Mahabali was an asura king who captured the three worlds, defeating the devas. When they prayed to Vishnu, he took the form of a poor dwarf, Vamana, and asked the charitable king for three pieces ...

To do so, Vishnu incarnates as a dwarf priest called Vamana and requests only three feet (steps) of land to build a fire-altar. Mahabali agrees. Vamana grows in size, and in three strides ...