ORIGIN: Hindu (Epic and Puranic)
TYPE: Incarnation of the god Visnu.
INFORMATION: The fifth avatara of Visnu which appears as a dwarf, symbolizing the puny state of mankind in the cosmos. According to legend, the god took the guise in order to trick Bali, a great-grandson of Hiranyakahipu (see Narasimha), whose prestige had begun to overshadow that of Indra. To restore a proper balance Vamana requested from Bali a plot of land three paces wide on which to meditate. Visnu returned to his proper stature and claimed heaven and earth in two steps. He declined to take the third, which would have also claimed the underworld, but instead gave its rule to Bali. The dwarfish form bears two arms.
ATTRIBUTES: Umbrella and water pot.