Vamana Wikipedia