Vamana
Vamana is one of the avatars of the Hindu god Vishnu, and is also known as the "dwarf" avatar. He is the fifth avatar of Vishnu and is revered in many parts of India, particularly in the southern states. Vamana is often depicted in art and literature as a dwarf who tricks the demon king Bali into giving him as much land as he can cover in three steps, and then covers the entire universe in two steps.
Mythology[edit | edit source]
According to Hindu mythology, Vamana was born to the sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi. He was the youngest of their twelve sons, known as the Adityas. Vamana's birth is celebrated on the twelfth day of the waxing moon in the month of Bhadrapada, which is known as Vamana Jayanti.
The story of Vamana's avatar is told in the Bhagavata Purana. The demon king Bali had become invincible and had taken over the three worlds. To restore balance, Vishnu took the form of Vamana and approached Bali, asking for as much land as he could cover in three steps. Bali, known for his generosity, agreed. Vamana then grew to a gigantic size and covered the earth and the heavens in two steps. With nowhere else to step, Bali offered his own head, and Vamana stepped on it, pushing him down to the underworld.
Worship[edit | edit source]
Vamana is worshipped in many parts of India, particularly in the southern states. There are several temples dedicated to him, including the Thrikkakara Temple in Kerala, which is considered the centre of Vamana worship. The festival of Onam in Kerala is associated with Vamana's victory over Bali.
See also[edit | edit source]
| Part of a series on |
| Hinduism |
|---|
 |
|
|
| Vamana Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
