Hi!! Today, I'll be telling the story of Lord Vishnu's fifth avatar, Vamana. He was a dwarf Brahmin, who was born to vanquish the Asura king, Bali. Let's go…
After the Churning of the Ocean, Indra started to rule the universe as the King of Heaven again. His brothers, the other gods, gave their traits back to the universe. Agni lit his fire in poojas and yajnas, Vayu blew cool winds through the trees, Surya shone his light upon the cosmos and Chandra reflected his light into the night. The whole universe rejoiced with the return of the Devas. Well, not the whole universe. The Asuras, led by their tyrannous king Bali, seethed with fury. The lead up to this anger was through the Churning of the Ocean. When Bali teamed up with the Devas to get the amrut, the nectar of immortality and immeasurable strength, the Devas had promised to give him half of it. But, Lord Vishnu helped the Devas. He stole the amrut and fed all of it to the Devas (You can read about it in one of my posts!!). This is why Bali was angry. He hated Vishnu and the Devas. He thought that they were cheats and traitors who were scared of the Asuras. Bali had to retreat back to his kingdom, amrut - less and fuming with rage. He vowed that he would overthrow the Devas and become the Ruler of the Universe or he would die trying.
Bali gathered his forces and built the largest army ever seen in the universe!!! Even the Devas were frightened at the sight of the army!!! They didn't have an army even half of that!!!! When a spy from Vaikunta had gone and returned from the Asuras' camp, Indra and the other Adityas understood. Bali was going to attack Vaikunta!!!!! They had to either fight or surrender to Bali. Even with the amrut, the Devas were too scared to fight. Anyways, the amrut gave them strength, not courage and confidence. They didn't stand a chance.
When Bali came with his army to Vaikunta, the Devas subtly gave Bali their hands and said, "You may chain us. Take our place. Just don't rout Vaikunta." Bali was overjoyed!!! He laughed with delight and chained up all of the Devas and their wives. "I shall see to it that Vaikunta doesn't undergo any damage! But, I will become the Ruler of the Universe!" The Devas couldn't disagree with Bali, for it would otherwise be "Off with their heads!!!!" With their chains, the Devas were escorted to the prisons, where many Asuras sat in cells. When the Devas were thrown into the cells, the other inmates stood up. They were astonished!!! The ones who had arrested them had now been arrested!!! The anxious inmates stared up to black stairs that came from the ground. A figure sauntered down the stairs. Bali stared down at the inmates, who were staring at him and whispering to each other, "It's Bali! It's Bali, the king!!" Bali leapt off the last few steps and shouted, "Men, I have missed you!! These fools have dared to challenge me and my mighty army. I am now the Ruler of the Universe!!!!!" With that, Bali punched the locks of the cells and suddenly, they snapped!!!! The inmates ran out and leapt in front of Bali. Some of them lifted Bali onto their shoulders and danced with him!!! They ran up the stairs and danced through the streets of Vaikunta, with Bali on their shoulders. The reign of Bali was to start.
Bali was a just king. He ruled well and just, but he had consequences. If anyone stepped out of line, then KCCHAAKKK!!!!! Off with their head!!!!!! This made everyone hate Bali. Men, women and children alike would fall under the gleaming sword of Bali, the King of the Cosmos. The Devas were made to sweep and swab the palace and cook for Bali. It was nothing like what they had experienced before. Bali had conquered Vaikunta many times, but this time wasn't like any other. He slaughtered sooooo many people!!!! Even though he was a tyrant, Bali was a just king, who would stop inter-planetary fights if needed. This earned Bali a reputation, too.
The Devas were made to slog in the palace. Bali had no mercy to show them. He just made them work and work. When they were tired and stopped working, Bali would take a flaming hot iron rod and slap them on the rump!!!!! They would scream in pain and start to work. Alas, they couldn't do anything for fear of their heads being chopped off.
Seeing this, Aditi - the mother of the Devas - pleaded Lord Vishnu to save her sons, let alone the whole universe!!! "Please, O Lord!! Save my children!! Save the universe!!! I can't bear to see this!!!" Lord Vishnu was chilling in his abode next to the Ksheera Sagara, sitting on his snake, Sheshnaag. He heard Aditi's praying to him. Realising that the situation would soon get out of hand, Vishnu said to Aditi, "I shall save the universe from the reign of Bali. I shall come as a dwarf to Bali's palace on Earth and finish him there." Aditi heard the divine voice of Vishnu speaking to her. With renewed hope, Aditi went to her husband's (Sage Kashyapa) ashram and sat, meditating to Lord Vishnu.
Lord Vishnu flew from Vaikunta to Earth and changed into the form of a dwarf Brahmin, who went by the name of Vamana. He walked over to the palace of Bali, where he was doing the Rajasuya yajna. Vamana hobbled up to Bali. When Bali saw him, he bowed down and asked, "Namaskara O Brahmin!! You have come at a very auspicious time!! What do you desire? Cows? Gold? Land? Anything you ask me, I shall give to you," Vamana blessed him and said, "Hello, Mahaprabhu!! Shall you give me what I truly ask for?" Bali nodded his head. Suddenly, the guru of Bali, Shukracharya, stopped him. "O Bali!! He is not an ordinary Brahmin!! He is Lord Vishnu!!" Bali was confused. He didn't know why his teacher was telling him that this dwarf was Lord Vishnu!! " What are you telling, Guru? This brahmin is not Vishnu!!!" Scoffing, Bali lifted the sacred kamandalam of water and was ready to wash Vamana's feet with it. Shukracharya, who knew that Bali wouldn't listen to him, took the form of a large fly and tried to block the entrance of the kamandalam. Seeing this, Vamana poked his small walking stick through the opening. The stick smacked Shukracharya in the face!!! He fell on the green grass, rolling around in pain. The clear water sloshed and splashed onto Vamana's feet. Vamana then stated, "Mahaprabhu, I ask you for three steps of land." Bali looked at Vamana's face and stared. He was shocked!! Vamana could have asked for gold or cows or land!!!! Instead, he only wanted three steps of land!!! How peculiar!!
Bali bent back down to wipe Vamana's feet, when his legs grew long!!! Bali came up and saw that Vamana had become as tall as him!!!! Bali ran back and stared at Vamana. He started to grow even more!!!!! He was now the size of a truck!!! Bali was astounded!!!! What stature Vamana had!!!! From a dwarf, he became the size of a truck!!!!! Shukracharya turned back into a man and told Bali, "I told you so! He is the Lord!" Bali clasped his hands and prayed to the Lord. Bali stared at Vaman, who still grew!!! He was now the size of a few double-decker buses!!!!! Suddenly, he was the size of a big apartment!!! He was the size of a sky-scraper!!! Within a few minutes, Vamana could touch Heaven while standing on Earth!!!!!!! Bali Shouted to Vamana, who's head was in the clouds (Literally!!!), " O LORD!!! I BEG YOU!!! PLEASE DO NOT HURT US!!!" Vamana shouted back, "MY FIRST STEP IS ON THE WHOLE EARTH!!!!" With that, Vamana stepped on the Earth, covering it with his feet, "MY NEXT STEP IS ON HEAVEN!!!!" Vamana then put his other foot on Vaikunta, covering it, "THERE IS NO MORE SPACE!!!! WHERE SHALL I PUT MY THIRD STEP??!!!!!!" Bali was desolate. He had nowhere else for Vamana to put his third foot. Finally, Bali screamed, "YOU MAY STEP ON MY HEAD!!!!!!!!!!" Vamana lowered his gigantic foot onto Bali's head and pushed him through the Earth. His step was sooooo hard, that he pushed Bali all the way into Pataala Loka, the Underworld (aka Hell). Vamana blessed Bali and made him the king of Pataala. Bali prayed to the Lord and flowers started to fall from the Heavens. Indra was restored as the King of the Universe and Bali had been vanquished.
Thus, Vamana vanquished Bali and sent his reign of terror flying.
Fun Fact Nº 1: On the 4th day of Diwali, we celebrate Balipadyami, the pushing of Bali into Pataala Loka
Thanks for reading Vamana and Bali!!!! Please type your email above the followers and click the blue button to receive emails about my posts!!!!!
After the Churning of the Ocean, Indra started to rule the universe as the King of Heaven again. His brothers, the other gods, gave their traits back to the universe. Agni lit his fire in poojas and yajnas, Vayu blew cool winds through the trees, Surya shone his light upon the cosmos and Chandra reflected his light into the night. The whole universe rejoiced with the return of the Devas. Well, not the whole universe. The Asuras, led by their tyrannous king Bali, seethed with fury. The lead up to this anger was through the Churning of the Ocean. When Bali teamed up with the Devas to get the amrut, the nectar of immortality and immeasurable strength, the Devas had promised to give him half of it. But, Lord Vishnu helped the Devas. He stole the amrut and fed all of it to the Devas (You can read about it in one of my posts!!). This is why Bali was angry. He hated Vishnu and the Devas. He thought that they were cheats and traitors who were scared of the Asuras. Bali had to retreat back to his kingdom, amrut - less and fuming with rage. He vowed that he would overthrow the Devas and become the Ruler of the Universe or he would die trying.
Bali gathered his forces and built the largest army ever seen in the universe!!! Even the Devas were frightened at the sight of the army!!! They didn't have an army even half of that!!!! When a spy from Vaikunta had gone and returned from the Asuras' camp, Indra and the other Adityas understood. Bali was going to attack Vaikunta!!!!! They had to either fight or surrender to Bali. Even with the amrut, the Devas were too scared to fight. Anyways, the amrut gave them strength, not courage and confidence. They didn't stand a chance.
When Bali came with his army to Vaikunta, the Devas subtly gave Bali their hands and said, "You may chain us. Take our place. Just don't rout Vaikunta." Bali was overjoyed!!! He laughed with delight and chained up all of the Devas and their wives. "I shall see to it that Vaikunta doesn't undergo any damage! But, I will become the Ruler of the Universe!" The Devas couldn't disagree with Bali, for it would otherwise be "Off with their heads!!!!" With their chains, the Devas were escorted to the prisons, where many Asuras sat in cells. When the Devas were thrown into the cells, the other inmates stood up. They were astonished!!! The ones who had arrested them had now been arrested!!! The anxious inmates stared up to black stairs that came from the ground. A figure sauntered down the stairs. Bali stared down at the inmates, who were staring at him and whispering to each other, "It's Bali! It's Bali, the king!!" Bali leapt off the last few steps and shouted, "Men, I have missed you!! These fools have dared to challenge me and my mighty army. I am now the Ruler of the Universe!!!!!" With that, Bali punched the locks of the cells and suddenly, they snapped!!!! The inmates ran out and leapt in front of Bali. Some of them lifted Bali onto their shoulders and danced with him!!! They ran up the stairs and danced through the streets of Vaikunta, with Bali on their shoulders. The reign of Bali was to start.
Bali was a just king. He ruled well and just, but he had consequences. If anyone stepped out of line, then KCCHAAKKK!!!!! Off with their head!!!!!! This made everyone hate Bali. Men, women and children alike would fall under the gleaming sword of Bali, the King of the Cosmos. The Devas were made to sweep and swab the palace and cook for Bali. It was nothing like what they had experienced before. Bali had conquered Vaikunta many times, but this time wasn't like any other. He slaughtered sooooo many people!!!! Even though he was a tyrant, Bali was a just king, who would stop inter-planetary fights if needed. This earned Bali a reputation, too.
The Devas were made to slog in the palace. Bali had no mercy to show them. He just made them work and work. When they were tired and stopped working, Bali would take a flaming hot iron rod and slap them on the rump!!!!! They would scream in pain and start to work. Alas, they couldn't do anything for fear of their heads being chopped off.
Seeing this, Aditi - the mother of the Devas - pleaded Lord Vishnu to save her sons, let alone the whole universe!!! "Please, O Lord!! Save my children!! Save the universe!!! I can't bear to see this!!!" Lord Vishnu was chilling in his abode next to the Ksheera Sagara, sitting on his snake, Sheshnaag. He heard Aditi's praying to him. Realising that the situation would soon get out of hand, Vishnu said to Aditi, "I shall save the universe from the reign of Bali. I shall come as a dwarf to Bali's palace on Earth and finish him there." Aditi heard the divine voice of Vishnu speaking to her. With renewed hope, Aditi went to her husband's (Sage Kashyapa) ashram and sat, meditating to Lord Vishnu.
Lord Vishnu flew from Vaikunta to Earth and changed into the form of a dwarf Brahmin, who went by the name of Vamana. He walked over to the palace of Bali, where he was doing the Rajasuya yajna. Vamana hobbled up to Bali. When Bali saw him, he bowed down and asked, "Namaskara O Brahmin!! You have come at a very auspicious time!! What do you desire? Cows? Gold? Land? Anything you ask me, I shall give to you," Vamana blessed him and said, "Hello, Mahaprabhu!! Shall you give me what I truly ask for?" Bali nodded his head. Suddenly, the guru of Bali, Shukracharya, stopped him. "O Bali!! He is not an ordinary Brahmin!! He is Lord Vishnu!!" Bali was confused. He didn't know why his teacher was telling him that this dwarf was Lord Vishnu!! " What are you telling, Guru? This brahmin is not Vishnu!!!" Scoffing, Bali lifted the sacred kamandalam of water and was ready to wash Vamana's feet with it. Shukracharya, who knew that Bali wouldn't listen to him, took the form of a large fly and tried to block the entrance of the kamandalam. Seeing this, Vamana poked his small walking stick through the opening. The stick smacked Shukracharya in the face!!! He fell on the green grass, rolling around in pain. The clear water sloshed and splashed onto Vamana's feet. Vamana then stated, "Mahaprabhu, I ask you for three steps of land." Bali looked at Vamana's face and stared. He was shocked!! Vamana could have asked for gold or cows or land!!!! Instead, he only wanted three steps of land!!! How peculiar!!
Bali bent back down to wipe Vamana's feet, when his legs grew long!!! Bali came up and saw that Vamana had become as tall as him!!!! Bali ran back and stared at Vamana. He started to grow even more!!!!! He was now the size of a truck!!! Bali was astounded!!!! What stature Vamana had!!!! From a dwarf, he became the size of a truck!!!!! Shukracharya turned back into a man and told Bali, "I told you so! He is the Lord!" Bali clasped his hands and prayed to the Lord. Bali stared at Vaman, who still grew!!! He was now the size of a few double-decker buses!!!!! Suddenly, he was the size of a big apartment!!! He was the size of a sky-scraper!!! Within a few minutes, Vamana could touch Heaven while standing on Earth!!!!!!! Bali Shouted to Vamana, who's head was in the clouds (Literally!!!), " O LORD!!! I BEG YOU!!! PLEASE DO NOT HURT US!!!" Vamana shouted back, "MY FIRST STEP IS ON THE WHOLE EARTH!!!!" With that, Vamana stepped on the Earth, covering it with his feet, "MY NEXT STEP IS ON HEAVEN!!!!" Vamana then put his other foot on Vaikunta, covering it, "THERE IS NO MORE SPACE!!!! WHERE SHALL I PUT MY THIRD STEP??!!!!!!" Bali was desolate. He had nowhere else for Vamana to put his third foot. Finally, Bali screamed, "YOU MAY STEP ON MY HEAD!!!!!!!!!!" Vamana lowered his gigantic foot onto Bali's head and pushed him through the Earth. His step was sooooo hard, that he pushed Bali all the way into Pataala Loka, the Underworld (aka Hell). Vamana blessed Bali and made him the king of Pataala. Bali prayed to the Lord and flowers started to fall from the Heavens. Indra was restored as the King of the Universe and Bali had been vanquished.
Thus, Vamana vanquished Bali and sent his reign of terror flying.
Fun Fact Nº 1: On the 4th day of Diwali, we celebrate Balipadyami, the pushing of Bali into Pataala Loka
Thanks for reading Vamana and Bali!!!! Please type your email above the followers and click the blue button to receive emails about my posts!!!!!
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