Everything You Need To Know About Vamana Dwadashi And Lord Vamana

Vamana Dwadashi is observed on the 12th day of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Chaitra. It is believed that the fifth avatar of Lord Maha Vishnu was born on this day under the Shravan Nakshatra.

As per the scriptures, Lord Vamana is said to have been born in the area that is today known as Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh. He was born as the dwarf son of Sage Kashyapa and Mother Aditi. The goal of his birth was to end the era of King Maha Bali and to spread the knowledge of Dharma.

This day is considered to be very auspicious and is extremely holy for the followers of Lord Maha Vishnu. The devotees of Lord Vamana and Lord Maha Vishnu spend this day in prayers and fasting.

They strictly follow the rituals prescribed in the holy texts to please Lord Maha Vishnu and his fifth avatar. The faithful believe that the one who observes Vamana Dwadashi with full devotion is freed from all kinds of suffering. He attains salvation or Moksha.

The Muhurt of Vamana Dwadashi

The muhurt of Vamana Dwadashi starts at 09.25 and lasts until 10.25

Pooja Vidhi of Vamana Dwadashi

If you are observing the fast and pooja of Vamana Dwadashi, you may follow the instructions below.

• You must wake up early and finish your daily ablutions.

• Choose a clean area or clean your pooja room thoroughly.

• Face the East and spread a green cloth.

• Place an image or picture of Lord Vamana on it.

• Now, perform a dashopachar pooja. Dashopachar pooja is one in which there are ten 'upachars’ or ten steps. The steps you will need to follow are padya, ardhya, achaman, snana, vastra, gandha, pushpa, deepa and naivedya.

• If you do not have the means to do the above, you can just mentally offer these to the Lord Vamana. It is the thought and its sincerity that counts.

• The favourite things to offer are gaudhrit, sandalwood, tulsi leaves, red sandalwood and mosambi fruit. You can also offer sugar.

• Chant the following mantra using a rudraksha mala.

"Om Tapa Roopaya Vidmahe

Rishikartaya Dheemahi

Tanno Vamana Prachodayat"

Things that you can do to improve your life on Vamana Dwadashi

• To be free of diseases

Offer a pot of homey to the Lord Vamana. Receive it as the prasad. Consume a teaspoon of it every day to be free of physical distress and diseases.

• To be free of familial issues and troubles in relationships

Take a large lamp made out of bronze. Put in 12 wicks that face twelve directions. Light the lamb using ghee.

• To be successful in business or at work

Take a coconut and wrap some yagnopavit (sacred thread) around it. This coconut should be offered to Lord Vamana.

The Story Of Lord Vamana And King Maha Bali

• The Fifth Avatar

Lord Vamana was the fifth avatar of Lord Maha Vishnu. This avatar came in the Treta yuga and was taken to protect the realm of Gods and the throne of Indra.

• Lord Maha Vishnu’s First Human Avatar

The first three avatars of Lord Maha Vishnu were all in the form of animals - Matsya (fish), Kurma (Tortoise) and Varaha (Wild boar). The fourth avatar was in the form of Lord Narasimha, which was half lion and half human. Only in the fifth avatar did Lord Maha Vishnu appear in a human form albeit that of a Brahmin dwarf.

• King Maha Bali was the grandson of Prahalada

Prahalada was the reason that Lord Maha Vishnu took the Narasimha avatar. The same Prahalada had a son by the name of Virechana who in turn had a son named Bali. This Bali became the reason of Vamana Avatar.

• Maha Bali was a devotee of Lord Maha Vishnu

Like his grandfather, Maha Bali too was a great devotee of Lord Maha Vishnu. He was a wise man and was a scholar who had mastered the Vedas. The people loved him as he was a just ruler. He had brought peace and prosperity to his kingdom.

• Bali’s envy

Maha Bali, though a righteous man, became envious of Lord Indra. He wanted to be just as great as Indra. He did a great tapas to please Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma, in turn, blessed him with the boon that he could not be defeated in any battle and that he would be as powerful as Lord Indra.

• Escape of Indra

Armed with Lord Brahma’s boon, Maha Bali headed toward the heaven. Lord Indra could not fight Bali, as Indra would be defeated as per Lord Brahma’s blessings. Therefore, Indra escaped. The throne was handed over to Bali.

• Bali: The Lord of the three worlds

With the heaven under him, he became the one that ruled all the three worlds. This made the gods be scared for their safety and began to pray to Lord Maha Vishnu for help in defeating Maha Bali.

• The upset Aditi

Aditi is the mother of all Gods. When all her children had to flee the heaven, she became very upset. She went and asked her husband Kashyapa to avenge her. But as a sage, he was not very capable of doing what she had asked. He advised Aditi to pray to Lord Maha Vishnu and said he would help.

• Payo vrata

Payo vrata is a kind of fasting where the observer can only consume a little milk during the muhurt. This vow is said to be Lord Vamana’s favorite and he fulfills everything that you wish for if you observe it correctly and with devotion Mother Aditi performed this pooja and received Lord Vamana as her gift.

• Lord Maha Vishnu’s blessings

Pleased with Mother Aditi’s worship, he granted her some boons.

Mother Aditi said that she wished that Lord Maha Vishnu be born as her son and that this son will prove to be the destruction of the King.

• Lord Vamana changed form when he had just been born

Soon after Lord Vamana, he changed into a dwarfy Brahman. He only had his loincloth and carried an umbrella in one of his hands and had a kamandalu in the other.

• Lord Vamana’s demand

Once, King Maha Bali was performing a great yagna. He had vowed that he would not let a Brahmin go away empty handed. The Short Vamana approached the king. Maha Bali asked the Dwarf Brahmin what he wanted. He answered that he only needed 3 paces of land. Maha Bali agreed to it.

• Sage Shukra acharya's advice

The sage Sukracharyad told Bali that the boy was none other than the Lord Maha Vishnu himself. The sage told the King that it was a trap of some kind. But the King wouldn’t listen.

• The 3 paces of Land

As Bali stood looking, the Vamana became huge in size. He placed the first feet on the heavens, the next foot landed on the earth, covering all of it. He then asked Bali a place to put his third step. Bali offered his head to place the Lord’s leg.

• Bali is sent into the underworld

Lord Maha Vishnu placed his leg on Bali’s head and thus pushed him into the underworld.