Unveiling the Mystery of Indra: Vedic Origins and Puranic Transformations

Unveiling the Mystery of Indra: Vedic Origins and Puranic Transformations

Have you ever wondered how the god mentioned in the Vedas, Indra, transformed into a demigod who engaged in questionable actions in the stories of the Puranas? This intriguing question might have crossed your mind, and in this blog, we'll delve into the evolution of Indra to uncover the mysteries surrounding this deity.

 

Let's start by examining verse 1.101.5 of the Rigveda:

“यो जा॒त ए॒व प्र॑थ॒मो मन॑स्वान्दे॒वो दे॒वान्क्रतु॑ना प॒र्यभू॑षत् । यस्य॒ शुष्मा॒द्रोद॑सी॒ अभ्य॑सेतां नृ॒म्णस्य॑ म॒ह्ना स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्र॑: ॥

यो जात एव प्रथमो मनस्वान्देवो देवान्क्रतुना पर्यभूषत् । यस्य शुष्माद्रोदसी अभ्यसेतां नृम्णस्य मह्ना स जनास इन्द्रः ॥”

 

“He, who as soon as born,is the first (of the deities); who has done honour to the gods by his exploits; he, at whose might heaven and earth are alarmed, and (who is known) by the greatness of his strength, he, men, is Indra.”

 

Now, let's consider verse 6.30.4 of the Rigveda:

 

“स॒त्यमित्तन्न त्वावाँ॑ अ॒न्यो अ॒स्तीन्द्र॑ दे॒वो न मर्त्यो॒ ज्याया॑न् । अह॒न्नहिं॑ परि॒शया॑न॒मर्णोऽवा॑सृजो अ॒पो अच्छा॑ समु॒द्रम् ॥

सत्यमित्तन्न त्वावाँ अन्यो अस्तीन्द्र देवो न मर्त्यो ज्यायान् । अहन्नहिं परिशयानमर्णोऽवासृजो अपो अच्छा समुद्रम् ॥“

 

 

 

“Verily it is the truth, Indra, that there is no other such as you, no god nor mortal is (your) superior; you have slain Ahi obstructing the waters, you have set them free (to flow) to the ocean.”

 

These verses  clearly mentions Indra as Supreme God but now lets take a look at this story from various Puranas and Ramcharitmanas

 

the most beautiful woman. Ahailya was married to Gautama Rishi at the order and will of Brahma ji. Heaven god Indra, was enchanted on the beauty of Ahilya. Indra made up his mind to go to Ashram in absence of Gautam Rishi. So, Indra disguised as her husband Gautam Rishi and came to Ashram just after departure of Gautam Rishi to Ganga rivier for bath in early morning at about 4.30 AM.

 

Beauty Ahailya sees suddenly his husband back Gautam Rishi, but suddently, she knew the planed with her trick of mind of penance that it was God Indra. Later sources often absolve her of all guilt, describing how she fallen prey to God Indra's trickery. Gautam Rishi reached the sore of Ganga, but Mata Ganga appeared before him and told the full story of Indra. Gautam Rishi reached running to Ashram and caught red handed Ahalya and Indra in the Ashram. So, Gautam Rishi outraged and cursed both Indra and his wife Ahilya too.

And you must have heard many other stories regarding rascal works of Indra. Really sorry to use rascal word.  But how did Indra who was supreme inVedas  became greedy in Puranas.

So the answer is that Both Indra’s are different.

In vedas at some places Indra is used to describe natural forces and at some places Indra is used as God or Brahman(Ultimate reality), He is omnipresent As per Vedas Indra also means one who has control over his senses. And in Puranas Indra is a position among demigods. Just as we have a Prime Minister same way Indra is not name of a demigod but a position of King of Heaven. And this post gets changed.

Till now 14 different Indras have been there.

 

Now question arises that Shiva,Vishnu are they new in vedas. The answer is no. first let me give you proof of Shiva in Vedas then we will talk about relation between vedic Indra and Shiva.

 

“परा᳚त् परत॑रो ब्र॒ह्मा॒ त॒त्परा᳚त् पर॒तो ह॑रिः ।

त॒त्परा᳚त् पर॑तो ऽधी॒श॒स्तन्मे॒ मनः॑ शि॒वस॑ङ्क॒ल्पम॑स्तु ॥ 18”

 

“Greater than the great is Brahma, greater than the great Brahma is Vishnu. Greater than the greater Vishnu is Isha (Shiva). May my thoughts be filled with Shiva.”

 

- Rig Veda Khila, Shiva Sankalpa Suktam, 18th Mantra.

 

 

 

अर्ह॑न्बिभर्षि॒ साय॑कानि॒ धन्वार्ह॑न्नि॒ष्कं य॑ज॒तं वि॒श्वरू॑पम् ।

अर्ह॑न्नि॒दं द॑यसे॒ विश्व॒मभ्वं॒ न वा ओजी॑यो रुद्र॒ त्वद॑स्ति ॥ २.०३३.१०

 

“Worthy, thou carriest thy bow and arrows, worthy, thy manyhued and honoured necklace. Worthy, thou cuttest here each fiend to pieces: a mightier than thou there is not, Rudra.”

 

- Rig Veda, Mandala 2, 33rd Suktam.

 

 

गा॒थप॑तिं मे॒धप॑तिं रु॒द्रं जला॑षभेषजम् ।

तच्छं॒योः सु॒म्नमी॑महे ॥ १.०४३.०४

 

“To Rudra Lord of sacrifice, of hymns and balmy medicines,

We pray for joy and health and strength.”

 

- Rig Veda, Mandala 1, 43rd Suktam.

 

सोमः॑ पवते जनि॒ता म॑ती॒नां ज॑नि॒ता दि॒वो ज॑नि॒ता पृ॑थि॒व्याः ।

ज॒नि॒ताग्नेर्ज॑नि॒ता सूर्य॑स्य जनि॒तेन्द्र॑स्य जनि॒तोत विष्णोः॑ ॥ ९.०९६.०५

 

“Father of holy hymns, Soma flows onward the Father of the earth, Father of heaven: Father of Agni, Sūrya's generator, the Father who begat Indra and Viṣṇu.”

 

- Rig Veda, Mandala 9, 96th Suktam, Mantra 5.

 

I Have mentioned only verses from Rigveda as Indra is more prominent in Rigveda so now lets talk about Vedic Indra and Shiva. Who is more powerful?

The answer is both Indra and Vishnu are one. As both are formless. In Sanatan God is one just he takes various forms such as Rama,Krishna,Shiva etc.

 

If you enjoyed this blog, please feel free to suggest topics for future discussions. And here's a fun fact: In Buddhism, Indra also holds the position of the King of Heaven!