INDRA

INDRA Millions of Indras serve the Lord. (Bhairo Kabir, p. 1163) Indra was ordered and it rained heavily. (Var Malar M. l, M. 3, p. 1281) One has to die ultimately in Indra Purt. (Gauri M. 5, p. 237) Indra received the punishment of one thousand marks of disgrace and vept. (Var Ramkali M. 3, Shalok M. l, p. 953) On seeing Ahalya, the wife of ascetic Gautama, Indra was allured. When a thousand marks of disgrace appeared on his body, he repented in his mind. (Prabhati M. l, p. 1344) Indra is the king of gods.

He carries his weapon of thunderbolt in his right hand. He is the god of atmosphere and dispenses rain. Many hymns are addressed to him in Vedas. The name of his wife Indrani is Sachi. His heaven is called Amaravati or Swarga. According to Mahabharata, he seduced Ahalya, the wife of the sage Gautama. In punishment he received one thousand marks of disgrace on his body, but on performance of austerities these marks were changed to eyes.

When Ravana invaded Indra and defeated him, he was carried off to Lanka by his son Meghanada, who received the title of Indra-jit. Brahma interceded on behalf of Indra for his release, but he was told that the punishment of defeat was for the seduction of Ahalya. Indra was the father of Arjuna by Kunti and for him, he is said to have cheated Kama of his divine coat of mail. In order to save his throne, he frequently sends celestial nymphs to excite the passions of holy men.

He appears in rivairy with Krishna, because Kristina stole the Parijata tree from his heaven (See VarAsa M. l, p. 470). Indra has a white horse and an elephant, which are said to have sprung out from the milk-ocean, when the same was churned by both gods and demons.

References :

1. Kohli, Surindar Singh (ed), Dictionary of Mythological References in Guru Granth Sahib, 1993