Ribhus ( Sanskrit : ऋभु, ṛbhu, also Arbhu, Rbhus, Ribhuksan) is an ancient Indian word whose meaning evolved over time. In early layers of the Vedic literature, it referred to a sun deity. It evolved to being a wind deity, thereafter referred to three male artisans whose abilities and austerities make them into divinities in later Vedic texts. Their individual names were Ribhu (or Rhibhu), Vaja and Vibhvan (also called Vibhu), but they were collectively called Rhibhus or Ribhus ( ṛbhú- , pl. ṛbhava, also called Ribhuksan). Their name's meaning is "clever, skillful, inventive, prudent", cognate to Latin labor and Gothic arb-aiþs "labour, toil", and perhaps to English elf .
82-594: Ribhus are depicted in some legends of the Vedic literature as three sons of the goddess of morning light named Saranyu and Hindu god Indra . In other legends, such as in the Atharvaveda , they are sons of Sudhanvan , which means good archer. In either legends, they are famous for their creative abilities, innovation and they design chariots, the magic cow of plenty, channels for rivers, and tools for Indra and other gods, which makes many envious. In later Hindu mythology,
164-699: A Pontic origin and that both the phonology and the context of Indra in Indian religions is best explained from Indo-Aryan roots and a Circassian etymology (i.e. *inra ). Modern scholarship suggests the name originated at the Bactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex where the Aryans lived before settling in India. In other languages, he is also known as Indra has many epithets in the Indian religions, notably Śakra (शक्र, powerful one), Indra
246-467: A bullish chariot, well-lipped one, as bull with bullish will, you of the mace, set us up in loot. Indra's weapon, which he used to kill the evil Vritra, is the Vajra or thunderbolt. Other alternate iconographic symbolism for him includes a bow (sometimes as a colorful rainbow), a sword, a net , a noose, a hook, or a conch. The thunderbolt of Indra is called Bhaudhara. In the post-Vedic period, he rides
328-806: A deity had a presence in northeastern Asia minor , as evidenced by the inscriptions on the Boghaz-köi clay tablets dated to about 1400 BCE. This tablet mentions a treaty, but its significance is in four names it includes reverentially as Mi-it-ra , U-ru-w-na , In-da-ra and Na-sa-at-ti-ia . These are respectively, Mitra, Varuna , Indra and Nasatya-Asvin of the Vedic pantheon as revered deities, and these are also found in Avestan pantheon but with Indra and Naonhaitya as demons. This at least suggests that Indra and his fellow deities were in vogue in South Asia and Asia minor by about mid 2nd-millennium BCE. Indra
410-433: A hammer or an equivalent, for both the weapon returns to their hand after they hurl it, both are associated with bulls in the earliest layer of respective texts, both use thunder as a battle-cry, both are protectors of mankind, both are described with legends about "milking the cloud-cows", both are benevolent giants, gods of strength, of life, of marriage and the healing gods. Michael Janda suggests that Indra has origins in
492-548: A large overlap between Hinduism and Buddhism, and the adoption of many Vedic terminology and concepts into Buddhist thought. Even the term Śakra , which means "mighty", appears in the Vedic texts such as in hymn 5.34 of the Rigveda . Pitrs The pitris ( Sanskrit : पितृ , lit. 'forefathers', IAST : Pitṛ ) are the spirits of departed ancestors in Hinduism . Following an individual's death,
574-601: A large, four-tusked white elephant called Airavata . In sculpture and relief artworks in temples, he typically sits on an elephant or is near one. When he is shown to have two, he holds the Vajra and a bow. In the Shatapatha Brahmana and in Shaktism traditions, Indra is stated to be the same as the goddess Shodashi (Tripura Sundari), and her iconography is described similarly to that of Indra. The rainbow
656-449: A legend found in it , before Indra is born, his mother attempts to persuade him to not take an unnatural exit from her womb. Immediately after birth, Indra steals soma from his father, and Indra's mother offers the drink to him. After Indra's birth, Indra's mother reassures Indra that he will prevail in his rivalry with his father, Tvaṣṭar. Both the unnatural exit from the womb and rivalry with the father are universal attributes of heroes. In
738-525: A mountain and has trapped all the waters, namely the Seven Rivers . All the gods abandon Indra out of fear of Vṛtra. Indra uses his vajra, a mace, to kill Vritra and smash open the mountains to release the waters. In some versions, he is aided by the Maruts or other deities, and sometimes cattle and the sun is also released from the mountain. In one interpretation by Oldenberg, the hymns are referring to
820-754: A part of Jain rebirth cosmology. He is also the one who appears with his consort Indrani to celebrate the auspicious moments in the life of a Jain Tirthankara , an iconography that suggests the king and queen of superhumans residing in Svarga reverentially marking the spiritual journey of a Jain. He is a rough equivalent to Zeus in Greek mythology , or Jupiter in Roman mythology . Indra's powers are similar to other Indo-European deities such as Norse Odin , Perun , Perkūnas , Zalmoxis , Taranis , and Thor , part of
902-652: A river-helping god in the Vedas. Further, the Vritra demon that Indra slew is best understood as any obstruction, whether it be clouds that refuse to release rain or mountains or snow that hold back the water. Jamison and Brereton also state that Vritra is best understood as any obstacle. The Vritra myth is associated with the Midday Pressing of soma, which is dedicated to Indra or Indra and the Maruts. Even though Indra
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#1732780625360984-460: A sacrifice dedicated to one's pitrs must be performed on a daily basis. While the Vedic religion held that one's forefathers attain Svarga , the heavenly realm, most Hindus today believe in samsara , the cycle of rebirth, where all departed souls reincarnate on earth until they achieve spiritual liberation , called moksha . According to popular belief, the fire deity, Agni , is believed to carry
1066-609: A sustainable non-sentient universe, according to the Upanishad. The eternal Atman then enters each living being making the universe full of sentient beings, but these living beings fail to perceive their Atman. The first one to see the Atman as Brahman, asserts the Upanishad, said, " idam adarsha or "I have seen It". Others then called this first seer as Idam-dra or "It-seeing", which over time came to be cryptically known as "Indra", because, claims Aitareya Upanishad , everyone including
1148-475: Is Rbhuksan. They are supposed to dwell in the solar sphere; Aitareya Brahmana III, 30 describes them as "sun's neighbours or pupils". The Ribhus are artists who formed the horses of Indra, the carriage of the Ashvins , and the miraculous cow of Brihaspati , made their parents young, and performed other wonderful works which according to RV 4 .51.6 were "done by the dawn". According to Yaska they also founded
1230-489: Is a heroic god. In the Avestan (ancient, pre-Islamic Iranian) texts such as Vd. 10.9, Dk. 9.3 and Gbd 27.6-34.27, Indra – or accurately Andra – is a gigantic demon who opposes truth. In the Vedic texts, Indra kills the archenemy and demon Vritra who threatens mankind. In the Avestan texts, Vritra is not found. According to David Anthony, the Old Indic religion probably emerged among Indo-European immigrants in
1312-463: Is an ancient Indian practice. The custom of a death anniversary is still practised in India, where the deathday of one's parents involves a number of rituals and offerings, that are elaborated in the Puranas . Balls of rice (Piṇḍa) are traditionally offered on certain occasions, due to the belief that one's ancestors still need to be fed by their descendants. For the members of the priesthood class,
1394-524: Is called Indra's Bow (Sanskrit: इन्द्रधनुस् , indradhanus ). Indra was a prominent deity in the Historical Vedic religion . In Vedic times Indra was described in Rig Veda 6.30.4 as superior to any other god. Sayana in his commentary on Rig Veda 6.47.18 described Indra as assuming many forms, making Agni , Vishnu , and Rudra his illusory forms. Over a quarter of the 1,028 hymns of
1476-486: Is connected to a myth where Indra and his sidekick Kutsa ride the same chariot drawn by the horses of the wind to the house of Uśanā Kāvya to receive aid before killing Śuṣṇa , the enemy of Kutsa. In one myth Indra (in some versions helped by Viṣṇu ) shoots a boar named Emuṣa in order to obtain special rice porridge hidden inside or behind a mountain. Another myth has Indra kill Namuci by beheading him. In later versions of that myth Indra does this through trickery involving
1558-416: Is declared as the king of gods in some verses, there is no consistent subordination of other gods to Indra. In Vedic thought, all gods and goddesses are equivalent and aspects of the same eternal abstract Brahman , none consistently superior, none consistently inferior. All gods obey Indra, but all gods also obey Varuna, Vishnu, Rudra and others when the situation arises. Further, Indra also accepts and follows
1640-627: Is depicted as a powerful hero. According to the Vishnu Purana , Indra is the title borne by the king of the gods , which changes every Manvantara – a cyclic period of time in Hindu cosmology . Each Manvantara has its own Indra and the Indra of the current Manvantara is called Purandhara . Indra is also depicted in Buddhist ( Pali : Indā ) and Jain mythologies. Indra rules over
1722-483: Is depicted as an intoxicated hedonistic god. His importance declines, and he evolves into a minor deity in comparison to others in the Hindu pantheon, such as Vishnu , Shiva , or Devi . In Hindu texts, Indra is some times known as an aspect ( avatar ) of Shiva . In the Puranas , Ramayana and Mahabharata , the divine sage Kashyapa is described as the father of Indra, and Aditi as his mother. In this tradition, he
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#17327806253601804-421: Is not a visible object of nature in the Vedic texts, nor is he a personification of any object, but that agent which causes the lightning, the rains and the rivers to flow. His myths and adventures in the Vedic literature are numerous, ranging from harnessing the rains, cutting through mountains to help rivers flow, helping land becoming fertile, unleashing sun by defeating the clouds, warming the land by overcoming
1886-499: Is not entitled to inheritance. According to the Puranas , the first pitrs were the Prajapatis , the progenitors of the human race. After the performance of a penance, Brahma is described to have ordered the devas , who had ceased to worship him, to acquire instruction from their sons regarding the manner of devotion and veneration. The devas were forced to call their own sons pitrs - fathers. The most complete accounts about
1968-494: Is of ancient but unclear origin. Aspects of Indra as a deity are cognate to other Indo-European gods; there are thunder gods such as Thor , Perun , and Zeus who share parts of his heroic mythologies, act as king of gods, and all are linked to "rain and thunder". The similarities between Indra of Vedic mythology and of Thor of Nordic and Germanic mythologies are significant, states Max Müller . Both Indra and Thor are storm gods, with powers over lightning and thunder, both carry
2050-478: Is praised as the highest god in 250 hymns of the Rigveda – a Hindu scripture dated to have been composed sometime between 1700 and 1100 BCE. He is co-praised as the supreme in another 50 hymns, thus making him one of the most celebrated Vedic deities. He is also mentioned in ancient Indo-Iranian literature, but with a major inconsistency when contrasted with the Vedas. In the Vedic literature, Indra
2132-441: Is presented as one of their thirty-three sons. Indra married Shachi , the daughter of the danava Puloman . Most texts state that Indra had only one wife, though sometimes other names are mentioned. The text Bhagavata Purana mention that Indra and Shachi had three sons named Jayanta , Rishabha, Midhusha. Some listings add Nilambara and Rbhus. Indra and Shachi also had two daughters, Jayanti and Devasena . Jayanti becomes
2214-596: Is stated to protect and offer longevity from the pitrs. The world of the pitrs, according to him, could only be achieved by the pious, and is unreachable by those who hate Hindu deities or injure Brahmins. Pitrs have been featured in Hinduism since the Rigveda , with hymns invoking Agni to decide which offerings should go to the devas , and which to one's pitrs. In this text, the Pitrloka and Devaloka are regarded to be indistinct. They are regarded to be distinct in
2296-440: Is still applicable, the 12 days were "merely the 'reflexion of the year' (samvatsarasya pratima) in the same way that they represent the twelve months and have no relation to chronology at all." Indra Indra ( / ˈ ɪ n d r ə / ; Sanskrit : इन्द्र ) is the king of the devas and Svarga in Hinduism . He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. Indra
2378-492: Is the most referred deity in the Rigveda . He is celebrated for his powers based on his status as a god of order, and as the one who killed the great evil, an asura named Vritra , who obstructed human prosperity and happiness. Indra destroys Vritra and his "deceiving forces", and thereby brings rain and sunshine as the saviour of mankind. Indra's significance diminishes in the post-Vedic Indian literature, but he still plays an important role in various mythological events. He
2460-590: The devāḥ pitaraḥ (divine pitrs) and the manuṣyāḥ pitaraḥ (pitrs who were deceased human beings). Some of the pitrs dwell in Devaloka , while other dwell in Patala . The devas and the pitrs of Devaloka are often regarded to be synonymous. The Vishnu Purana states that the most devout of Brahmins go to Pitrloka. In the Mahabharata , while Yudhishthira talks to Bhishma upon his bed of arrows,
2542-437: The devāḥ pitaraḥ (divine pitrs), three of them are amurtayah (incorporeal) while the other four are samurtayah (corporeal). The three incorporeal orders of the pitrs are Vairaja s, Agnishvatta s and Barhishada s. The four corporeal orders of the pitrs are Somapa s, Havishmana s, Ajyapa s, and Sukalin s (or Manasa s). All seven classes of the divine pitrs had each one mānasī kanyā (mind-born daughter). Mena ,
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2624-729: The Rigveda mention Indra, making him the most referred to deity. These hymns present a complex picture of Indra, but some aspects of Indra are often repeated. Of these, the most common theme is where he as the god with thunderbolt kills the evil serpent Vritra that held back rains, and thus released rains and land nourishing rivers. For example, the Rigvedic hymn 1.32 dedicated to Indra reads: इन्द्रस्य नु वीर्याणि प्र वोचं यानि चकार प्रथमानि वज्री । अहन्नहिमन्वपस्ततर्द प्र वक्षणा अभिनत्पर्वतानाम् ॥१।। अहन्नहिं पर्वते शिश्रियाणं त्वष्टास्मै वज्रं स्वर्यं ततक्ष । वाश्रा इव धेनवः स्यन्दमाना अञ्जः समुद्रमव जग्मुरापः ॥२।। 1. Now I shall proclaim
2706-621: The Atharvaveda , and in the Brahmanas , Devaloka becomes preferable to attain to the Pitroka. The Manusmriti states that a son born of the Brahma marriage absolves the sins of ten pitrs on the ascending side, and ten on the descending side of his family, as well as himself as the twenty-first. The Smriti texts of Hinduism state that any person who does not perform the Shraddha ritual
2788-505: The Atharvaveda . They are said to be the sons of Sudhanvan, a descendant of Angiras . In later Hindu mythology ( Vishnu Purana Book 2, Chapters 15 - 16 and the Song of Ribhu ) Ribhu, supposed to be the leader of them, is said to be a son of Brahma . Unlike that identification the " Puranic Encyclopedia" states that this Ribhu is not identical with the leader of the Ribhus whose name therein
2870-585: The Tamil language contains more stories about Indra by various authors. In the Cilappatikaram , Indra is described as Malai venkudai mannavan, literally meaning, "Indra with the pearl-garland and white umbrella". Sangam literature also describes Indra Vila (festival for Indra), the festival for want of rain, celebrated for one full month starting from the full moon in Uttrai ( Chaitra ) and completed on
2952-575: The Vadavagni . A legend from the Devi Bhagavata Purana narrates that the sage Jaratkaru was once travelling through the forest, when he came across his pitrs, hanging over a precipice at the end of a blade of grass. When enquiring regarding their state, the pitrs told Jaratkaru that they experienced this condition due to the latter's childlessness, which resulted in them not being to enter Svarga. To save his pitrs from their ordeal,
3034-454: The Zodiak , by Tilak also called "the eternal waters of Yamaloka". Illustrative Maitrayani Upanishad VI, 1 describes the year as divided into two halfes, one of which belongs to Agni (Fire) and the other to Varuna (Water). Thus according to Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1893 the year started at the time of the Rigveda at the vernal equinox and the Ribhus recommenced working after their awakening in
3116-472: The "king that moves and moves not", the friend of mankind who holds the different tribes on earth together. Indra is often presented as the twin brother of Agni (fire) – another major Vedic deity. Yet, he is also presented to be the same, states Max Muller, as in Rigvedic hymn 2.1.3, which states, "Thou Agni, art Indra, a bull among all beings; thou art the wide-ruling Vishnu, worthy of adoration. Thou art
3198-528: The 7th season or the 13th month (presumably for intercalation) had not been mentionend." He was referring to RV 1 .164.15 which was interpreted by H.H. Wilson as describing seven seasons. But according to the translation of Ralph Thomas Hotchkin Griffith RV 1 .164.15 means the seven Rishis , which according to David Frawley were actually eight seers, representing the Big Dipper . The eighth star of
3280-483: The Brahman, (...)." He is also part of one of many Vedic trinities as "Agni, Indra and Surya", representing the "creator-maintainer-destroyer" aspects of existence in Hindu thought. Rigveda 2.1.3 Jamison 2014 Parentage of Indra is inconsistent in Vedic texts, and in fact Rigveda 4.17.12 states that Indra himself may not even know that much about his mother and father. Some verses of Vedas suggest that his mother
3362-466: The Devas". Buddhist texts also refer to Indra by numerous names and epithets, as is the case with Hindu and Jain texts. For example, Asvaghosha's Buddhacarita in different sections refers to Indra with terms such as "the thousand eyed", Puramdara , Lekharshabha , Mahendra , Marutvat , Valabhid and Maghavat . Elsewhere, he is known as Devarajan (literally, "the king of gods"). These names reflect
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3444-523: The Indo-European *trigw-welumos [or rather *trigw-t-welumos ] "smasher of the enclosure" (of Vritra , Vala ) and diye-snūtyos "impeller of streams" (the liberated rivers, corresponding to Vedic apam ajas "agitator of the waters"). Brave and heroic Innara or Inra, which sounds like Indra, is mentioned among the gods of the Mitanni , a Hurrian-speaking people of Hittite region. Indra as
3526-483: The Period of twelve days as the twelve intercalary days , to fix the difference between the lunar year of 354 days and the solar year of 366 days. While he interpreted the beginning of the year at the vernal equinox, Arthur Anthony Macdonell 1917 stated that the twelve intercalary days "in all probability" were inserted at the winter solstice . A.B. Keith 1925 also criticized Tilak's interpretation by pointing to "...
3608-512: The Ribhus are born in human form who then bring their innovation to earth, remain humble and kind. This makes some gods angry and the Ribhus are refused entry back to heaven. Other gods intervene and make the inventive Ribhus immortal. They are revered in ancient Hindu texts as sages, as stars, or rays of the sun. The Ribhus were first mentioned in the oldest Hindu scriptures of the Rigveda , wherein eleven hymns are dedicated to them ( RV 1 .20, 110, 111, 161, RV 3 .60, RV 4 .33-37, RV 7 .48), and
3690-479: The Rigveda, Indra's wife is Indrani, alias Shachi, and she is described to be extremely proud about her status. Rigveda 4.18.8 says after his birth Indra got swallowed by a demon Kushava. Indra is also found in many other myths that are poorly understood. In one, Indra crushes the cart of Ushas (Dawn), and she runs away. In another Indra beats Surya in a chariot race by tearing off the wheel of his chariot. This
3772-426: The beginning of the new year. William Dwight Whitney 1895 rejected this interpretation by Tilak. In this context Tilak also pointed to the fact that because of RV 1 .161.13 not the solar year but the anticlockwise movement of the precession of the equinoxes must be meant which he calls an "equinoctial year", but he didn't refer to this in his further interpretation. Bal Gangadhar Tilak then interpreted also in 1893
3854-446: The beginning, Atman, verily one only, was here - no other blinking thing whatever; he bethought himself: let me now create worlds". This soul, which the text refers to as Brahman as well, then proceeds to create the worlds and beings in those worlds wherein all Vedic gods and goddesses such as sun-god, moon-god, Agni, and other divinities become active cooperative organs of the body. The Atman thereafter creates food, and thus emerges
3936-479: The big dipper is according to his later reference to RV 3 .56.2 in connexion with RV 1 .164.15 not the unseen fourth star of the handle forming a double star system but the Pole Star around which the big dipper rotates. Already Moritz Winternitz 1907 pointed "to the fact that there are certain passages in the Vedic texts which admid of various interpretations." So A.B. Keith's and A.A. Macdonell's 1912 statement
4018-588: The cave by the Angirases (and sometimes Navagvas or the Daśagvas). Here Indra exemplifies his role as a priest-king, called bṛhaspati . Eventually later in the Rigveda, Bṛhaspati and Indra become separate deities as both Indra and the Vedic king lose their priestly functions. The Vala myth was associated with the Morning Pressing of soma, in which cattle was donated to priests, called dakṣiṇā . Indra
4100-567: The contact zone between the Zeravshan River (present-day Uzbekistan ) and (present-day) Iran. It was "a syncretic mixture of old Central Asian and new Indo-European elements", which borrowed "distinctive religious beliefs and practices" from the Bactria–Margiana Culture . At least 383 non-Indo-European words were found in this culture, including the god Indra and the ritual drink Soma . According to Anthony, Many of
4182-408: The deceased to Pitrloka with the smoke that emerges during cremation . The pitrs are often likened to birds, as they are described to always be looking down on earth; the ancient Baudhayana stated that pitrs assume the form of birds. This led to the practice of feeding birds during funeral rites, and rituals associated with ancestor veneration. Texts like the Mahabharata establish the concept of
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#17327806253604264-593: The devas received them among themselves, gave them immortality and allowed them to partake of their sacrifices. According to Yaska and Sayana the Ribhus represent the rays of the sun. David Frawley states about that notion, that "Vedic gods, like the Adityas, Maruts, Vasus and Rhibhus, often appear as rays of the sun, as stars or constellations" Bal Gangadhar Tilak , stating that the interpretation of Yaska and Sayana could not explain their number, interpreted them 1893 referring to "several European scholars" as representing
4346-412: The earliest, not the later, hymns of Rigveda . The Vritra is an ice-demon of colder central Asia and northern latitudes, who holds back the water. Indra is the one who releases the water from the winter demon, an idea that later metamorphosed into his role as storm god. According to Griswold, this is not a completely convincing interpretation, because Indra is simultaneously a lightning god, a rain god and
4428-664: The fact that a year of 360 days and 12 months is ... the only year clearly known to the whole of Vedic literature prior to the late Sutras". Because he also "admits that ancient Indians had knowledge of intercalation" his statements on that point are considered "confused". But already 1895 a similar view in terms of the length of the year was stated by George Thibaut and W.D. Whitney in Indian Antiquity . In 1960 Narendra Nath Law wrote in Indian Antiquity Quarterly that: "W<hitney> would be correct if
4510-566: The foam of water. Other beings slain by Indra include Śambara, Pipru, Varcin, Dhuni and Cumuri, and others. Indra's chariot is pulled by fallow bay horses described as hárī . They bring Indra to and from the sacrifice, and are even offered their own roasted grains. The ancient Aitareya Upanishad equates Indra, along with other deities, with Atman (soul, self) in the Vedanta's spirit of internalization of rituals and gods. It begins with its cosmological theory in verse 1.1.1 by stating that, "in
4592-645: The full moon in Puyali ( Vaisakha ). This is described in the epic Cilappatikaram in detail. In his work Tirukkural (before c. 5th century CE), Valluvar cites Indra to exemplify the virtue of conquest over one's senses. Indra is an important deity worshipped by the Kalash people , indicating his prominence in ancient Hinduism . The Buddhist cosmology places Indra above Mount Sumeru , in Trayastrimsha heaven. He resides and rules over one of
4674-596: The gods like short nicknames. The passing mention of Indra in this Upanishad, states Alain Daniélou, is a symbolic folk etymology. The section 3.9 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad connects Indra to thunder, thunderbolt and release of waters. In section 5.1 of the Avyakta Upanishad , Indra is praised as he who embodies the qualities of all gods. In post-Vedic texts, Indra
4756-933: The greater Proto-Indo-European mythology . Indra's iconography shows him wielding his Vajra and riding his vahana , Airavata . Indra's abode is in the capital city of Svarga, Amaravati , though he is also associated with Mount Meru (also called Sumeru). Traditional The etymological roots of Indra are unclear, and it has been a contested topic among scholars since the 19th-century, one with many proposals. The significant proposals have been: Colonial era scholarship proposed that Indra shares etymological roots with Avestan Andra , Old High German *antra ("giant"), or Old Church Slavonic jedru ("strong"), but Max Muller critiqued these proposals as untenable. Later scholarship has linked Vedic Indra to Aynar (the Great One) of Circassian, Abaza and Ubykh mythology, and Innara of Hittite mythology. Colarusso suggests
4838-410: The heroic deeds of Indra, those foremost deeds that the mace-wielder performed: He smashed the serpent. He bored out the waters. He split the bellies of the mountains. 2. He smashed the serpent resting on the mountain—for him Tvaṣṭar had fashioned the resounding [sunlike] mace. Like bellowing milk-cows, streaming out, the waters went straight down to the sea. In the myth, Vṛtra has coiled around
4920-511: The instructions of Savitr (solar deity). Indra, like all Vedic deities, is a part of henotheistic theology of ancient India. The second-most important myth about Indra is about the Vala cave. In this story, the Panis have stolen cattle and hidden them in the Vala cave. Here Indra utilizes the power of the songs he chants to split the cave open to release the cattle and dawn. He is accompanied in
5002-615: The latter states that whether one is a deva or asura , a human being, gandharva or uraga or rakshasa , pisaca or kinnara , one must always venerate one's pitrs. He states that performing the Shraddha ritual on each successive day of the lunar fortnight, one reaps merits, such as acquiring beautiful spouses and successful children on the first day, daughters on the second day, steeds on the third day, and so on. The pitrs are most primeval deities and they never cease to exist. The manuṣyāḥ pitaraḥ (ancestors of human beings) can attain
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#17327806253605084-474: The living performing pious deeds for the benefit of their departed ancestors. Rather than a form of worship, it is stated to be the duty of every male descendant to perform rites for their pitrs. Sayana , a scholar of the Vijayanagara Empire , regarded every individual born to be under the debt of their pitrs. This debt is redeemed by continuing the race, which is done by procreation. This act
5166-584: The much-sought Devas realm of rebirth within the Samsara doctrine of Buddhist traditions. However, like the post-Vedic Hindu texts, Indra is also a subject of ridicule and reduced to a figurehead status in Buddhist texts, shown as a god that suffers rebirth. In Jain traditions, unlike Buddhism and Hinduism, Indra is not the king of gods, but the king of superhumans residing in Svarga-Loka, and very much
5248-432: The performance of the antyesti (funeral rites) is regarded to allow the deceased to enter Pitrloka, the abode of one's ancestors. The non-performance of these rituals is believed to result in the fate of wandering the earth as a restless preta . The amavasya (new moon day), as well as the occasion of Pitri Paksha during the Hindu month of Ashvin is recommended for the veneration of pitrs. Ancestor veneration
5330-583: The pitrs are found in the Vayu Purana and Brahmanda Purana texts, that are regarded to be identical. The account in the Harivamsha resembles them. Brief accounts are also found in the Matsya Purana and Padma Purana . According to these accounts, there are different classes of the pitrs, who have different origins, forms, grades, as well as abodes. A broad distinction is said to exist between
5412-516: The qualities of Indo-Iranian god of might/victory, Verethraghna , were transferred to the god Indra, who became the central deity of the developing Old Indic culture. Indra was the subject of 250 hymns, a quarter of the Rig Veda . He was associated more than any other deity with Soma , a stimulant drug (perhaps derived from Ephedra ) probably borrowed from the BMAC religion. His rise to prominence
5494-414: The rescue by lifting Mount Govardhana on his fingertip, and letting mankind shelter under the mountain till Indra exhausts his anger and relents. According to the Mahabharata , Indra disguises himself as a Brahmin and approaches Karna and asks for his kavacha (body armor) and kundala (earrings) as charity. Although being aware of his true identity, Karna peeled off his kavacha and kundala and fulfilled
5576-532: The sacrifices. They are supposed to take their ease and remain every year for twelve days idle in the house of Agohya (an appellation of Aditya which means "one who cannot be concealed", therefore the Sun). When the Devas (gods) heard of their skill, they sent Agni to them, bidding them, to construct four cups from the one cup of Tvashtar , the artificer of the devas. When the Ribhus successfully had executed this task,
5658-620: The sage married Manasa . The Brahmanda Purana narrates the episode of Pururavas propitiating his pitrs. A legend from the Skanda Purana explains the origin of the Shraddha ritual, stating that not offering these rites to one's ancestors during the amavasya (new moon day) will lead to one's pitrs suffering from hunger and thirst. The legend of Bhagiratha features the king performing arduous penances to Ganga and Shiva , to free his ancestors from Patala , where they had been destroyed by Kapila . There are seven classes of
5740-458: The same level of the divine pitrs and live with them in Svarga by righteousness. They are reborn at the end of every thousand mahayugas and revive the worlds. From them all the Manus , and all progeny at the new creation, are said to be produced. The legend of Aurva from the Mahabharata features the sage's pitrs appearing before him to request him to cease his penance , which produces
5822-419: The seasons, according to RV 7 .103.7 - 8 also as the long Atiratra rite of Soma was celebrated at this time. Bal Gangadhar Tilak further interpreted the hound or dog, which according to RV 1 .161.13 woke the Ribhus, as the "dogstar" Sirius , which appears at the vernal equinox "at the end of the Pitriyana". The "Pitriyana" (meaning "the path of the fathers", called Pitrs ), are the six southern signs of
5904-471: The six realms of rebirth, the Devas realm of Saṃsāra , that is widely sought in the Buddhist tradition. Rebirth in the realm of Indra is a consequence of very good Karma (Pali: kamma ) and accumulated merit during a human life. In Buddhism , Indra is commonly called by his other name, Śakra or Sakka, ruler of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. Śakra is sometimes referred to as Devānām Indra or "Lord of
5986-414: The slightest degree plausible'". According to Bal Gangadhar Tilak referring to RV 1 .161.13 the twelve days, when the Ribhus rested at the house of Agohya, took place "at the end of the year". He describes them as the holiest days of the year of which the ancestors of today's Indians believed, that the devas then would leave heaven to visit the homes of the humans. As David Frawley mentioned in context of
6068-409: The snaking thunderstorm clouds that gather with bellowing winds (Vritra), Indra is then seen as the storm god who intervenes in these clouds with his thunderbolts, which then release the rains nourishing the parched land, crops and thus humanity. In another interpretation by Hillebrandt, Indra is a symbolic sun god ( Surya ) and Vritra is a symbolic winter-giant (historic mini cycles of ice age, cold) in
6150-515: The spouse of Shukra , while Devasena marries the war god Kartikeya . Indra is depicted as the spiritual father of Vali in the Ramayana and Arjuna in the Mahabharata . Since he is known for mastering all weapons in warfare, his spiritual sons Vali and Arjuna also share his martial attributes. He has a charioteer named Matali . Indra had multiple affairs with other women. One such
6232-570: The three seasons of the year of the early Vedic period. The Satapata Brahmana XIV.I.1.28 mentions "three divisions of the year" and in RV 1 .164.48 the "three spokes" are supposed to mean this three seasons. But Tilak didn't show a relation of their name and works to this interpretation. So Arthur Berriedale Keith 1925 mentioned that "the assertion that the Rbhus are really the Rthus" (the seasons) "is not 'in
6314-682: The wife of Mount Himavat was the daughter of the Vairaja s. Acchoda , the river was the daughter of the Agnishvatta s. Pivari , the wife of the sage Shuka was the daughter of the Barhishada s. Narmada , the river was the daughter of the Somapa s. Yashoda was the daughter of the Havishmana s was the wife of Vishvamahat and mother of Dilipa. Viraja , the wife of king Nahusha was
6396-432: The winter forces, winning the light and dawn for mankind, putting milk in the cows, rejuvenating the immobile into something mobile and prosperous, and in general, he is depicted as removing any and all sorts of obstacles to human progress. The Vedic prayers to Indra, states Jan Gonda , generally ask "produce success of this rite, throw down those who hate the materialized Brahman ". The hymns of Rigveda declare him to be
6478-471: The wish of Indra. Pleased by this act, Indra gifts Karna a celestial dart called the Vasavi Shakti. According to the Vishnu Purana , Indra is the position of being the king of the gods which changes in every Manvantara —a cyclic period of time in Hindu cosmology . Each Manvantara has its own Indra and the Indra of the current Manvantara is called Purandhara . The Sangam literature of
6560-577: Was Ahalya , the wife of sage Gautama. Indra was cursed by the sage. Although the Brahmanas (9th to 6th centuries BCE) are the earliest scriptures to hint at their relationship, the 7th- to 4th-century BCE Hindu epic Ramayana – whose hero is Rama – is the first to explicitly mention the affair in detail. Indra becomes a source of nuisance rains in the Puranas, caused out of anger with an intent to hurt mankind. Krishna , an avatar of Vishnu , comes to
6642-413: Was a grishti (a cow), while other verses name her Nishtigri. The medieval commentator Sayana identified her with Aditi , the goddess who is his mother in later Hinduism. The Atharvaveda states Indra's mother is Ekashtaka, daughter of Prajapati . Some verses of Vedic texts state that Indra's father is Tvaṣṭar or sometimes the couple Dyaus and Prithvi are mentioned as his parents. According to
6724-519: Was a peculiar trait of the Old Indic speakers. However, according to Paul Thieme , "there is no valid justification for supposing that the Proto-Aryan adjective *vrtraghan was specifically connected with *Indra or any other particular god." In Rigveda , Indra is described as strong willed, armed with a thunderbolt, riding a chariot: 5. Let bullish heaven strengthen you, the bull; as bull you travel with your two bullish fallow bays. As bull with
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