Vishnus Three Strides - Trivikrama

Dadi: "Guddu, imagine someone so small they could fit in your palm - and then imagine that tiny person growing until their foot covered the entire earth, and their second step reached the heavens!"

Guddu: "That sounds like a superhero movie, Dadi!"

Dadi: "This is the story of Vamana, Lord Vishnu's dwarf avatar, who became Trivikrama - the one who took three cosmic strides. It begins with a very powerful demon king named Bali."

Guddu: "Was Bali evil?"

Dadi: "That's what makes this story complicated. Bali wasn't cruel or wicked - he was actually a devoted king and the grandson of Prahlada, whom we know loved Lord Vishnu deeply. But Bali had become so powerful that he conquered heaven itself and drove out the gods!"

Guddu: "He defeated the gods? How?"

Dadi: "Through immense penance and ritual sacrifices, Bali gained power beyond measure. Soon he ruled earth, heaven, and everything in between. The displaced gods begged Vishnu for help."

Guddu: "So Vishnu came as a warrior to fight him?"

Dadi: "Here's the beautiful part - no! Vishnu appeared as the smallest, most humble form possible - a tiny dwarf brahmin named Vamana, carrying just a wooden umbrella and a water pot."

Guddu: "Why would a god come as a dwarf?"

Dadi: "Because this story isn't about defeating Bali through force. It's about something deeper. Vamana walked into Bali's grand sacrifice ceremony and approached the mighty king."

Guddu: "What did he ask for?"

Dadi: "The simplest request imaginable. "O great king, please grant me just the land I can cover in three steps." Bali laughed - three steps from a dwarf? That would be nothing!"

Guddu: "It was a trick?"

Dadi: "Bali's teacher, the wise Shukracharya, recognized the little brahmin as Vishnu in disguise. He warned Bali: "Don't grant this wish! This is no ordinary dwarf!" But Bali's pride made him generous."

Guddu: "He ignored the warning?"

Dadi: ""What kind of king would I be if I refused such a tiny request?" Bali declared. "Let this child have his three steps of land. I give my word.""

Guddu: "And then the dwarf grew?"

Dadi: "The moment Bali's promise was made, Vamana began to transform. He grew and grew until he became Trivikrama - a giant whose body filled the entire universe! His first step covered all of earth."

Guddu: "One step took the whole earth?"

Dadi: "And his second step covered all of heaven - the very kingdom Bali had conquered! The great king watched in amazement as everything he had won disappeared under those two cosmic feet."

Guddu: "What was left for the third step?"

Dadi: "Nothing! Vishnu asked, "Great king, you promised me three steps of land. Two steps have taken everything you own. Where shall I place my third step?""

Guddu: "What could Bali possibly say?"

Dadi: "Here is where Bali showed his true greatness, beta. He didn't complain. He didn't try to escape his promise. He simply bowed his head and said, "Lord, place your third step upon my head.""

Guddu: "He offered himself?"

Dadi: "With complete surrender. And Vishnu, moved by this devotion, didn't destroy Bali. Instead, he blessed him with immortality and made him ruler of the underworld. He even granted Bali permission to return to earth once every year to see his people."

Guddu: "Wait - once a year? Is that why we celebrate Onam?"

Dadi: "Exactly! In Kerala, the festival of Onam celebrates King Bali's annual return. People decorate their homes, prepare feasts, and welcome back their beloved king who loved his people so much that even the gods honored him."

Guddu: "So Bali wasn't really defeated - he was transformed?"

Dadi: "Beautiful understanding! This story teaches that true power isn't about size or strength. Vishnu came as the smallest being to show that wisdom and righteousness outweigh physical might. And Bali, by surrendering with dignity, achieved something greater than his conquest ever gave him - eternal honor and his people's undying love."

Guddu: "Size doesn't matter - heart does!"

Dadi: "The smallest person can bring the biggest change. The mightiest king can find glory in humility. That's the message of Vamana and Trivikrama, beta."