Vamana

Vamana, fifth of the 10 incarnations (avatars) of the Hindu god Vishnu.

In the Rigveda, Vishnu took three strides, with which he measured out the three worlds: earth, heaven, and the space between them. In later mythology, the dwarf Vamana made his appearance when the demon king Bali ruled the entire universe and the gods had lost their power. One day Vamana visited the court of Bali and begged of him as much land as he could step over in three paces. The king laughingly granted the request. Assuming a gigantic form, Vamana with one step covered the whole earth, and with the second step the midworld between earth and heaven. As there was nowhere left to go, the demon king lowered his head and suggested Vamana place his foot on it for the promised third step. Vamana was pleased, and with the pressure of his foot sent Bali down below to rule the netherworld. Vishnu in this form is often identified as Trivikrama (“God of the Three Strides”).

The images of Vamana usually show him already grown to giant size, one foot firmly planted on earth and the other lifted as if to take a stride. If shown small in stature, the sculptures may depict him as a deformed dwarf or as a brahmacharin (monastic student), dressed in the deerskin, loincloth, and sacred thread of the student, and with the student’s tufted hair.