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/*Khandava dahana
Indra, king of the gods, asks in charity Karna’s natural armor 'Kavach and Kundal'. Karna donates this leaving himself vulnerable. (Maha. Aranyaparva. Chap 44, verse 9).
Indra, king of the gods, asks in charity Karna’s natural armor 'Kavach and Kundal'. Karna donates this leaving himself vulnerable. (Maha. Aranyaparva. Chap 44, verse 9).
=== Khandava Dahana ===
In Mahabharata (Adi Parva. Khandava daha parva Chap. 221 to 226), there is a legend about Agni who suffered from stomach ailments (due to the Yagnas of Svetaki King) was advised to consume the Khandava forest which contains the medicinal herbs that can treat his condition. In the process, Indra protects Takshaka who resides in the same forest, thus preventing Agni from consuming the medicinal plants.
In this parva, Krishna and Arjuna, are requested by Agni (who in the guise of a Brahmana) to quench his hunger. Realizing his true form, they agree to prevent his obstacles (Indra from sending heavy rain) in consuming the forest. Thus ensues a battle between Arjuna and Indra (father of Arjuna).
== Indra in Ramayana ==
Although the legend of Ahalya and Indra happened in a different yuga, this anecdote is recounted by Viswamitra rushi to Shri Ramachandra and Lakshmana, in the Bala kanda, on his way to Mithila.
=== Ahalya ===
=== Ahalya ===
There are different versions of how Ahalya, the wife of Gautama rushi, was cursed to become a "stone" in different puranas. However, according to Valmiki Ramayana, Indra tricked Ahalya, when Gautama rushi went out for bath by taking his form. Gautama punished Indra with a curse of losing his manliness and Ahalya too was cursed of being invisible to the eyes of everyone, to take the form of a stone. He declared that her original form would return when Shri Ramachandra touched the stone. Indra's testicles were replaced by goat testicles. (Val. Rama. Bala kanda)
There are different versions of how Ahalya, the wife of Gautama rushi, was cursed to become a "stone" in different puranas. However, according to Valmiki Ramayana, Indra tricked Ahalya, when Gautama rushi went out for bath by taking his form. Gautama punished Indra with a curse of losing his manliness and Ahalya too was cursed of being invisible to the eyes of everyone, to take the form of a stone. He declared that her original form would return when Shri Ramachandra touched the stone. Indra's testicles were replaced by goat testicles. (Val. Rama. Bala kanda)
=== Indrajit ===
Ravana asura conquered the world with Brahma's blessing. His son Meghanadha, defeated Indra in a fierce battle and took him to Lanka as a prisoner. Upon Brahma's intervention, he was released. Thus, Meghanadha got the title of Indrajit.
===Indra and the Ants===
===Indra and the Ants===
In this story from the ''Brahmavaivarta Purana'', Indra defeats Vṛtrá and releases the waters. Elevated to the rank of King of the gods, Indra orders the heavenly craftsman, Vishvakarma, to build him a grand palace. Full of pride, Indra continues to demand more and more improvements for the palace. At last, exhausted, Vishvakarma asks Brahma the Creator for help. Brahma in turn appeals to Vishnu, the Supreme Being. Vishnu visits Indra's palace in the form of a Brahmin boy; Indra welcomes him in. Vishnu praises Indra's palace, casually adding that no former Indra had succeeded in building such a palace. At first, Indra is amused by the Brahmin boy's claim to know of former Indras. But the amusement turns to horror as the boy tells about Indra's ancestors, about the great cycles of creation and destruction, and even about the infinite number of worlds scattered through the void, each with its own Indra. The boy claims to have seen them all. During the boy's speech, a procession of ants had entered the hall. The boy saw the ants and laughed. Finally humbled, Indra asks the boy why he laughed. The boy reveals that the ants are all former Indras. Another visitor enters the hall. He is Shiva, in the form of a hermit. On his chest lies a circular cluster of hairs, intact at the circumference but with a gap in the middle. Shiva reveals that each of these chest hairs corresponds to the life of one Indra. Each time a hair falls, one Indra dies and another replaces him.
In this story from the ''Brahmavaivarta Purana'', Indra defeats Vṛtrá and releases the waters. Elevated to the rank of King of the gods, Indra orders the heavenly craftsman, Vishvakarma, to build him a grand palace. Full of pride, Indra continues to demand more and more improvements for the palace. At last, exhausted, Vishvakarma asks Brahma the Creator for help. Brahma in turn appeals to Vishnu, the Supreme Being. Vishnu visits Indra's palace in the form of a Brahmin boy; Indra welcomes him in. Vishnu praises Indra's palace, casually adding that no former Indra had succeeded in building such a palace. At first, Indra is amused by the Brahmin boy's claim to know of former Indras. But the amusement turns to horror as the boy tells about Indra's ancestors, about the great cycles of creation and destruction, and even about the infinite number of worlds scattered through the void, each with its own Indra. The boy claims to have seen them all. During the boy's speech, a procession of ants had entered the hall. The boy saw the ants and laughed. Finally humbled, Indra asks the boy why he laughed. The boy reveals that the ants are all former Indras. Another visitor enters the hall. He is Shiva, in the form of a hermit. On his chest lies a circular cluster of hairs, intact at the circumference but with a gap in the middle. Shiva reveals that each of these chest hairs corresponds to the life of one Indra. Each time a hair falls, one Indra dies and another replaces him.