Vamana Jayanthi : It is celebrated on Bhadrapada Shukla Dwadashi

• Sri Vamana Avathara was fifth of  Dasavatharas of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu.
• This avathara took place during Treta Yuga before Sri Parashurama Avathara
• Lord Maha Vishnu took this avathara in order to suppress the arrogance and pride of Emperor Bali (Bali Chakravarthi) and to restore the glory, power and authority of Lord Indra over the Heaven who had lost his power and kingdom  to King Bali.
• Lord in this avathara was known as Vamana because he was dwarf in form at the beginning.
• He was known as Trivikrama because he is the one who has conquered the three worlds, Earth, Upper worlds and Nether worlds. He grew to a gigantic size while suppressing the King Bali and conquered the Universe with just three paces of his foot.
• He was also referred as Upendra as he was known to be the younger brother of Indra.
• We find all the three names Trivikrama, Vamana and Upendra while reciting 24 Kesava Namas.

Vamana avathara:

• Lord Vamana was born as the son of Sage Kashyapa (Kashyapa Prajapathi) and his wife Aditi in accordance to the penance done by the couple and prayers of Indra and other Deities.
• He was born on Bhadrapada Sukla Dwadasi day under the star constellation of Sravana Nakshatra. This day every year is celebrated as Vamana Jayanthi the day on which Lord Sri Vamana was born.
• As soon as he was born He took no time in attaining the boyhood becoming a Vatu (Brahmachari). Lord Brahma himself initiated the Gayathri Manthra to Sri Vamana.
• His attire was that of a typical Brahmin Brahmachari, wearing a Koupeena (Loin cloth), a sacred thread, holding a Chatthra (Umbrella) in one hand and Dhanda/Kamandalu (stick and water jug) in the other, his upper body covered with Deer skin, wearing a ring of Dharbha (Kusa grass) to his third finger.

Three steps:

Lord Vamana went to King Maha Bali and asks for three steps of land measured by his foot as charity. Initially Bali hesitated to donate just three paces of land . But later agreed, upon insisting by Lord Vamana and promised to give three paces of land as charity measured by Sri Vamana’s foot.

When Maha Bali completed the ritual process of donating the land, Lord Vamana assumed his form trivikrama, measured the entire Earth  by his first step.

With his second step He measured the entire upper worlds. When his foot reached the zenith it crossed the Sathya Loka where Lord Brahma stays. Seeing the foot of Lord Maha Vishnu, Lord Brahma offered abhishekam and washed the Lord’s foot and the water that fell from His foot sanctified the entire Universe.

When the entire Universe was conquered by just two paces of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu (Vamana) there was no space left in the Universe to keep Vamana’s third pace.

When Lord Vamana asked Maha Bali the space to keep his third pace, all the pride and vanity of Maha Bali had vanished and he had no hesitation in surrendering before the Supreme Lord.

Having realised the Supreme Reality, Bali readily offered his own head to keep the Lord’s third step. Lord Vamana immediately placed his third pace (his foot) on the head of Bali and sent him to pathaala loka

Thus the ahankara (egoism) of Maha Bali was suppressed and Indra was restored with his kingdom.

Significance of vamana avathara in Vishnu sahasra nama:

Upendro vamanah pramshuh amogha shuchi roorjitah |
Ateendra sangrahah sargo dhrutatma niyamo yamah || Sloka – 17

Ajo maharhah svadhavyo jita-mitrah pramo-danah |
Anando nandano nandah satya-dharma trivi-kramah || Sloka – 56

Check the links:

vamana charithre/vamana huttu

Dhadhi vamana sloka