Vamana Purana, one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text, is devoted to the Vamana avatar of Vishnu. It has an eulogy praising both Vishnu and Shiva.


Vamana Purana narrates the tale of Vaman avatar (incarnation) of God as a dialogue between the sage Pulastya and Narad. The topics of the Purana include: Tale of Pralaya. Origin of man. Dialogue of Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahadev. Fight of Vishnu with Veerbhadra. Narrating about Kaal by Shiva. Immolation of Kama. Battle of Prahlada. Boon to Prahlada. Battle between the gods and the demons. Victory of Andhakasura. Description of Pushkara dweep. Description of different worlds. Tale of Sukeshi. Birth of Lolark. Birth of Mahishasura. Greatness of Goddess. Killing of Mahishasura. Birth of Parvati. Description of the king Bali’s dynasty and his kingdom. Defeating of the gods by Bali and their taking refuge at sage Kashyapa’s hermitage. Taking of Brahma’s refuge by the gods. Visiting of Ksheersagar by sage Kashyapa and the gods. Boon to Aditi. Criticism of Bali by Prahlada and cursing. Worship of Vamana. Tale of Vaman and Bali. Saraswati Stotra.

Description of the holy places of pilgrimage. Description of creation. Shiva Stuti. Description of the greatness of Sthanu linga. Tale of Vena. Granting of boon to Vena by Lord Shiva. Description of the glory of Kurukshetra. Dialogue between Lord Shiva (in beggar appearance) and Parvati. Requesting of Himalaya by the gods to marry Parvati to Shiva. Shiva-Parvati wedding. Birth of Ganesha. Killing of Chanda-Munda. Killing of Shumbha-Nishumbha.

Birth of Kartikeya. Tale of Mahishasura and Tarkasura. Piercing of Kraunch. Defeat of Andhakasura. Tale of Mura, the demon. Killing of Mura. Sighting of Shiva by the gods in the heart of Lord Vishnu. Tale of the king Danda in the dialogue between Prahlada and Andhaka. Releasing of Jabali. Wedding of Chitrangada. Immolation of the king Danda. Sighting of eternal Shiva. Defeat of Andhaka’s army. Killing of Jambh and Kujambh. Defeat of Andhak and granting of boon to him. Origin of Marut. Killing of Kaalnemi. Preaching of Bali by Prahlada. Greatness of Bali. Defeat of the demon Dhundh. Tale of Pururava. Description of the cosmic man. Killing of Jalodbhava. Tale of Shridama. Pilgrimage of Prahlada. Salvation of Gajendra. Saraswati Stotra. Tale of Vaman’s birth. Dialogue between Shukracharya and Bali. Bounding of Bali. Arrival of Vamana. Begging by Vamana for three steps of land. Taking of colossal appearance by Vamana. Pressing of Bali into Paataal.



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