इंद्र
Indra, the king of the lesser gods, is a complex and multifaceted deity in Hindu mythology. He is the son of Aditi and sage Kashyapa, and is one of the Adityas, a group of gods who are the sons of Aditi. Indra’s capital city is Amaravathi, which is located in the heavens, and he is known for his possession of a magnificent elephant named Iyravata and a divine cow named Kamadhenu.
Kamadhenu, the divine cow, is a powerful and magical creature that is capable of yielding anything desired by those who seek it. This makes Indra extremely wealthy and powerful, and he is often depicted as a king who is surrounded by riches and luxury. Indra also possesses a tree called Kalpatharu, which is said to have the power to grant wishes and provide riches to those who seek it.
As the principal deity of the Rig Veda, Indra is the focus of many hymns and prayers in this primary text of Hinduism. He is often addressed as a dual deity, Mitra-Indra, and is capable of granting minor boons to his devotees. However, Indra is not directly worshipped, but rather invoked in sacrifices and rituals.
In Hindu mythology, Indra is not a single, fixed entity, but rather a title that is bestowed upon the king of heaven. It is said that any mortal who performs certain sacrifices or penances can ascend to heaven and attain the position of the king of heaven, becoming the new Indra. This means that the position of Indra is always subject to change, and the current Indra is always on the lookout for potential challengers who may dethrone him.
In the Rig Veda, Indra is depicted as the most powerful god, but in later texts, his importance has been diminished, and he is subject to the overlordship of the supreme trinity of Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. Indra is often depicted as deceitful and weak-minded, and is cursed by sages for his actions. In one story, he is cursed to be turned into a woman by the sage Gautama.
Despite his flaws, Indra is also depicted as a powerful and supreme god, who is the slayer of Vritra and the lord of the skies, thunder, and rain. He is the greatest of the Adityas, the begetter of fire, and is often invoked in rituals and sacrifices.
Some closely related entities in Hindu mythology include:
- Aditi: The mother of Indra and the Adityas, who is often depicted as a powerful and benevolent goddess.
- Kashyapa: The father of Indra and the Adityas, who is a sage and a god.
- Amaravathi: The capital city of Indra, which is located in the heavens.
- Iyravata: The elephant of Indra, which is a powerful and majestic creature.
- Kamadhenu: The divine cow of Indra, which is capable of yielding anything desired by those who seek it.
- Kalpatharu: The tree of Indra, which is said to have the power to grant wishes and provide riches to those who seek it.
- Mitra-Indra: The dual deity of Indra, who is often invoked in rituals and sacrifices.
- Rig Veda: The primary text of Hinduism, which contains many hymns and prayers to Indra and other gods.
- Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma: The supreme trinity of Hindu mythology, who are the overlords of Indra and the other gods.
- Agni: The god of fire, who is often invoked in rituals and sacrifices.
- Sachi: The queen and consort of Indra, who is a powerful and benevolent goddess.
- Asuras: The mortal enemies of Indra and the Devas, who are often depicted as powerful and malevolent beings.