Valour and Fondness for Drink
At some time Indra was the king who ruled the earth, as it were. Hence line 2 of a verse reads:
इन्द्रः पञ्च क्षितीनाम्[1] (1.007.9.2)
Indra is the ruler of the five, and the earth, honour him (क्षितीनाम्). The five under question could be the five peoples (the four varnas with nishadas) or mankind. In the next verse, he is called the lord of the people (जनेभ्य,[2] 1.007.10).
Indra is frequently called the fortunate one (घना). There are many reasons for this title, as we shall see later. One verse explains:
यो रायोSवनिर्महान्त्सुपारः सुन्वतः सखा | तस्मा इन्द्राय गायत || (1.004.10)[3]
I appeal for Union! King of earth of mighty deeds which bind leading to prosperous issue, Friend of sacrificers; Therefore Indra’s good fortune, celebrate in a song.
According to this verse, Indra was King (रायः) of earth (अवनि) of mighty deeds (मह) which bind (अन्त्) leading to prosperous issue (सुपार). What were these mighty deeds? His many epithets reveal them. Among these mighty deeds was definitely the hundred asvamedhas that he is known for (शतक्रतो, 1.004.8-9, also 1.005.8). He was possessed of strength in battle (वाजेषु, 1.004.8,9, 1.007.4) and heroism (वाजिनम्, 1.004.8.9). He killed the wretched Vrittra (वृत्राणामभवः,[4] 1.004.8).
He seems to have done all this as a man, not as a god. This is seen by the fact that Sage Vaishvamitra calls him: शूरेभिरस्तृभिरिन्द्र, i.e., Hero (शूरः) as a man (भिर्) , invincible (अस्तृत = अस्तृ) as a man (भिर्), Indra (1.008.4).
Yet another verse reveals:
इन्द्र वाजेषु नोSव सहस्रप्रधनेषु च | उग्र उग्राभिरूतिभि || (1.007.4)[5]
Indra favoured war or was warlike (नोSव), and sought many spoils (सहस्रप्रधनेषु) of war. Like Rudra (उग्र) he howled ferociously to spread protection and create fear (उग्र उग्राभिरूतिभि).
He was also fond of drink (अस्य पीत्वा, 1.004.8). His fondness for drink is subject of many a wordplay. It is also recorded in the first line of one hymn:
आ तू न इन्द्र कौशिक मन्दसानः सुतं पिब | (1.010.11.1)[6]
There was some contempt for the perpetual Indra, the Kaushika, as intoxicated, one who drink soma juice.
Indra is sometimes referred to as न इन्द्र with न meaning the same, i.e., abiding (in the post of Indra) (also 1.010.3, cited later). Kaushik is another epithet of Indra. This verse reveals that there was some contempt for Indra for being intoxicated and fond of drink.
The above qualities are not pious.
Indra was also caught in the coils of samsara:
एमेनं सृजता सुते मन्दिमिन्द्राय मन्दिने | (1.009.2.1)[7]
Ever since he thought of begetting (एमेनं सृजता), children were the joyful Indra’s good fortune, gladdening the king (सुते मन्दिमिन्द्राय मन्दिने). There is an intended pun here, because मन्दिने can also be interpreted as the intoxicated ruler.
What with children and drinking, Indra seemed to be caught up in the wheel of time, says the second line of the verse:
चक्रिं विश्वानि चक्रये || (1.009.2.2)
The doer or turner of the wheel (चक्रिं), the whole world gasped appeared to be reduced to (विश्वानि)[8] a mover on the wheel (चक्रये).[9] The reference to wheel here is apparently to the wheel of time (काल चक्र) or samsara.
There may also have been women. As Vaisvamitra says of Indra in a lighter vein :
एवा ह्यस्य काम्या स्तोम उक्थं च शंस्या | (1.008.10.1)[10]
I am reporting some events in lighter vein: (his) desires/women are praised (काम्या स्तोम), Life though bad is praiseworthy (उक्थं च शंस्या).
[1] Indra (इन्द्रः) five (peoples) (mankind) (पञ्च) earth (क्षिति) Lord (इनः) honour (अम्) (क्षिति-इनः-अम् = क्षितीनाम्).
[2] people king (जन-इभ्यः = जनेभ्य)
[3] यो रायो – अवनिः – मह – अन्त् - सुपारः सुन्वतः सखा | तस्मा इन्द्र - अय गायत ||
Union! (यः = यो) King (रायः) earth (अवनि) mighty deeds (मह) to bind (अन्त्) leading to prosperous issue (सुपार) sacrificer of Soma (सुन्वतः) friend (सखा) | Therefore (तस्मात् = तस्मा) Indra (इन्द्र) good fortune (अयः) celebrate in a song (गै = गायत).
[4] Vrittra (वृत्र) wretched (अ्ण) attack (अम्) destruction (अभवः) (वृत्र-अण-अम्-अभवः=वृत्राणामभवः)
[5] इन्द्र वाजः - इषु नो - अव सहस्र - प्रधन-इषु च | उग्र उग्र – अभिर् – ऊति - भि ||
Indra (इन्द्र) battle (वाजः) one possessed of strength (इषः) war (नः) favour (अवः) great number (सहस्र) spoils (प्रधन) seeking (इष् = इषु) also (च) | (As) Rudra (उग्र) ferocious (उग्र) howl towards (अभिर् = अभिरु) protection (ऊति) fear (भी = भिः) ||
[6] Somewhat (आ) contempt (तू) same (न) Indra (इन्द्र) Kowshik (कौशिक) intoxicated (मन्दसानः) soma juice (सुतं) what drinks (पिब)
[7] आ - ई - एनं सृजता सुते मन्दिम् - इन्द्र - अय मन्द् - इनः |
Ever (आ) since (ई) that (एन)! To procreate (सृज् = सृजता) children (सुत = सुते) joyful (मन्दिम्) Indra (इन्द्र) good fortune (अय) intoxicated/gladdening (मन्द्) king (इनः = इने)
[8] the whole world (विश्व) gasp (अन्) to be reduced to (इ)
[9] wheel of Time (चक्र) mover (यः = ये
[10] Merely (एवा) to gratify (हि) happen (अस्य)(हि-अस्य = ह्यस्य) desire (काम्या) praise (स्तोम) life (उक्थं) bad (च) praiseworthy (शंस्य = शंस्या)
Continued in : Metamorphosis
Also see: Sage, Poet and Man , Indra and Siva, Asvins, Visnu, Respect for Visnu and Siva, Saraswati, Indra Vayu, Mitra Varuna, Vishvadeva, Agni
At some time Indra was the king who ruled the earth, as it were. Hence line 2 of a verse reads:
इन्द्रः पञ्च क्षितीनाम्[1] (1.007.9.2)
Indra is the ruler of the five, and the earth, honour him (क्षितीनाम्). The five under question could be the five peoples (the four varnas with nishadas) or mankind. In the next verse, he is called the lord of the people (जनेभ्य,[2] 1.007.10).
Indra is frequently called the fortunate one (घना). There are many reasons for this title, as we shall see later. One verse explains:
यो रायोSवनिर्महान्त्सुपारः सुन्वतः सखा | तस्मा इन्द्राय गायत || (1.004.10)[3]
I appeal for Union! King of earth of mighty deeds which bind leading to prosperous issue, Friend of sacrificers; Therefore Indra’s good fortune, celebrate in a song.
According to this verse, Indra was King (रायः) of earth (अवनि) of mighty deeds (मह) which bind (अन्त्) leading to prosperous issue (सुपार). What were these mighty deeds? His many epithets reveal them. Among these mighty deeds was definitely the hundred asvamedhas that he is known for (शतक्रतो, 1.004.8-9, also 1.005.8). He was possessed of strength in battle (वाजेषु, 1.004.8,9, 1.007.4) and heroism (वाजिनम्, 1.004.8.9). He killed the wretched Vrittra (वृत्राणामभवः,[4] 1.004.8).
He seems to have done all this as a man, not as a god. This is seen by the fact that Sage Vaishvamitra calls him: शूरेभिरस्तृभिरिन्द्र, i.e., Hero (शूरः) as a man (भिर्) , invincible (अस्तृत = अस्तृ) as a man (भिर्), Indra (1.008.4).
Yet another verse reveals:
इन्द्र वाजेषु नोSव सहस्रप्रधनेषु च | उग्र उग्राभिरूतिभि || (1.007.4)[5]
Indra favoured war or was warlike (नोSव), and sought many spoils (सहस्रप्रधनेषु) of war. Like Rudra (उग्र) he howled ferociously to spread protection and create fear (उग्र उग्राभिरूतिभि).
He was also fond of drink (अस्य पीत्वा, 1.004.8). His fondness for drink is subject of many a wordplay. It is also recorded in the first line of one hymn:
आ तू न इन्द्र कौशिक मन्दसानः सुतं पिब | (1.010.11.1)[6]
There was some contempt for the perpetual Indra, the Kaushika, as intoxicated, one who drink soma juice.
Indra is sometimes referred to as न इन्द्र with न meaning the same, i.e., abiding (in the post of Indra) (also 1.010.3, cited later). Kaushik is another epithet of Indra. This verse reveals that there was some contempt for Indra for being intoxicated and fond of drink.
The above qualities are not pious.
Indra was also caught in the coils of samsara:
एमेनं सृजता सुते मन्दिमिन्द्राय मन्दिने | (1.009.2.1)[7]
Ever since he thought of begetting (एमेनं सृजता), children were the joyful Indra’s good fortune, gladdening the king (सुते मन्दिमिन्द्राय मन्दिने). There is an intended pun here, because मन्दिने can also be interpreted as the intoxicated ruler.
What with children and drinking, Indra seemed to be caught up in the wheel of time, says the second line of the verse:
चक्रिं विश्वानि चक्रये || (1.009.2.2)
The doer or turner of the wheel (चक्रिं), the whole world gasped appeared to be reduced to (विश्वानि)[8] a mover on the wheel (चक्रये).[9] The reference to wheel here is apparently to the wheel of time (काल चक्र) or samsara.
There may also have been women. As Vaisvamitra says of Indra in a lighter vein :
एवा ह्यस्य काम्या स्तोम उक्थं च शंस्या | (1.008.10.1)[10]
I am reporting some events in lighter vein: (his) desires/women are praised (काम्या स्तोम), Life though bad is praiseworthy (उक्थं च शंस्या).
[1] Indra (इन्द्रः) five (peoples) (mankind) (पञ्च) earth (क्षिति) Lord (इनः) honour (अम्) (क्षिति-इनः-अम् = क्षितीनाम्).
[2] people king (जन-इभ्यः = जनेभ्य)
[3] यो रायो – अवनिः – मह – अन्त् - सुपारः सुन्वतः सखा | तस्मा इन्द्र - अय गायत ||
Union! (यः = यो) King (रायः) earth (अवनि) mighty deeds (मह) to bind (अन्त्) leading to prosperous issue (सुपार) sacrificer of Soma (सुन्वतः) friend (सखा) | Therefore (तस्मात् = तस्मा) Indra (इन्द्र) good fortune (अयः) celebrate in a song (गै = गायत).
[4] Vrittra (वृत्र) wretched (अ्ण) attack (अम्) destruction (अभवः) (वृत्र-अण-अम्-अभवः=वृत्राणामभवः)
[5] इन्द्र वाजः - इषु नो - अव सहस्र - प्रधन-इषु च | उग्र उग्र – अभिर् – ऊति - भि ||
Indra (इन्द्र) battle (वाजः) one possessed of strength (इषः) war (नः) favour (अवः) great number (सहस्र) spoils (प्रधन) seeking (इष् = इषु) also (च) | (As) Rudra (उग्र) ferocious (उग्र) howl towards (अभिर् = अभिरु) protection (ऊति) fear (भी = भिः) ||
[6] Somewhat (आ) contempt (तू) same (न) Indra (इन्द्र) Kowshik (कौशिक) intoxicated (मन्दसानः) soma juice (सुतं) what drinks (पिब)
[7] आ - ई - एनं सृजता सुते मन्दिम् - इन्द्र - अय मन्द् - इनः |
Ever (आ) since (ई) that (एन)! To procreate (सृज् = सृजता) children (सुत = सुते) joyful (मन्दिम्) Indra (इन्द्र) good fortune (अय) intoxicated/gladdening (मन्द्) king (इनः = इने)
[8] the whole world (विश्व) gasp (अन्) to be reduced to (इ)
[9] wheel of Time (चक्र) mover (यः = ये
[10] Merely (एवा) to gratify (हि) happen (अस्य)(हि-अस्य = ह्यस्य) desire (काम्या) praise (स्तोम) life (उक्थं) bad (च) praiseworthy (शंस्य = शंस्या)
Continued in : Metamorphosis
Also see: Sage, Poet and Man , Indra and Siva, Asvins, Visnu, Respect for Visnu and Siva, Saraswati, Indra Vayu, Mitra Varuna, Vishvadeva, Agni