Thread by @SparesofWar

Ellavarukum Tiruvonam aashamsagal. Ee vizha ellavarukum shantiyum samruddhiyum konduvaranum ena njaan prathikshikunnu. #HappyOnam #OnamAsamshakal

Some incidents from Vamana Charitam on this auspicious occasion.

Vamana's Trivikrama expansion is not a one-time leela. Vishnu is always present as Trivikrama. Vedam says Treeni pada vi chakarame vishnur gopaa adaa aabhya:
Vedas predate Vamana avatar. Or, Vamana is Veda personified.

Treeni pada can mean here three worlds, three syllables of Aum, three states of consciousness, etc. Basically, it is a more subtle, Vedantic understanding of the Leela of placing three steps.

The entirety of Vamana Charitam is a benchmark not just in the moola Bhagavata Purana but in its translations as well. Pothana's anuvaada of this episode is considered to be the most exquisite in Telugu saahityam to date.

Vamana appeared to Aditi as Her son pleased by Her strict observance of Payovratha. In Her earlier birth, Bhagavan gave the boon that He would be born three times to the couple. In their previous birth, Aditi and Kashyapa were Sutapa and Prishni.

Vishnu was born to them as Prishnigarbha. The same Aditi Kashyapa were later born as Devaki-Vasudeva in Dwapara Yuga to whom Krishna was born. Vedam says,
Brahmanyo Devaki Putro Brahmanyo Madhusudhanom

While Devaki here can mean Devaki Herself, it also implies the pervasive cosmic energy that each Devatas represent.. Hence the correlation with Aditi as the mother of Devatas.

Commienatis and pavadais cry foul that their so-called Dravidian king was cheated by Vishnu. This is a foolhardy, false narrative propagated by you-know-who for vested interests.

As great a devotee as Bali was, he was still in tamo guna thinking that all his conquests belonged to him. In a way, this allegorically refers to most of us who think our properties are our own when, in fact, they all belong to Paramatma

Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita,
Aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
I am the source of all creation and everything emanates from Me.

The same thing is said in the Ramayana as well
Yasyeyam vasudha sarva Vaasudevasya dheematah
The whole earth belongs to Vaasudeva

So, by nature of his ahamkara, Bali was blinded to this obvious fact. And since it is His sworn kartavyam to protect His devotee, which also means conferring gnaana, Vamana tested Bali a lot.. even to the point of Bali having to invite his Guru Shukracharya's wrath.

Unlike popular media portrayals, Shukracharya wasn't some conniving teacher. He only did his Dharma of expounding Rakshasa Neeti. The same Guru tatvam manifests as both Brihaspati and Shukracharya. In the Bhagavatam, there is no account of Shukracharya impeding Bali's promise.

Though we do find such references in other Puranas. Here, Bali's wife Vindhyavali's contributions must be duly noted. Vindhyavali didn't oppose her husband's decision to part with his wealth. She's very satvic and steeped in pathivratha Dharma.

However, it is said Bali's daughter Ratnamala, who had originally developed a motherly affection seeing Vamana and wanted to feed him, later developed angst seeing her father's fate. This tamo guna led her to be born again as a Rakshasi whom we know as Putana.

But since her original desire of nourishing Him remained unfulfilled, in His Krishna Avatar, Bhagavan suckled her and rid her of all karma paashaas. This is what is meant by Yogakshemam vahaamyaham.

When Vamana's feet touched the heavens, Brahma washed them with water from His kamandalu. That water flowed as Akaasa Ganga, which was later brought down by the Ikshvaku scion Bhagiratha due to Shivaanugraha.

That's why Annamacharya says,
Brahma kadigina paadamu, Brahmamu thaane ni paadamu.
These Feet were washed by Brahma, these are the Feet that show He Himself is Brahman.

It is wrongly interpreted by commies that Vamana subdued Bali. Vamana only subdued Bali's ahamkara of pseudo lordship. In fact, Bali's grandfather Prahlada intervenes and says, who needs the position of Indra when one has shelter at Your Feet.

But despite all this and even surrendering his ego, Bali still had an inkling of desire. Of course, Bhagavan knows the heart of all as the Antaryamin. So Vamana decrees that Bali will indeed be the Indra of the upcoming Saavarni Manvantara. Till then, he will rule

the nether region of Rasatala. The nether regions are said to be even more opulent than the upper worlds. And Vamana would personally guard Bali's palace. There is an incident where Ravana tries to enter this palace but was thwarted by a "Dwarf guarding it".

That Dwarf supposedly said that your death is in the hands of someone else. Even Indra for whom Vishnu took up this ordeal just got his kingdom back but Bali earned much more than what any Bhagavata could ask for.

Sri Andal says,
ஓங்கி உலகளந்த உத்தமர் பேர் பாடி
நாங்கள் நம் பாவைக்குச் சாற்றி நீர் ஆடினால்
We sing the Holy Names of Him Who does everything for Jivas only for anugraha sake, One who has grown to measure all the three worlds by His Feet

Mahalakshmi is known as Nityannapaayani.. One Who never leaves His side. While She donned the forms of Sita and Rukmini in Rama and Krishna avatars, since Vamana was a Brahmachari, She became His Brahmavarchas.

Vamana is a moksha pradatha. One should be careful not to fall prey to Aryan Dravidian bullcrap or pavadai interpretations of what is essentially a very esoteric and lofty yet highly accessible depiction of Bhagavan's infinite benevolence to his Bhakta.