Stories 2
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Origin
Legend
Local story
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From the epics
Festival story
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In stone and bronze
How a tradition frames it
Everywhere
Pan-India 240
South India 81
West India 37
East India 37
North India 28
The Himalaya 17
Northeast India 8
Southeast Asia 6
Central India 5
Sri Lanka 1
✕ bargain
cursesacrificedevotionpridebooncreationdisguisemarriagetestbirthsupremacydeathfirehealingpenancerescuepilgrimagerivercraftfestivaldancegiftrivalryearthemanationfriendshipnightdesirefear
Tradition: Vaishnava · clear
Legend · 4 tellings · contested
The dwarf who lay down and won the earth
The Asuras have won the earth and are dividing it. They grant the gods only as much as Vishnu, a dwarf who is the sacrifice, can lie on; the gods enclose him with the metres and win the whole earth by worship. The Bhagavata Purana tells the bargain as Vamana and King Bali.
Legend · 9 tellings · contested
The three strides of Vishnu, from the Rigveda to the dwarf and King Bali
In the Rigveda Vishnu's one deed is to take three steps that measure out the world and make room for people; the third step is a honeyed place out of sight. The Brahmanas turn the steps into earth, air and sky, the Ramayana gives them a dwarf and a king named Bali, and festivals in Kerala and the Deccan welcome that king home.