The word Itihāsa comes from iti ha āsa - “thus indeed it was.” Therefore it conveys something that happened in the past. Unlike a random narration, Itihāsa therefore carries a distinct claim about historicity.

Its purpose, however, extends beyond simply recounting past events. It combines Purva Vṛttam - what existed in the past - with Upadeśa related to Dharma, Artha, Kāma and Mokṣa, the four Puruṣārthas. It also describes the lives and conduct of Devatās, Ṛṣis and noble persons, offering perspectives on values and Dharma.

The Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata are identified as the two Itihāsa works. The presence of named speakers such as Vālmīki, Vaiśampāyana and Sūta, with knowledge being transmitted from a speaker to an audience, further highlights the distinctive nature of Itihāsa.

The Bhāgavata Purāṇa contains the fullest account of the Vāmāna Avatāra, including Vāmāna's appearance, Bali's yajña, the request for three paces, and the events that follow.

The Viṣṇu Purāṇa gives a much briefer reference to Vāmāna while discussing the different Manvantaras.

The Matsya Purāṇa contains an extended account of Vāmāna's appearance and Bali's yajña, including the role of Prahlāda.

The Vāmāna Purāṇa also contains the Bali-Vāmāna account, though its emphasis differs somewhat from the Bhāgavata Purāṇa.

The Rāmāyaṇa, particularly the Bāla Kāṇḍa, gives a brief account through Viśvāmitra's narration to Rāma, including the association of Vāmāna with Siddhāśrama.

The first four avatars - Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha and Narasimha - are presented with strong naturalistic or non-human elements. The themes are protection, restoration and forces of nature.

In Vāmāna, cultural practices become prominent. It presents a civlisation. It narrates a society in which relationships between a ruler, learned Brahmins and those around him become important. Bali is shown conducting yajña and giving dāna. It brings Dharmaśāstra, dāna, yajña and questions of conduct to the centre.

Vāmāna undergoes a samskāra and approaches Bali as a brahmachari. Sāvita, the Sun, gave Vāmāna the Gāyatrī mantra. He also received a number of important items and instructions from different divine figures; each associated with the life and discipline of a brahmachari. The session connects this with yama, niyama and indriya nigraha.

It maintains association with earlier avataras through the Prahlāda lineage. Bali belongs to the lineage of Prahlāda. Prahlāda's son was Virochana, and Virochana's son was Bali. Therefore, Bali is also referred to as Vairochana.

Additional Reading – What Vāmāna receives

Bṛhaspati gave the Yajñopavīta, also called the Brahma Sutra; Kaśyapa gave the Mekhalā, the material tied around the waist; and Bhūdevī gave the Kṛṣṇājina, the black-buck skin used as a seat for vrata, japa, homa and other karmakāṇḍa practices. Soma, also called Vanaspati, gave the Daṇḍa, the staff carried by the brahmachari, while Aditi gave the Kaupīna.

The remaining gifts further complete Vāmāna's appearance as a brahmachari: Dyau, the sky deity, gave the Chatra, or umbrella; Brahmā gave the Kamandalu; the Saptarishis gave Kusha grass; Saraswati gave the Akṣamālā; and Kubera gave the Patrika (Bhiksha Patra), a vessel associated with food. Uma/Parvati gave Vāmāna his first bhiksha, although this is described as the first food offered to him rather than as one of the formal gifts.

Aditi, the mother of Indra was distressed by the situation of the Devas, particularly Indra, because of Bali's strength. Kaśyapa advised her to perform Payo Vrata toward Sriman Narayana. The word payas refers to milk. Aditi performed the vrata with earnestness, and Vishnu was pleased. He subsequently appeared and took birth as a child to Aditi and Kaśyapa.

Vāmāna approaches Bali as a brahmachari and yācaka, asking for dāna. This shows the striking contrast between appearance and reality. The one who appears diminutive is the all-pervasive divine, and the apparently small request eventually reveals an immeasurable reach.

Vāmāna becomes the yācaka - the one who asks. The Supreme Being, who is ordinarily understood as the giver, appears before Bali as a receiver of dāna. The humility of the form is therefore central to the narrative. The request becomes the means through which the deeper transformation of Bali takes place.

Contentment: Vāmāna explains to Bali that dissatisfaction cannot be overcome simply by acquiring more possessions. If a person is not satisfied with three feet of land, giving him an entire continent or even the whole universe would not necessarily satisfy him.

Generosity: Bali’s generosity is repeatedly emphasised. At Bhrigukaccha, his dāna continues even while Vāmāna is present. This is connected to the legacy of Bali's Grandfather Prahlāda. At the same time, Bali is described as confident and proud, with ahankāra present alongside his generosity.

Commitment: Bali's response is rooted in his understanding of truthfulness and dāna. When Śukra warns him, Bali maintains that if Bhagavan himself has come to receive something from him, he will not be afraid to give it. He accepts the possibility that everything may be taken from him, yet does not regard that as a reason to make his promise false.

Vāmāna's request appears extremely modest, but Śukra recognises that it is not an ordinary request. Śukra immediately warns Bali not to proceed.

Śukra points to circumstances in which lying may be considered permissible. He uses this to convince Bali not to proceed to grant the wishes. However Bali takes the position that he will not lie in this particular situation. He decides to honour what he has offered.

This is one of the deeper philosophical aspects of the Vamanavatara. Therefore, the disagreement is not simply about whether to obey a guru or not. It is a Dharma-sankata between prudence and truthfulness.

Once Bali gives his consent, the scale of Vāmāna changes completely. The first foot covers the entirety of Bhuloka. The second extends across the realms above and reaches Brahma Loka.

When the foot reaches Brahma Loka, Brahmā performs pāda pūja by offering water to the foot of Sriman Narayana. According to some accounts, this event connects this with bhakti and with the emergence of Ma Ganga from the water associated with the Lord's foot. It also recalls Prahlāda's earlier emphasis on pāda pujanam, a form of Bhakti. The 15th Century Telugu Poet Annamacharya's famous Sankeerthana-"Bramha Kadigina Padamu" also refers to this episode from Vamanavatara.

The first two strides exhaust the space that Bali had promised. The essence of this Avatara, then reaches its deepest symbolic point. Bali understands what is happening and offers his own head for the third step, explicitly refusing to allow his promise to become false. This act of Bhakti can be connected with Atmanivedana - not merely giving possessions, but giving up the self.

Bali is defeated but not destroyed, unlike Narasimha and other avataras. Bali's ahankāra or ahambhāva is emptied. He receives anugraha - divine grace. This makes Bali's transformation one of the central philosophical elements of the avatāra, and unlike many other avataras.

Aditi is explained as meaning "boundless." Yet the child born to her appears as a dwarf, something apparently bounded. Then that same Vāmāna assumes the Trivikrama form and becomes associated with immense, boundless strides. The avatara uses this progression to show how smallness and infinitude are deeply interconnected.

Vāmāna is the form in which the Lord approaches Bali. When the three great strides take place, the form is described as Trivikrama or Vikrama. The root associated with kram relates to movement or making a stride with the feet. Thus, the name Trivikrama is closely connected with the great strides that transform the scale of the narrative.