Vāmana
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Sometimes transliterated as: Vamana, VAmana, Vaamana
Vāmana is the fifth avatāra or incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu. The concept of Vāmana as Trivikrama is very ancient. It is found in the Vedas.[1] Iconographical works describe him as a short-statured brahmacāri[2] with two arms holding a chatra,[3] daṇḍa[4] and kamaṇḍalu.[5] He wears a kaupina[6] and has a śikhā[7] on his head. Several varieties of Vāmana, such as Dadhi-vāmana and Viśva-vāmana, are sometimes mentioned in some works of tantra. Vāmana also figures in the list of 24 aspects of Viṣṇu.
References
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore