VAMANA, the fifth incarnation of Vishnu in the fortn of a Brahman dwarf. The four first avatara are said to have occurred in the earliest, or Satya, age of the Hindus, corresponding in character with the golden or virtuous age of the fabulists of other regions. The fifth happened in the second or Treta-yuga. Maim Bali, though a virtuous monarch, was still so elated by his grandeur, that he omitted essential ceremonies and offerings to the deities ; and Vishnu, finding it necessary to check the influence of such an example, resolved to mortify and punish the arrogant raja. He therefore condescended to become the son of Kasyapa and Aditi, and the younger brother of indm, and assumed the form of a wretched Brahman dwarf. Appearing before the king, he asked a boon, which being promised, he demanded as much land as he could pace in three steps ; nor would he desire further, although urged by Bali to demand something more worthy of a king to give. Vishnu, on obtaining the king's promise, required a ratification of it, which is performed by pouring water on the hand of the applicant. As soon as the holy stream had reached his hand, the form of the dwarf began to expand itself, and at length became tio enornious that it appeared to extend itself up to heaven; then with one stride he encompassed the earth, with another heaven, and with the third was about to obtain patala, when Maha. Bali, convinced that the pre
tended dwarf was no other than the god himself, fell prostrate in adoration before him, and yielded it up. From this incident of Vamana, Vishnu is also called Trivikraina or the three-stewr. It inaintained by other Vaislinava that the ratify ing stream poured on the hand of Vishnu in this avatarn was the river Ganga, which, falling from the hand of the miraculous dwarf, descended thence upon his, now Vishnu's, foot, whence, gushing as a mighty river, it WS8 received on the head of Siva. In M. le Gentil's Voyage aux Indcs, a rough map or plan is given, from a native original, of the course of the Ganges, in which it issues from the foot of Vishnu, and, falling on the head of Siva, flows in the style commonly seen through the cow's mouth. Vamana Purana, a Hindu religious book, about the 15th century, containing an account of Vishnu's incarnation as a dwarf. It divides its homage between Siva and Vishnu. — Dawson ; Moor.