Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.1590

c4.1590

horrified at this, began to attack Vāmana with anything they could lay hands on. Still Vāmana was growing. Finally he became an immensely large being. With one step he measured the whole of earth and with the second step he took the whole of heaven. Then he asked Bali, where to take the third step. Mahābali said that he had only his body left, as his own, and that Vāmana might take it and complete three steps. Vāmana placed his foot on the head of Bali and pushed him down to Pātāla (the Netherworld). Thenceforward the asuras became the inhabitants of Pātāla. (Bhāgavata, Skandha 8).