CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Lord Vamanadeva,
the Dwarf Incarnation
This chapter describes how Lord Vamanadeva appeared and how He
went to the sacrificial arena of Maharaja Bali, who received Him well and
fulfilled His desire by offering Him benedictions.

Lord Vamanadeva appeared in this world from the womb of Aditi
completely equipped with conchshell, disc, club and lotus. His bodily hue
was blackish, and He was dressed in yellow garments. Lord Visnu ap-
peared at an auspicious moment on Sravana-dvadasi when the Abhijit
star had arisen. At that time, in all the three worlds (including the higher
planetary system, outer space and this earth), all the demigods, the cows,
the brahmanas and even the seasons were happy because of God’s ap-
pearance. Therefore this auspicious day is called Vijaya. When the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has a sac-cid-dnanda body, ap-
peared as the son of Kasyapa and Aditi, both of His parents were very
astonished. After His appearance, the Lord assumed the form of a dwarf
(Vamana). All the great sages expressed their jubilation, and with
Kasyapa Muni before them they performed the birthday ceremony of
Lord Vamana. At the time of Lord Vamanadeva’s sacred thread
ceremony, He was honored by the sun-god, Brhaspati, the goddess
presiding over the planet earth, the deity of the heavenly planets, His
mother, Lord Brahma, Kuvera, the seven rsis and others. Lord
Vamanadeva then visited the sacrificial arena on the northern side of the
Narmada River, at the field known as Bhrgukaccha, where brahmanas of
the Bhrgu dynasty were performing yajnas. Wearing a belt made of
mufija straw, an upper garment of deerskin and a sacred thread and
carrying in His hands a danda, an umbrella and a waterpot
(kamandalu), Lord Vamanadeva appeared in the sacrificial arena of
Maharaja Bali. Because of His transcendentally effulgent presence, all
the priests were diminished in their prowess, and thus they all stood
from their seats and offered prayers to Lord Vamanadeva. Even Lord
Siva accepts on his head the Ganges water generated from the toe of Lord

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