In the battle between the gods and asuras for the possession of the amrita produced at the churning of the ocean, the demons were defeated. Bali prepared a costly sacrifice in order that he might regain his power. As he presented his offerings to the sacred fire, he obtained from it a wondrous car drawn by four white horses, a banner displaying a lion, and celestial armour and weapons. The sacred rites being finished, he raised a large army, and in his newly-acquired chariot went and laid siege to Amravati, the capital of Indra's heaven. The gods in terror turned to their preceptor for advice. He told them that their enemies had been rendered invincible by penance. On hearing this, they were greatly alarmed, and Indra besought the preceptor, Vrihaspati, to tell them what to do. He advised them to forsake Amravati, assume other forms, and find a home elsewhere. They obeyed; Indra became a peacock, Kuvera a lizard, and the other gods, variously

disguised, went to the hermitage of Kasyapa, to whom they related their misfortunes. On hearing their story, the sage desired his wife Aditi to perform a severe

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THE VAMANA AVATARA.

penance, in order to induce Vishnu to become her son, that through him the gods might be restored to heaven.

As the origin of this incarnation is probably found in the metaphorical language of the Vedas, it will be

well to consider the teaching of the Hindu scriptures as far as possible in chronological order.

The legend just quoted from the "Skanda Purana" was written as an answer to the question why Vishnu had appeared in this strange form. In the Rig-Veda [**] the germ of the story is found: "Vishnu strode over this [universe]; in three places he planted his step." This passage is interpreted by the commentators in various ways. One taught "that the triple manifestation of the god in the form of fire on earth, of lightning in the atmosphere, and of the solar slight in the sky, was intended in this hymn." Another understands the three steps of Vishnu to represent "the different positions of the sun at his rising, his culmination, and his setting." According to this, therefore, Vishnu is simply the sun. Frequently in the Rig-Veda the term "wide-stepping" is applied to him, an evident allusion to his three steps.