Changes

Indra is also described as a position, which may be achieved by one who performs one hundred asvamedha yajnas.

Indra is also described as a position, which may be achieved by one who performs one hundred asvamedha yajnas.

== परिचयः || Introduction ==

== परिचयः || Introduction ==

Indra, is the most celebrated deity and worshiped since ages in [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातन धर्म)|Sanatana Dharma]]. He is highly revered for his power as a slayer of rakshasas (demons) and asuras, and protector of rishis and dharma as seen in the Vedas.   

Indra, is the most celebrated deity and worshiped since ages in [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातनधर्मः)|Sanatana Dharma]]. He is highly revered for his power as a slayer of rakshasas (demons) and asuras, and protector of rishis and dharma as seen in the Vedas.   

In the [[Mahabharata]] and the [[Puranas]], numerous anecdotes of Indra describe his strengths, rivalries, wars, vices, disguises, hasty actions and decisions, often seeking refuge in either Brahma, Vishnu or Mahadeva for overpowering his adversaries. Apart from all these qualities, he is revered for his power and protection of Dharma. Following are the different aspects associated with Indra across the various texts.<ref name=":1">Mani, V. (1975). ''[https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft Puranic encyclopaedia : A comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature.]'' Delhi:Motilal Banasidass.</ref>

In the [[Mahabharata]] and the [[Puranas (पुराणानि)|Puranas]], numerous anecdotes of Indra describe his strengths, rivalries, wars, vices, disguises, hasty actions and decisions, often seeking refuge in either Brahma, Vishnu or Mahadeva for overpowering his adversaries. Apart from all these qualities, he is revered for his power and protection of Dharma. Following are the different aspects associated with Indra across the various texts.<ref name=":1">Mani, V. (1975). ''[https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft Puranic encyclopaedia : A comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature.]'' Delhi:Motilal Banasidass.</ref>

* '''यज्ञपालकः || Yajnapalaka''' : As the Protector of Yajnas, he plays a significant role. There are more than 250 Rk Suktas that glorify Indra by performance of Yajnas and offering of Soma rasa for him, he is the chief receiver to be pleased at any Yajna.  

* '''यज्ञपालकः || Yajnapalaka''' : As the Protector of Yajnas, he plays a significant role. There are more than 250 Rk Suktas that glorify Indra by performance of Yajnas and offering of Soma rasa for him, he is the chief receiver to be pleased at any Yajna.  

* '''सुरपतिः ||''' '''Surapati''' : As a protector, Indra rules over the earth and heavens, suras (devatas) including Maruts and other beings such as Gandharvas, Apsaras, Asuras and Rakshasas. He is the master of all these entities including nishadas.     

* '''सुरपतिः ||''' '''Surapati''' : As a protector, Indra rules over the earth and heavens, suras (devatas) including Maruts and other beings such as Gandharvas, Apsaras, Asuras and Rakshasas. He is the master of all these entities including nishadas.     

* '''गोरक्षकः ||''' '''Gorakshaka :''' He plays a chief role in the retrieval of the cows hidden by Panis in the mountains. Angirasa rishi, the "padajna" helps him locate the cows and then he fights Panis to bring them back.<ref name=":2">Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Samskrita Parichaya''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.</ref>   

* '''गोरक्षकः ||''' '''Gorakshaka :''' He plays a chief role in the retrieval of the cows hidden by Panis in the mountains. Angirasa rishi, the "padajna" helps him locate the cows and then he fights Panis to bring them back.<ref name=":2">Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Samskrita Parichaya''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.</ref>   

== व्युत्पत्तिः || Etymology ==

== व्युत्पत्तिः || Etymology ==

'''[[Amarakosha (अमरकोषः)|Amarakosha]]''' defines the following about Indra in स्वर्गवर्गः (Prathama kanda Shlokas 41- 44)<ref>[http://www.sanskritebooks.org/2009/07/amara-kosa-the-sanskrit-thesaurus-with-notes-index/ Amarakosha] (Page No 9 and 10)</ref><blockquote>इन्द्रो मरुत्वान्मघवा बिडौजाः पाकशासनः । वृध्दश्रवाः सुनासीरः पुरुहूतः पुरंदरः ॥ (Amara 1. स्वर्ग. 41)</blockquote><blockquote>जिष्णुर्लेखर्षभः शक्रः शतमन्युर्दिवस्पतिः। सुत्रामा गोत्रभिद्वज्री वासवो वृत्रहा वृषा॥ (Amara 1. स्वर्ग. 42)</blockquote><blockquote>वास्तोष्पतिः सुरपतिर्बलारातिः शचीपतिः। जम्भभेदी हरिहयः स्वाराण्नमुचिसूदनः॥ (Amara 1. स्वर्ग. 43)</blockquote><blockquote>संक्रन्दनो दुश्च्यवनस्तुराषाण्मेघवाहनः। आखण्डलः सहस्राक्ष ऋभुक्षाः ------- ॥ (Amara 1. स्वर्ग. 44)</blockquote><blockquote>indro marutvānmaghavā biḍaujāḥ pākaśāsanaḥ । vṛdhdaśravāḥ sunāsīraḥ puruhūtaḥ puraṃdaraḥ ॥ (Amara 1. svarga. 41) </blockquote><blockquote>jiṣṇurlekharṣabhaḥ śakraḥ śatamanyurdivaspatiḥ। sutrāmā gotrabhidvajrī vāsavo vṛtrahā vṛṣā॥ (Amara 1. svarga. 42)</blockquote><blockquote>vāstoṣpatiḥ surapatirbalārātiḥ śacīpatiḥ। jambhabhedī harihayaḥ svārāṇnamucisūdanaḥ॥ (Amara 1. svarga. 43)</blockquote><blockquote>saṃkrandano duścyavanasturāṣāṇmeghavāhanaḥ। ākhaṇḍalaḥ sahasrākṣa ṛbhukṣāḥ ------- ॥ (Amara 1. svarga. 44)</blockquote>Like many other deities, Indra is also called by many names - Marutvan (मरुत्वान्), Maghavan (मघवान्), Pakashasana (पाकशासनः), Vrddhashravaha (वृद्धश्रवाः), Sunaseera (सुनासीरः), Purohuta (पुरोहूतः), Purandara (पुरन्दरः), Shakra (शक्रः), Shatamanyu (शतमन्युः), Sutrama (सुत्रामा), Vrtraha (वृत्रहा), Meghavahana (मेघवाहन), Vajri (वज्री), Gotrabhit (गोत्रभित्), Namuchisudana (नमुचिसूदनः), Surapati (सुरपतिः), Sachipati (शचिपतिः) and others.  

'''Amarakosha''' defines the following about Indra in स्वर्गवर्गः (Prathama kanda Shlokas 41- 44)<ref>[http://www.sanskritebooks.org/2009/07/amara-kosa-the-sanskrit-thesaurus-with-notes-index/ Amarakosha] (Page No 9 and 10)</ref><blockquote>इन्द्रो मरुत्वान्मघवा बिडौजाः पाकशासनः । वृध्दश्रवाः सुनासीरः पुरुहूतः पुरंदरः ॥ (Amara 1. स्वर्ग. 41)</blockquote><blockquote>जिष्णुर्लेखर्षभः शक्रः शतमन्युर्दिवस्पतिः। सुत्रामा गोत्रभिद्वज्री वासवो वृत्रहा वृषा॥ (Amara 1. स्वर्ग. 42)</blockquote><blockquote>वास्तोष्पतिः सुरपतिर्बलारातिः शचीपतिः। जम्भभेदी हरिहयः स्वाराण्नमुचिसूदनः॥ (Amara 1. स्वर्ग. 43)</blockquote><blockquote>संक्रन्दनो दुश्च्यवनस्तुराषाण्मेघवाहनः। आखण्डलः सहस्राक्ष ऋभुक्षाः ------- ॥ (Amara 1. स्वर्ग. 44)</blockquote><blockquote>indro marutvānmaghavā biḍaujāḥ pākaśāsanaḥ । vṛdhdaśravāḥ sunāsīraḥ puruhūtaḥ puraṃdaraḥ ॥ (Amara 1. svarga. 41) </blockquote><blockquote>jiṣṇurlekharṣabhaḥ śakraḥ śatamanyurdivaspatiḥ। sutrāmā gotrabhidvajrī vāsavo vṛtrahā vṛṣā॥ (Amara 1. svarga. 42)</blockquote><blockquote>vāstoṣpatiḥ surapatirbalārātiḥ śacīpatiḥ। jambhabhedī harihayaḥ svārāṇnamucisūdanaḥ॥ (Amara 1. svarga. 43)</blockquote><blockquote>saṃkrandano duścyavanasturāṣāṇmeghavāhanaḥ। ākhaṇḍalaḥ sahasrākṣa ṛbhukṣāḥ ------- ॥ (Amara 1. svarga. 44)</blockquote>Like many other deities, Indra is also called by many names - Marutvan (मरुत्वान्), Maghavan (मघवान्), Pakashasana (पाकशासनः), Vrddhashravaha (वृद्धश्रवाः), Sunaseera (सुनासीरः), Purohuta (पुरोहूतः), Purandara (पुरन्दरः), Shakra (शक्रः), Shatamanyu (शतमन्युः), Sutrama (सुत्रामा), Vrtraha (वृत्रहा), Meghavahana (मेघवाहन), Vajri (वज्री), Gotrabhit (गोत्रभित्), Namuchisudana (नमुचिसूदनः), Surapati (सुरपतिः), Sachipati (शचिपतिः) and others.  

According to Shabdakalpadruma, Indra is derived from the dhatu (root) "इन्द" meaning "परमैश्वर्य " parama aishwarya (wealthy).   

According to Shabdakalpadruma, Indra is derived from the dhatu (root) "इन्द" meaning "परमैश्वर्य " parama aishwarya (wealthy).   

Although the legend of Ahalya and Indra happened in a different yuga, this anecdote is recounted by Vishvamitra rishi to Shri Ramachandra and Lakshmana, in the Balakanda, on his way to Mithila.  

Although the legend of Ahalya and Indra happened in a different yuga, this anecdote is recounted by Vishvamitra rishi to Shri Ramachandra and Lakshmana, in the Balakanda, on his way to Mithila.  

=== अहल्या || Ahalya ===

=== अहल्या || Ahalya ===

There are different versions of how Ahalya, the wife of Gautama rishi, was cursed to become a "stone" in different puranas. However, according to Valmiki [[Ramayana (रामायणम्)|Ramayana]], Indra tricked Ahalya, when Gautama rishi 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 with testicles of goat. (Val. Rama. Bala kanda)<ref name=":5" />

There are different versions of how Ahalya, the wife of Gautama rishi, was cursed to become a "stone" in different puranas. However, according to Valmiki Ramayana, Indra tricked Ahalya, when Gautama rishi 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 with testicles of goat. (Val. Rama. Bala kanda)<ref name=":5" />

=== हनुमान् || Hanuman ===

=== हनुमान् || Hanuman ===

Vayuputra, commanly called as Hanuman, in his younger days sprang up to [[Surya (सूर्यः)|Surya]], mistaking it for a fruit to eat. Ascending towards the Devaloka, he sees Airavata, the vahana (वाहनम्) of Indra and goes towards it to swallow it. Seeing the tussle between Maruti (मारुतिः) and Airavata, feeling threatened, Indra uses his weapon Vajrayudha to cut the " hanu" (हनुः । jaw bones) of Maruti and he falls dead on earth. Vayu, grieving the loss of his son, takes him to Patalaloka, where Brahma and other devatas console him and revive Maruti. As the "hanu" was cut by Indra's vajra, Maruti gets the name of "Hanuman". Indra also blesses him to be a chiranjeevi and would die only when he wished so. (Valm Rama, Kish Kand, 66th Sarga)<ref>Valmiki Ramayana ([http://valmikiramayan.net/utf8/kish/sarga66/kishkindha_66_frame.htm Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 66])</ref>.

Vayuputra, commanly called as Hanuman, in his younger days sprang up to [[Surya (सूर्यः)|Surya]], mistaking it for a fruit to eat. Ascending towards the Devaloka, he sees Airavata, the vahana (वाहनम्) of Indra and goes towards it to swallow it. Seeing the tussle between Maruti (मारुतिः) and Airavata, feeling threatened, Indra uses his weapon Vajrayudha to cut the " hanu" (हनुः । jaw bones) of Maruti and he falls dead on earth. Vayu, grieving the loss of his son, takes him to Patalaloka, where Brahma and other devatas console him and revive Maruti. As the "hanu" was cut by Indra's vajra, Maruti gets the name of "Hanuman". Indra also blesses him to be a chiranjeevi and would die only when he wished so. (Valm Rama, Kish Kand, 66th Sarga)<ref>Valmiki Ramayana ([http://valmikiramayan.net/utf8/kish/sarga66/kishkindha_66_frame.htm Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 66])</ref>.