Vamana- Hindu GodDeity"The Dwarf"

Origins

When the asura king Bali conquered the three worlds and drove the devas from heaven, Aditi, mother of the gods, prayed to Vishnu for aid. Vishnu consented to be born as her son through the sage Kashyapa, appearing as Vamana: a diminutive Brahmin boy carrying an umbrella and water pot. He did not come as a warrior but as the smallest of supplicants.

The Virtuous Demon King

Bali, grandson of the great devotee Prahlada, was a demon king of exceptional virtue. Through piety, generosity, and conquest, he had obtained sovereignty over the three worlds. Even Indra was driven from his throne. Yet Bali's rule was righteous. He performed proper sacrifices and never refused a request from Brahmins. The gods could not accuse him of injustice, only that heaven had been taken from them.

The Three Steps

Vamana appeared before Bali during a great sacrifice. When Bali offered the young Brahmin any boon he desired, Vamana asked only for three paces of land, a trivial request from a king who ruled the universe. Bali's guru Shukracharya recognized Vishnu in disguise and warned him not to grant the gift, but Bali's honor would not let him refuse a Brahmin's request. He poured water on Vamana's hands, sealing the gift irrevocably.

Vamana began to grow. He expanded to fill the cosmos as Trivikrama, the Three-Strider. His first step covered the entire earth. His second step spanned all of heaven. With nowhere left for the third step, Bali offered his own head. Pleased by this supreme act of devotion, Vishnu did not destroy the demon king but granted him sovereignty over the netherworld Sutala and the boon of returning to rule the earth once a year, a return celebrated in Kerala as the festival of Onam.