The legend of Lord Vishnu’s Vamana avatar tells the story of a demon king named Mahabali, who was just but his growing ego led him to challenge the authority of the gods. Lord Vishnu, in the form of a dwarf Brahmin named Vamana, asked Mahabali for a small piece of land, no larger than the space he could cover with three steps. Vamana revealed his true form as Lord Vishnu and covered the earth and the heavens in two giant strides, banishing Mahabali to the underworld.
The story of Lord Vishnu’s Vamana avatar symbolizes the importance of humility and the dangers of excessive pride and greed. The demon king Mahabali, despite being a just ruler, allowed his ego to grow and began to challenge the authority of the gods and the balance of the universe.