Vamana and King Bali

King Bali was the grandson of Prahlad, the great devotee. He was very strong and also very generous. He won all three worlds, even Swarg, the heavens. The devtas had to leave Swarg.

Aditi, the mother of the devtas, was very sad. She kept a vrat and prayed to Bhagwan Vishnu. Bhagwan was pleased and was born to Aditi and Rishi Kashyap as a small boy. His name was Vamana.

At Vamana's sacred thread ceremony, everyone gave him gifts. Surya Dev taught him the Gayatri mantra, Brihaspati ji gave him the sacred thread, Brahma ji gave him a water pot, Saraswati Maa gave him a rudraksh mala, and Kuber ji gave him a bowl for alms.

In those days, King Bali was holding a great yagya at Bhrigukachchh, on the bank of the river Narmada. Little Vamana arrived there with an umbrella and a water pot in his hands. His face shone like the sun. Everyone stood up out of respect.

Bali lovingly washed his feet and said, "Young brahmin, ask for whatever you wish. Cows, gold, villages, land, anything."

Vamana smiled. "O King, I only want three steps of land, as much as my small feet can measure."

Bali laughed. "Only that much? Ask for more!" Vamana said, "One who is not happy with a little is not satisfied even after getting all three worlds. Three steps are enough for me."

Bali's guru, Shukracharya, whispered, "O King, this is Vishnu himself. He will take everything. Take back your promise." Bali replied, "Gurudev, I am Prahlad's grandson. I will not break my word. If he truly is Bhagwan, who could be a better person to give to?" His wife, Vindhyavali, brought water in a golden pot, and Bali made his promise.

Then Vamana began to grow. He grew bigger than the yagya hall, bigger than the trees, bigger than the mountains, until he reached the sky! With his first step, he measured the whole earth. With his second, the whole sky and the heavens. Then he asked, "O King, where shall I place my third step?"

Bali folded his hands and bowed his head. "Prabhu, place your third step on my head." Bhagwan gently placed his foot on Bali's head.

Bhagwan was very pleased with Bali's truthfulness and humility. He made Bali the king of the beautiful world of Sutal and promised, "I will always be with you." It is said that Bhagwan himself guards Bali's door. In Kerala, people believe that King Bali comes every year at Onam to visit his people.