A generous demon king who conquered heaven, gave away the three worlds to a dwarf, and was made the lord of Sutala.
Appears in
Vamana and Bali — Skandha 8, adhyayas 15-23 — A dwarf asks a generous king for three steps of land, and the king keeps his word after learning who the dwarf is.
Embodies
Surrender and grace — Rescue comes when strength runs out: the elephant, the queen and the king are saved at the point they stop relying on themselves.
Pride humbled — Brahma, Indra and the sage Durvasa each try to measure the Lord, and each one ends up on his knees asking pardon.
Questions to explore
Why did Bali offer his own head for Vamana's third step?
