− | इन्द्रः Indra is called as Marutvaan, meaning मरुतो देवाः पालनीयत्वेन (Shabdakalpadhruma) because he rules the Marut devatas. Maruts are 49 in number and they are the children of Diti, the mother of Daityas. At the loss of her children in the war between devatas and asuras, Diti prays to her husband Kashyapa to grant her a son who can slay Indra, the son of Aditi. This famous legend given in Vishnupurana (Part 1, Chap 21) recounts how Indra, goes to serve Diti, when she was pregnant with a son who is capable of killing him. Her hundred years of penance gets disturbed when she falls asleep without washing her feet. Taking this impious opportunity, Indra enters her womb and cuts the embryo within into seven pieces, with his Vajrayudha. As the child is began to cry, Indra asked it not to cry by saying "Maa Ruda ". So saying he cuts each of them onto seven pieces, thus generating 49 pieces. Upon Diti's request making them subservient to Indra, Indra refrains from destroying them. Thus, they are 49 Marutgana, who became the assistants of Indra. | + | इन्द्रः Indra is called as Marutvaan, meaning मरुतो देवाः पालनीयत्वेन (Shabdakalpadhruma) because he rules the Marut devatas. Maruts are 49 in number and they are the children of Diti, the mother of Daityas. At the loss of her children in the war between devatas and asuras, Diti prays to her husband Kashyapa to grant her a son who can slay Indra, the son of Aditi. |
| + | This famous legend given in Vishnupurana (Part 1, Chap 21, Slokas 30 to 49) recounts how Indra, goes to serve Diti, when she was pregnant with a son who is capable of killing him. Her hundred years of penance gets disturbed when she falls asleep without washing her feet. Taking this impious opportunity, Indra enters her womb and cuts the embryo within into seven pieces, with his Vajrayudha. As the child is began to cry, Indra asked it not to cry by saying "Maa Ruda ". So saying he cuts each of them onto seven pieces, thus generating 49 pieces. Upon Diti's request making them subservient to Indra, Indra refrains from destroying them. Thus, they are 49 Marutgana, who became the assistants of Indra (Also referred in Bhāgavata-purāṇa VI. 18. 19, 23-77: VIII. 13. 4: Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 5. 79, 90, 99, 104: Matsya-purāṇa 6. 47; 163. 22-3). |
| There are more than 250 Rk Suktas that glorify Indra. He is the deva who shines as the light in the sky of the heart of all living entities. Rig Veda describes the strength and valor of Indra and the faith of Devatas in his might, in the following mantra | | There are more than 250 Rk Suktas that glorify Indra. He is the deva who shines as the light in the sky of the heart of all living entities. Rig Veda describes the strength and valor of Indra and the faith of Devatas in his might, in the following mantra |