Vamana, Lord Vishnu’s Fifth Incarnation
He’s the dwarf. This is Vishnu’s fifth Avatara and the first incarnation in the Second Age, or Treta Yuga. Also he is the first Avatar of Vishnu which appears with a completely human form, though it was that of a dwarf Brahmin. He is also sometimes known as Upendra. Vishnu took this form to destroy the demon Bali. Bali, a demon, achieved supernatural power by asceticism and he had snatched Indra’s authority over the heavens with his power.
To protect the world, Vishnu appeared before him in the form of Vamana, carrying a wooden umbrella during a sacrifice where the latter was distributing gifts of the seeker’s choice, to show his power of wealth. Here, Vamana requested three steps of land for him to live in. Bali then granted Vishnu as much land as he could cover in three steps, much against the warning given by his guru, Sukrachary. All of a sudden he assumed the massive form of Trivikrama, dominating the universe’ with his first foot he covered the earth, with the second the heavens. When there was no room for the third, Bali, who never went back on his word offered his head and with the third, he pushed down Bali to the pathala (netherworld) and gave him immortality for his benevolence. Hence he is also known as Trivikrama, one who encompassed the world with three big steps.
