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Vamana

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See Kāśikāvṛttī for the medieval grammarians.
Vamana
Devanagariवामन

Vamana (Devanagari: वामन, IAST: Vāmana) is described in the Puranic texts of Hinduism as the Fifth Avatar of Vishnu, and the first incarnation of the Second Age, or the Treta yuga.[1] 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.

Origin

Vamana was born to Aditi and Kashyapa.[2] His twelfth of the Adityas. Vamana is held to be the younger brother of Indra.

Vedas

In Rigveda there comes a reference for Vishnu - Who has measured the three lokas in three steps.The two legs can be seen but the third can not.This probably grew up into independent tale in later vedic period.

Hinduism

Vamana as Trivikrama - depicted having three legs, one on the earth, raised leg in the heavens and third on Bali's head.

The legend of Bhagavata has it that the Vamana avatar was taken by Vishnu to restore Indra's authority over the heavens, which was taken away by Mahabali, a benevolent Asura King. Bali was the grandson of Prahlada, the son of Hiranyakshipu. Vamana, in the guise of a short Brahman, carried a wooden umbrella and requested three steps of land for him to live in. Given a promise of three steps of land by King Mahabali against the warning given by his Guru Sukracharya, Vamana, The Supreme God enlarged himself to such dimensions as to stride over the three worlds. He had grown so huge that he could step from heaven to earth, and earth to the lower worlds in two simple steps. King Mahabali, unable to fulfill the promise of three paces of land to the Supreme God, offers his head for the third step. Thus Vamana places his foot on King Mahabali's head and gives him immortality for his benevolence. Being worshipped however by Mahabali and his ancestor Prahláda, he conceded to them the sovereignty of Pátála (netherworld).

Jainism

Sacred texts from Jainism mentions the legend of Vamana. The legend begins as an ill natured man having several issues with Jain Munis. Having confronted these issues and the behavior of the ill-man to the King, the King banishes the ill man from his kingdom.

After going to another kingdom, the ill-man manages to help and get close to the King of that kingdom. After recognizing the help aided by this man, the King promises to grant one wish to him. Having kept his animosity with the Jain monks, he asks to be made King for 4 months during Chaturmas (a holy time for the Jains). The King, after consent, makes the man to be the King of the kingdom. The ill-man decides to take advantage of the situation by ordering that he must eat all Jain Muni's meal, making them not eat for the rest of the day as the food would be considered contaminated. The Jain Shravaks and Shravikas, recognizing the intents of the ill-man, the great Vamana munivar was consulted. He had the capability to grow his figure to being very big or small.

Dressed up as a dwarf Brahman, he went to the Raja's house (which was ruled by the ill-man at the time) while the man was performing a pooja. Near the end of the pooja, the one performing the pooja must give something to those that were present at the pooja. Upon asking what the dwarf man wanted, he simply wanted three foot of land. The King consents and agrees to provide this land to the dwarf man.

Soon Vamana grew so large that one foot touched the entire Earth, another foot was touched by the heavens and did not have a third foot to provide. Not satisfying the requests of Vamana, the ill-man, realizes his bad behavior and bows his head down to Vamana to put his third foot on his head.

Symbolism

Vamana avatar with King Mahabali

Vamana taught King Mahabali that arrogance and pride should be abandoned if any advancement in life is to be made, and that wealth should never be taken for granted since it can so easily be taken away. Vamana then took on the form of Mahavishnu and was pleased by King Mahabali's determination and ability to keep his promise, despite his spiritual master's curse and the prospect of losing all his wealth. Vishnu named the King Mahabali since he was a Mahatma (great soul). He allowed Mahabali to return to the spiritual sky to associate with Prahalada (the demoniac Hiranyakashipu's pious son) and other divine beings. Mahavishnu also declared that Mahabali would be able to rule the universe in the following yuga (age). Mahabali was the grandson of Prahlada, being the son of Prahlada's son Virochana who was killed in a battle with the Devas.

Mahabali is supposed to return every year to the land of his people, to ensure that they are prosperous.

In Sikhism

Vamana is discussed in the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred text of Sikhism.[3]

Satjugi tai manio Chhalio bali bavan bhaio
In Satyayuga, you sported as the dwarf incarnation, and fooled Bali.

On page 1390 of the Guru Granth Sahib, Vamana is mentioned as the "enticer" of Baliraja.[4]

In the Ramayana

Dwarf Vamana avatar at Rani ki vav, Patan, Gujarat

According to the Adhyatma Ramayana It is also said that Vamana is the guard of the gate of Bali's underworld realm Sutala[5][6] and will remain so forever.[7] Tulsidas' Ramayana too declares that Vamana became the "dwarpal" (gate-defender) of Bali.[8]

It is said that Mahabali attained Moksha by atmanivedinam.[9] Krishna in the Sri Rūpa Gosvāmī's Bhakti-rasāmrta-sindhuh[10] says that Mahabali came to Him or attained Him. Some traditions also hold that Vamana was an avatar of Ganesha.[11]

Temples

Vishnu as Trivikrama, Mahabalipuram relief

The Vamana temples are located in

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Vamana Avatar: Vishnu's Fifth Incarnation". Retrieved 6 November 2008.
  2. ^ Account of the several Manus and Manwantaras Vishnu Purana, translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, 1840, Book III: Chapter I. 265:22, at the request of the deities Vishńu was born as a midget, Vámana, the son of Adití by Kaśyapa. By applying to Mahabali for alms Kaśyapa was promised by the prince whatever he might demand, notwithstanding Śukra (the preceptor of the Daityas). The dwarf demanded as much space as he could step over at three steps and upon the assent of Mahabali he enlarged himself to such dimensions as to stride over the three worlds. Being worshipped however by Mahabali and his ancestor Prahláda, he conceded to them the sovereignty of Pátála.
  3. ^ P. 1390 Guru Granth Sahib
  4. ^ P. 1330, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Vol. 4
  5. ^ P. 281 The Adhyatma Ramayana: Concise English Version By Chandan Lal Dhody
  6. ^ P. 134 Srī Rūpa Gosvāmī's Bhakti-rasāmṛta-Sindhuh By Rūpagosvāmī, Bhakti Hridaya Bon
  7. ^ P. 134 Sri Rūpa Gosvāmīs Bhakti-rasāmrta-sindhuh By Rūpagosvāmī
  8. ^ P. 246 Complete Works of Gosvami Tulsidas By Satya Prakash Bahadur, Tulasīdāsa
  9. ^ P. 178 Vedanta Established in Its Own Light =: Sushka Vedanta Tamo Bhaskaram By Malayalaswamulavaru
  10. ^ P. 379 Sri Rūpa Gosvāmīs Bhakti-rasāmrta-sindhuh By Rūpagosvāmī By Rūpagosvāmī
  11. ^ P. 22 Bhavan's Journal By Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
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