<Tr> <Th> Sanskrit transliteration </Th> <Td> Vāmana </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Affiliation </Th> <Td> Vaishnavism </Td> </Tr> <P> Vamana (Sanskrit: वामन, IAST: Vāmana, lit . dwarf), is the fifth avatar of Hindu god Vishnu . He incarnates in a time of crisis to restore cosmic balance by creatively defeating the Asura king Mahabali, who had acquired disproportionate power over the universe . According to Hindu mythology, the noble demon king sponsors a sacrifice and gift giving ceremony to consolidate his power, and Vishnu appears at this ceremony as a dwarf mendicant Brahmin called Vamana . When Vamana's turn comes to receive a gift, Mahabali offers him whatever riches and material wealth he would like, but Vamana refuses everything and states he would just like three paces of land . Mahabali finds the dwarf's request amusingly small and irrevocably grants it . Vamana then grows into a giant of cosmic proportions . In one step he covers the earth, in another the heavens, and for the third, Mahabali offers his head on which Vamana steps, sending the demon king to the Patala (netherworld). </P> <P> The Vamana avatar has roots in Vedic texts of Hinduism . The hymns of the Rigveda describes Vishnu as that benevolent god who in three steps defined all there is in the universe . The giant form of Vamana is also known as Trivikrama (literally, "three steps"). The Vamana legend has been a popular one, inspiring icons found in Hindu temples and sections in Hindu texts such as the Puranas and the epics . About thirty different versions of his mythology are found in these texts . </P>

Who was defeated by vaman avatar of vishnu