It is little wonder that Indra was the lord of all gods – he displayed the true characteristics of a perfect leader. It was his diligence and eye for detail that ensured that only the virtuous were given god-like status. Arrogance and impatience were soon corrected. But, most importantly, as a leader, Lord Indra strove to be worthy of his position.
Vritra, the invincible asura, was created by Sage Twashta to avenge the death of his son, Vishwarupa, who had been killed by Indra. There was no weapon in the arsenal of the gods that could stop Vritra as he went on a rampage. Indra and the gods appealed to Lord Vishnu for help. Vishnu told them that only a weapon made from the bones of Sage Dadhichi would kill Vritra. The battle between Vritra and Indra was first told in the Rigveda. The version used here is taken from the Bhagawat Purana.
Indra, son of Aditi, king of Devas, is the Lord of the east, of Heaven and space. He’s an enemy of the rakshasas. He’s the first one to receive nectar from Garuda after which he protected the Prithvi mountain ranges, created space and placed Dyuloka in its position. But he has one weakness- he cannot stand anyone surpassing his power or position. Amaravathi is his capital and Indrani is his consort. His proud possessions include Ucchaishravas, Iravatha, Kamadhenu, and Kalpavriksha. It was because of his pride that he once angered sage Brihaspathi and lost his kingdom. On killing Vritrasura, he found that he had committed the sin of killing a Brahmin and hence hid himself in the Manas lake. King Nahusha took Indra’s position and became very proud and arrogant. Later Indra performed Aswamedhayajna and regained his lost kingdom. It is because of his own folly that a bird-hero who was stronger than himself, Garuda, was born. Even his Vajrayudha couldn’t hurt Garuda. Later, they both became friends. Indra put emperor Shibi to test and obtained Karna’s kavacha and kundala in order to weaken him and protect his own son, Arjuna. He sent his chariot for Rama to face Raavana in the mighty battle. However, he invited sage Durvasa’s curse due to his pride. Indra came down to earth and conferred on Lord SriKrishna the title Upendra. Our other books here can be searched using #BharathaSamskruthiPrakashana
“Let there be unprecedented floods in Vraj!” roared Indra. “Deluge them! I want every single person of this foolish little village to drown and die! Let them pay for offending Purandar, the mighty Indra – the king of Devlok!” The world considers Indra to be the name of the king of the Devas. However, not many people know that Indra is not a name. It is a title, an appellation accorded to one who rules over Devlok, the realm of the Devas. In each Manvantar (the 14th fraction of a Kalpa), a new king is appointed to the throne of Devlok, who is then called “Indra”. The “Indra” of the current Manvantar is “Purandar”. Purandar―the son of Kashyap and Aditi―ascended the throne of Devlok because of certain remarkable traits he had and some grand accomplishments he achieved. However, his appalling misdeeds diminish his glory and consequently, he could never garner the respect and obeisance that a king of Gods would otherwise command! Unfortunately, Indra himself seemed oblivious to the many blots on his character and appeared concerned only about keeping his throne. To maintain his claim over it, he repeatedly abused his power and supremacy, and remained totally unrepentant of his incessant misdemeanours. Several interesting but lesser-known events and anecdotes have been interwoven into this compelling tale to bring out the capricious yet imposing personality of Indra, presenting a completely fresh facet of Puranic mythology. It is a pleasant experience to read the brilliant analysis of Puranic tales through Ashutosh’s charismatic writing! ―Ashok Chakradhar, Padma Shri awardee author, litterateur and poet
Even gods can be prey to their inner torments. Lying and killing for the sake of peace and order, Indra felt he was unworthy of being king of heaven. A new king was installed on his throne! Now it was up to Indra’s wife Shachi to ensure that his honour survived. Would the gods ever regain their respect for her beloved?
This Amar Chitra Katha special edition brings together some of the stories that are woven around gods and goddesses. From the mighty Shiva and Vishnu to the much loved Durga and Ganesha. From the popular gods of the epics like Rama and Krishna to the less
Armed with the invincible thunderbolt, Vajra and mounted on his great white elephant, Airavata, Indra, king of the gods, is the subject of innumerable stories in Indian mythology. This Amar Chitra Katha tells some of the tales that depict Indra's bravery, his generosity and also, his occasional arrogance.
The worlds of gods, demons and humans meet and come alive in these twelve stories. The gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines, birds, beasts, demons, monsters, sages and warriors that inhabit these classical tales deliver the enduring wisdom of Hindu folklore. The stories are amongst the oldest in the world and belong to children everywhere, regardless of religion or country of birth. Each tale is illustrated with dramatic black-and-white pictures by Margaret Jones. These evocative illustrations capture the wealth and strength of the culture behind the stories and give the tales a magnificent setting worthy of their power and drama.
Ganga’s cleansing waters were urgently needed on earth. But, the spirited daughter of the mountain god was not to be easily subdued as her waters darted about uncontrollably. Only Shiva could tame her by entangling her in the coils of his hair. When her waters could finally wend their way out, they were calmer and purer. They turned arid wastes into fertile land and filled up the oceans. Since those ancient times when King Bhagiratha sought her help, Ganga, whether roaring or placid, dancing or sombre, continues to enchant one and all with her life-giving beauty.