VĀMANA I An incarnation of Mahāviṣṇu.
1)
General information. There are ten main incarnations of Mahāviṣṇu. Of these, the incarnation of Vāmana is the fifth.
2)
Two Vāmanas. Two different stories occur in the Purāṇas about the incarnation of Vāmana. One story is about how Mahāviṣṇu took the incarnation of Vāmana and thrust Mahābali an asura, down to the netherworld. This story is more widely known. In the second story the place of Mahābali is given to the asura called Dhundhu. This is the main difference. For a comparative study, both stories are given below:
a)
The first story of the incarnation of Vāmana. The devas (gods) such as Indra and the others were born to Prajāpati Kaśyapa by his wife Aditi and the asuras (demons) such as Mahābali and others, by his wife Diti. The Daityas (asuras) began to harm and harass the Devas to a great extent. Once Aditi, the mother of the Devas, complained to Kaśyapa about this. He advised her to take the fast called ‘Payovrata’ fixing the image of Mahāviṣṇu in her heart and that he will take birth through her as Vāmana and destroy Mahābali. According to the advice of her husband, Aditi began to take Payovrata, at the end of which Mahāviṣṇu appeared before her and asked her what her wish was. She told Viṣṇu, of her grievances and Viṣṇu consoled her and said “You have invoked me by your prayer and fast for the safety of your sons. So I will enter your womb through the penance of Kaśyapa and take birth as your son and rescue your sons.” Mahāviṣṇu disappeared. Aditi worshipped her husband with devotion. By contemplation Kaśyapa knew everything. He infused the energy he had acquired by penance into Aditi, who gave birth to a son. The birth took place on the twelfth day of the month of Bhādrapada, in the bright lunar fortnight at the auspicious moment called Abhijit, in the star of Śrāvaṇa. The infant had four hands. While Kaśyapa and Aditi were looking on, the infant changed its form and became a dwarfish Brahmin boy. The Devas brought presents to the child. The Sun taught him the spell called Sāvitrīmantra. Bṛhaspati gave the Brahmastring. Kaśyapa gave the string worn round the waist. The earth gave the hide of a black antelope. Soma the Vanaspati gave a rod; Aditi gave the cloth over the privities, the sky an umbrella, the seven hermits gave Kuśa-grass, Brahmā gave a waterpot, Sarasvatī gave a rosary and Kubera gave a pot. At that time, the powerful Mahābali had brought the three worlds of heaven, earth and Pātāla (the netherworld) under his control. That Asura King performed a horse-sacrifice with the help of a Bhārgava Brahmin. Hearing about it Vāmana started for the place of sacrifice. Mahābali was performing the sacrifice at a place called Bhṛgukacchaka on the North bank of river Narmadā. The priests who were performing the rites and ceremonies of the sacrifice saw Vāmana coming slowly to the sacrificial hall. They wondered whether it was the Sun, Sanatkumāra or Agni (Fire) coming to see the sacrifice. While they were standing thus, Vāmana with his umbrella, rod and water pot filled with water entered the sacrificial hall. Mahābali welcomed Vāmana and asked him the purpose of his visit. Vāmana said “Oh King! Your words are sweet. Noble Asura! give me three feet of ground which I measure with my feet. That is all what I want.” Mahābali agreed. The teacher-priest Śukra felt some doubts regarding the identity of Vāmana. So he secretly told Mahābali that the boy Vāmana was none other than Mahāviṣṇu and as such, he should not give any promise. But Mahābali had already given the promise. He refused to go back upon his words. The priest Śukra got angry at this and cursed Mahābali thus. “You boast that you are wise and learned. But you are disobedient, slow-witted and unwise. So all your prosperities will be destroyed.” Though he was cursed, he did not deviate from the path of truth. He gave the promised ground to Vāmana by pouring water with the water brought in golden pot by his queen Vindhyāvalī. The names, Aśanā and Koṭarā also are used in the Purāṇas for Vindhyāvalī the wife of Mahābali. She came out for the purpose wearing golden ornaments. Mahābali himself washed the feet of Vāmana, who instantly began to grow and became large beyond imagination. Everybody on the spot was amazed at the unimaginable bigness of Vāmana. On that huge figure, Mahābali saw the priest, the performers of sacrificial rites, the sacrificial hall, the universe, the elements, the qualities the senses, the mind, the individual spirits, and at the feet of the figure the world Rasātala. He saw the earth on its feet, mountains below the knees, birds on its knees, the Maruts on its thighs, evening on its clothes, the Prajāpatis on its privities, the noble and mighty asuras on its lions, the sky on its navel, the oceans on its stomach, Dharma (duty) in its heart, rightness and truth on its breasts, Mahālakṣmī holding lotus on its chest, songs of Sāman and all other voices in its neck, all the gods beginning with Indra on its hands, the points (directions) on its ears, the ether on its head, the clouds on its hair, breaths in its nose, the sun in its eyes, fire on its face, the Vedas in its words, Varuṇa in its tongue, day and night agreement and disagreement in its winking and anger on its forehead. In its touch there was desire, in its radiance there was water, in its buttocks Jawlessness, sacrifice in its steps, death in its shadow, illusion in its laugh, medicines in its hairs, rivers in its veins, stones in its nails, Brahmā in its intelligence, hermits, devas etc. in its life-breaths. Thus the figure was seen by Mahābali. Vāmana had trodden on the whole of the earth, which was completely under the cont ol of Mahābali, with one foot, filled the whole of the sky with his large body and the four points were filled with his hands. The second step was put on Maharloka, Janaloka and Tapoloka (three worlds). No spot was left in the universe for a third step. Vāmana said:--“You have given me three feet of ground. I have measured two feet of ground. Show me the place to measure the third step. I have measured the earth with one step and the heaven with the second step. You have seen it. If you cannot keep your promise you had better go down to Pātāla.” Bali requested him to place the third step on his head. Vāmana placed his foot on the head of Mahābali and thrust him down to Pātāla. Vāmana brought Indra to the spot and anointed him as the ruler of heaven, in the presence of all the gods and hermits. Indra sent Vāmana with the Lokapālas (Indra, Agni, Yama and Varuṇa) in a divine Vimāna to the world of Viṣṇu.
[Bhāgavata Skandha 8] .
b)
The second story of the incarnation of Vāmana. Dhundhu, an asura boy, was born to Kaśyapa by his wife Danu. That asura did penance and pleased Brahmā. He made a request that he should not be killed by Indra and the other gods or anybody else. Brahmā, who was pleased at his penance, gave him the boon he asked. The boy Dhundhu, at the beginning of the fourth Kaliyuga, during the period of Hiraṇyakaśipu, went to heaven and defeating Indra and the other Devas, established his rule there as Indra. The mighty Hiraṇyakaśipu was travelling on the mountain Mandara as an official under Dhundhu. The defeated and grief-stricken Devas went to the world of Brahmā and lived there. Dhundhu, who knew this, wanted to drive them out of that place also. He requested Śukra, the priest and teacher of asuras, to tell him the means of doing it. Śukra said. “Devendra was enabled to enter the presence of Brahmā, because he had performed one hundred horse-sacrifices. “Hearing this, Dhundhu, with the permission of the teacher Śukra, began to perform sacrifice in the holy place called Prācīna tīrtha. Hearing that Dhundhu had begun the horse-sacrifice, Indra and the Devas trembled with fear and, leaving the world of Brahmā, went to the world of Viṣṇu and prayed for protection. Bhagavān came to know of everything and consoled them and sent them back. After this Mahāviṣṇu took the form of a Vāmana and jumped into the Devikājala and lay afloat like a piece of dry wood. Dhundhu and the hermits saw by chance, Vāmana sinking and coming up in the water. They took the Vāmana-Brahmin out of water and asked him how he had fallen in water. Vāmana replied with shiver:--“In the family of Varuṇa there was a Brahmin named Prabhāsa, who was a scholar. I am Gatibhāsa, the younger of his two sons. After the death of father, I requested my brother to divide the property of our father. My brother quoted several rules and said that I was not entitled to get any portion of my father's wealth. I spoke against him and getting angry he caught me by my hair and threw me into the river. It is a year since I, being not able to swim, began to sink and come up in this river. Thus you have seen me here.” The Bhārgavas who were present there, requested Dhundhu thus. “Oh! King of the asuras! Be pleased to give this boy a well-furnished house, servant-maids and plenty of wealth.” Hearing this Dhundhu said to Vāmana. “I will provide you with wealth, servantmaids, house, gold, cows, land, clothes etc.” Vāmana humbly said to Dhundhu “Oh Lord! I do not want any wealth. It is my desire for wealth that has brought me to this plight. I request you to give me only three feet of ground.” As soon as the asura-King complied with his request, Vāmana began to grow like the moon. He assumed the shape of Trivikrama to measure each of the three worlds with a foot. In two steps he measured all the worlds. Vāmana whose body was bigger than Mahāmeru became angry when he did not see place to measure the third step, and fell on Dhundhu. By this heavy fall there appeared a great cavity thirty thousand yojanas deep. Bhagavān Viṣṇu took the asura Dhundhu and threw him into that deep pit with a mighty force, and by a shower of dust he filled the cavity. Indra with the Devas occupied the world of Gods. Leaving the asura King in the sea of dust, Bhagavān jumped into the river Kālindī and disappeared.
[Padma Purāṇa, Chapter 78] .
VĀMANA II One of the eight elephants supporting the universe. This elephant was one of the four sons of Irāvatī. Airāvata, Supratīka and Añjana were the other three.
[Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, 3: 7: 292] . This Vāmana was the conveyance of a famous giant in the army of Ghaṭotkaca during the battle of Bhārata.
[M.B. Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 60, Verse 56] .
VĀMANA III A holy place situated on the borders of Kurukṣetra. By bathing in the particular spot called Viṣṇupāda, in this holy place and worshipping Vāmana, one could enter the world of Viṣṇu.
[M.B. Vana Parva, Chapter 86, Stanza 103] .
VĀMANA IV A holy place. It is stated in
[Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 84, Stanza 13] , that those who worship Hari (Viṣṇu) in this place will never become miserable.
VĀMANA V A mountain in the Krauñca Island.
[Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 12] .