SMITE: Demigods, Deities and Gods Explained is a new column dedicated to introducing prospective players of SMITE to its massive back story of lore. From the Greek to Hindu, each week we’ll look at two characters from a major pantheon and provide a quick recap of their history and in what capacity their digital incarnation will represent on the field of Hi-Rez Studios’ upcoming MOBA.
Lore: As the Fifth Avatar of Vishnu, Vamana is highly regarded in Hindu mythology. The first Avatar to be entirely human, although a dwarf brahmin, Vamana descends from Aditi, the mother of the gods, and Kashyapa, a great sage. Indra, King of the Gods, is one of Vamana’s siblings.
It was aiding his brother that Vamana’s most famous Bhagavata legend descends. The Asura king Mahabali claimed the realm of heavens for himself, leaving Indra without a home. In the guise of a dwarf Brahman carrying an umbrella, Vamana entered the King’s home and made a simple request, three steps of land. Bali agrees to the request quickly without realizing the dwarf’s ability.
