VAAMANA AVTAAR

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(by Sri Sadagopan Iyengar)

Srimate SrivanStakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikayanama:

The Devious Dwarf

The Lord, in His infinite mercy and out of an ardent desire to

emancipate errant mortals, comes down often to the earth from His
lofty residence at Sri Vaikunttam. Such descents of the Lord into
the mundane world are known as Avataaras. Though such Avataaras are
innumerable, the popular ones are thirty-odd in number, says Swami
Desikan�"Muppatthu Chilvaanam". Agamas enumerate a few more. Among
these, ten are most popular, known collectively as Dasaavataaras.
Even among these, only two have the privilege of being frequently
adulated by Vedas: the Varaahaavataaram and the Trivikrama
Avataaram. And between these two, it is Trivikrama who is eulogized
by Sri Andal as "Utthaman". This is not to belittle the Varaaha
Avataaram, but somehow, when you consider the matter, it is the
Colossus Trivikrama, who measured the entire worlds above and below
with just two steps of His, who captures our imagination and hearts.
However, it is not with Trivikrama per se that we are concerned with
in this article, but His forerunner Vaamana, the juvenile dwarf who
later burgeoned into the titan Trivikrama.

The story of the Vaamanavataara is one with which every one is

familiar. Briefly, it relates to the glorious act of the Lord in
seeking and obtaining from Emperor Mahabali just three feet of land,
measured with the tiny footsteps of the Vamana (dwarf) Brahmachaari
and later growing into a colossus whose head and shoulders shot
through the various worlds above and whose giant tiruvadi measured
all the universes with a single step and all the higher worlds above
with another, leaving no place for the third step, which was
ultimately placed upon the Emperor's head, pushing him down to the
worlds below, where he would be no threat to Indra, from whom he had
earlier captured the three worlds.

We are concerned in this piece with an interesting phenomenon.

While Trivikrama is adulated by Andal as "Ongi Ulagalanda Utthaman",

His precursor, Vamana, attracts a somewhat less complimentary
reference from Azhwars�some of the less- than- flattering epithets
flung by Azhwars at Vamana are�"Vanja Kural" (the deceitful dwarf),
"Maaya Kural", etc. Even Acharyas call Vamana devious�"Kapata
Vaamanataam upeta" says Swami Desikan.

Why should Vaamana attract such uncomplimentary references, that too

from Azhwars who normally wax eloquent in praise of the Lord? The
reasons are perhaps not far to seek.

1. 1. The Lord is said to be a colossus, with innumerable eyes,

ears, hands and feet, ("Sahasra seershaa Purusha:")towering over the
entire universes, which form just a small part of His giant body
�"Paadosya visvaa bhootaani" says the Purusha Sooktam. In this
avataara, however, at least initially, he compressed His cosmic form
considerably, to take on the dimensions of a mere three-foot tall
young lad, practically a dwarf. When a giant takes on the form of a
dwarf, is it not deviousness and deceit?

2. 2. Emperuman is happily married to Sri and Bhoo Devis, who

form His inseparable Consorts. Sri Mahalakshmi has sworn never to be
separated from Him for even a nano-second�"akalakillen irayum endru
Alarmel Mangai urai maarba!". The Vishnu Puranam too confirms that
the Divine Duo is inseparable�"Nityaivesha Jaganmaata Vishno: Sri:
anapaayinee". Such being the case, during Vaamanaavataaram, the Lord
took on the role of a Brahmachaari, radiating the brilliance of one
who has never known female company. Thus a confirmed Grihasttha
(Householder), who has not one but three wives (Shree, Bhoo and
Neela Devis), posed as an unmarried person. This is another reason
for Azhwars calling Vaamana "vanja kural".

3. 3. Though Mahabali was prepared to offer Vaamana

unimaginable riches and treasures, all that the Divine Dwarf sought
was three feet of land, measured with His own tiny feet. No amount
of persuasion from Mahabali to accept something more substantial
like ownership of whole nations, could make Vaamana opt for anything
else other than just three feet of land. And Mahabali agreed
reluctantly, wondering at the foolishness of the boy, who spurned
the offer of entire worlds, preferring an insignificant measure of
land instead. However, when the actual measurement of the three feet
began, the dwarf grew into a colossus spanning the entire Cosmos and
naturally, His feet too grew with Him. As a result, against the
offer of three feet of land, what the Lord took was the entire
worlds above and below, with there being no space for the third foot
to land and measure.

When you seek from someone a gift of Rs. 1000 and after obtaining a
blank cheque from the donor, fill it in and encash it for Rs.
100,000, is it not deceit?

4. 4. Even though He posed as a Brahmachari, the Lord was

unwilling to abandon His Consort of long standing. Remember, it was
He who declared in the Ramaavataara that He wouldn't survive even a
short while without His eternal love Sita�"Muhoortamapi na jeeveyam,
tam vinaa asitekshanaam". Though His current role as a young
bachelor strictly prohibited Him from being accompanied by His Lady
Love, He still managed to take Her along, resplendent on His broad
chest. Neither would He leave Her behind, nor would She consent to
being left behind. However, He hid Her with the deerskin robe that
He used as an upper cloth�"Krishnaajinena samvrunvan vadhoom
vaksha:stthalaalayaam"�so that His married state was effectively
camouflaged.

Apart from the immeasurable love She had for Emperuman, was there
any other reason which prompted Her to accompany Him even when He
posed as a bachelor and for the Lord to hide Her behind a deerskin?

Yes indeed, She came along also to keep an eye on Him, so to say.
Wary of His practice of accumulating Mahishis during each avataara,
("Padinaaraayiravar Devimaar") Sri Mahalakshmi intended to ensure
that at least during this avataara, He remained committed to His
existing Consorts and did not add a few fresh ones.
The Lord had another reason for hiding Mahalakshmi behind the deer
skin, when confronting Mahabali. Had even Her fleeting glance fallen
even for a moment on Mahabali, he would have been blessed with
unimaginable and everlasting aishvaryam and it would have been
difficult for the Lord to execute His precisely laid plans for
relieving Mahabali of all his wealth, power and status and pushing
him down to the nether worlds, ensuring that he was no more a
competitor to Indra. Hence, to make certain that Mahabali did not
receive Lakshmi Kataaksham, the Lord hid Her with krishnaajinam
(deerskin).
d. A third reason for the Emperuman hiding His lady
love behind a deerskin was that He did not want Her to see Him
begging Mahabali, an occupation He was totally unused to and one
that did not behove Him, as the undisputed ruler of all the worlds.
Had She been privy to His plans, Sri Mahalakshmi would have
definitely prohibited Him from adopting the demeaning ploy of
seeking alms. Being the personification of wealth, prosperity and
auspiciousness, She could not very well sit idle and see Her husband
beg an ordinary mortal for a mere three feet of land. Thus, in order
to avoid being seen begging, the Lord had to perforce hide Tirumagal.

e. The Lord could not very well expose His deceitful occupation
before His wife, who held Him in high regard.

f. Since the mere sight of Mahalakshmi on His chest would

have revealed His indisputable status as the Parabrahmam and given
the show away, the Lord had to hide Her, to give the impression that
He was an ordinary Brahmachaari. Sri Devi being aswaroopa niroopaka
dharmam or an unfailing identification mark for the Paramaatma, He
could not allow Her to be seen by Mahabali, who would have known
instantly that the alms-seeker was no humble student, but saakshaat
Mahavishnu.

New Insights into le affaire Mahabali

As we are aware, Puranas are divided into Saatvic, Raajasic and

Taamasic ones and it is only Saatvika Puranas that we normally set
store by. Saatvika Puranas contain praises of Emperuman only, to the
exclusion of other demi gods, while Raajasic and Taamasic puranas
offer liberal doses of unwanted material. Vaamana Puraana is one
such, which does not fall under the category of Saatvika Puranas.
However, it is worth while looking into, for the additional
information it provides regarding the Vaamanaavataram.

We are told by this Puranam that during Mahabali's reign, Devas

under the leadership of Indra, were roundly defeated by Mahabali and
stripped of all power, position and havirbhaagam (sacrificial
offerings). They appealed to Mahavishnu to restore their lost
splendor. Mahavishnu promised them that He would be born as a son to
Kasyapa and Aditi and would do the needful.

The moment Aditi conceived the divine baby, Asuras began to

experience all sorts of bad omens. When Mahabali sought his grand
father Prahlada's advice on the evil portents, Prahlada went into a
trance and was able to see that the Lord had entered the womb of
Aditi. When he told his grandson that the all-powerful Sri Hari was
on His way into the world and would eventually ensure Mahabali's
fall from power, Mahabali responded by casting aspersions on the
Lord's capabilities and swore that the combined power of asuras
would be enough to vanquish any destabilization attempt by
Mahavishnu. Angered at Mahabali's insult to His beloved Lord,
Prahlada shot a curse at his grandson, that he would lose all his
glory, wealth, power because of his irreverence towards the Lord.
When a repentant Mahabali sought Prahlaada's forgiveness, Prahlada
told him to develop devotion to Sri Hari, who would be an infallible
savior.

And when Vaamana started for Mahabali's sacrifice-site (Yagya

vaatika), the earth shook and reverberated with his footsteps and
all sorts of bad omens beset Mahabali, who sought the reason from
his guru Shukraacharya. With foresight born of penance, Shukracharya
told his disciple that it was the Vaamana Brahmachaari who was on
his way and it was his steps that were causing the earth to shake.
He also cautioned Mahabali that Vaamana would try to trick him into
parting with all hisishwaryam. Hearing this, instead of being
dismayed, Mahabali was overjoyed and told Shukracharya that he would
welcome Mahavishnu, in whatever form He came. "Till date I have not
said No to any seeker of alms, nor shall I begin now, especially
since the seeker is none other than the Pramapurusha" vowed Bali,
declaring that he would rather sacrifice his life, than deny alms to
someone.

Interestingly, the Vaamana purana has no mention about Shukracharya

following-up his oral advice with positive action by sitting in the
form of a fly in Mahabali's water pot, blocking the nozzle through
which water would flow out on to Vaamana's palm, signifying
completion of the 'daanam" of three feet of land. The moment the
water fell on Vaaman's palm, the dwarf instantly burgeoned into a
colossus, says the Purana�

"Paanou tu patite toye Vaamana: abhoot aVaamana:" Everyone knows

what followed.

The Vaamanaavataram and its immediate sequel, the

Trivikramaavataaram, are easily the most dramatic of the Lord's
avataaras. They also stand out because there was absolutely no blood
shed�(unlike the Nrisihmaavatara, Ramavatara and Krishnavatara,
where blood was shed by the gallons and lives lost by the
thousands)--the Trivikramaavataaram achieved its goal through
peaceful means, though some would say through subterfuge.

Shall we end this piece with Swami Desikan's tribute to Trivikrama?

"Bhikshochitam prakatayan prathama aashramam tvam

Krishnaajinam yavanikaam kritavaan priyaayaa:

Vyaktaakrite: tava sameekshya bhujaantare taam

Tvaam eva Gopa nagareesa! Janaa vidu: tvaam"

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paaduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri

Narayana Yatindra mahadesikaya nama:
dasan, sadagopan