Thursday, 3 September 2015

4th SEPTEMBER 2015 INDRA (SAKRA ) DEV - SHACHI DEVI

Indra

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Indra (disambiguation).
Indra
King of the Gods
God of Weather and War
Indra deva.jpg
Indra on his mount Airavata
Devanagariइन्द्र or इंद्र
SanskritTransliterationइन्द्र
AffiliationDeva
AbodeAmarāvati in Svarga/ Indraloka
Mantraom indraya namah
WeaponVajra (Thunderbolt)
SymbolsVajra
ConsortShachi (Indrani)
MountAiravata (White elephant),Uchchaihshravas (white horse)
TextsVedas, Puranas, Epics
Greek equivalentZeus
Roman equivalentJupiter[1]
Indra (/ˈɪndrə/), also known as Śakra in the Vedas, is the leader of the Devas and the lord of Svargaloka or heaven in Hinduism. He is the deva of rain and thunderstorms.[2] He wields a lightning thunderbolt known as vajra and rides on a white elephant known as Airavata. Indra is the most important deity worshiped by the Rigvedic tribes and is the son of Dyaus and the goddess Savasi. His home is situated onMount Meru in the heaven.[3] He has many epithets, notably vṛṣan the mighty, and vṛtrahan, slayer of Vṛtra, Meghavahana "the one who rides the clouds" and Devapati or "Devaraj" "the lord of devas".[3]Indra appears as the name of a daeva in Zoroastrianism (though 'Indra' can be used in a general sense for a leader, either of devatas or asuras[4]), while his epithet, Verethragna, appears as a god of victory. Indra is also called Śakra frequently in the Vedas and in Buddhism (Pali: Sakka). He is known in Burmese as သိကြားမင်း, pronounced: [ðadʑá mɪ́ɴ]; in Thai as พระอินทร์ Phra In, in Khmer as ព្រះឥន្ទ្រាpronounced [preah ʔəntraa], in Malay as Indera,in Kannada as ಇಂದ್ರ Indra, in Telugu as ఇంద్రుడు Indrudu, in Tamil as இந்திரன் Inthiran, Chinese as 帝释天 Dìshìtiān, and in Japanese as 帝釈天 Taishakuten.[5]He is celebrated as a demiurge who pushes up the sky, releases Ushas (dawn) from the Vala cave, and slays Vṛtra; both latter actions are central to the Soma sacrifice. He is associated with Vajrapani - the Chief Dharmapala or Defender and Protector of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha who embodies the power of the Five Dhyani Buddhas. On the other hand, he also commits many kinds of mischief (kilbiṣa) for which he is sometimes punished. In the Puranas, Indra is bestowed with a heroic and almost brash and amorous character at times, even as his reputation and role diminished in later Hinduism with the rise of the Trimurti.
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Origins[edit]

Aspects of Indra as a deity are cognate to other Indo-European gods; they are either thunder gods such as Thor, Perun, and Zeus, or gods of intoxicating drinks such as Dionysus. The name of Indra (Indara) is also mentioned among the gods of the Mitanni, a Hurrian-speaking people who ruled northern Syria from ca.1500BC-1300BC.[6]
Janda (1998:221) suggests that the Proto-Indo-European (or Graeco-Aryan) predecessor of Indra had the epithet *trigw-welumos [or rather *trigw-t-welumos? See Vala (Vedic)] "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"), which resulted in the Greek gods Triptolemus and Dionysus.
Vedic Indra corresponds to Verethragna of the Zoroastrian Avesta as the noun verethragna- corresponds to Vedic vrtrahan-, which is predominantly an epithet of Indra. According to Anthony, the Old Indic religion probably emerged among Indo-European immigrants in the contact zone between the Zeravshan River (present-day Uzbekistan) and (present-day) Iran.[7] It was "a syncretic mixture of old Central Asian and new Indo-European elements",[7] which borrowed "distinctive religious beliefs and practices"[8] from the Bactria–Margiana Culture.[8] At least 383 non-Indo-European words were borrowed from this culture, including the god Indra and the ritual drink Soma.[9] According to Anthony,
Many of the qualities of Indo-Iranian god of might/victory, Verethraghna, were transferred to the adopted 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 was a peculiar trait of the Old Indic speakers.[10]
The word vrtra-/verethra- means "obstacle". Thus, vrtrahan-/verethragna- is the "smiter of resistance". Vritra as such does not appear in either the Avesta or books of Zoroastrian tradition. Since the name'Indra' appears in Zoroastrian texts as that of a demon opposing Truth (Vd. 10.9; Dk. 9.3; Gbd. 27.6, 34.27) Zoroastrian tradition has separated both aspects of Indra.

In the Rigveda[edit]

The Rigveda states,
He under whose supreme control are horses, all chariots, the villages, and cattle;
He who gave being to the Sun and Morning, who leads the waters, He, O men, is Indra. (2.12.7, trans. Griffith)
It further states,
Indra, you lifted up the pariah who was oppressed, you glorified the blind and the lame. (Rg-Veda 2:13:12)[11]
Indra is, with Varuna and Mitra, one of the Ādityas, the chief gods of the Rigveda (besides Agni and others such as the Ashvins). He delights in drinking soma and his central feat is his heroic defeat of Vṛtrá, liberating the rivers, or alternatively, his smashing of the Vala cave, a stone enclosure where the Panis had imprisoned the cows that are habitually identified with Ushas, the dawn(s). He is the god of war, smashing the stone fortresses of the Dasyu, but he is also is invoked by combatants on both sides in the Battle of the Ten Kings.
Indra as depicted in Yakshagana, popular folk art of Karnataka
The Rig-Veda frequently refers to him as Śakra: the mighty-one. In the Vedic period, the number of gods was assumed to be thirty-three and Indra was their lord. (Some early post Rigvedic texts such as the Khilas and the late Vedic Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad enumerates the gods as the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, the twelve Adityas, Indra, and Prajapati). As lord of the Vasus, Indra was also referred to asVāsava.
By the age of the Vedanta, Indra became the prototype for all lords and thus a king could be called Mānavēndra (Indra or lord of men) and Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, was referred to as Rāghavendra (Indra of the clan of Raghu). Hence the original Indra was also referred to as Devendra (Indra of the Devas). However, Sakra and Vasava were used exclusively for the original Indra. Though modern texts usually adhere to the name Indra, the traditional Hindu texts (the Vedas, epics and Puranas) use Indra, Sakra and Vasava interchangeably and with the same frequency.
"Of the Vedas I am the Sama Veda; of the demigods I am Indra, the king of heaven; of the senses I am the mind; and in living beings I am the living force [consciousness]." (Bhagavad Gita 10.22) [3]

Status and function[edit]

In the Rigveda, Indra is the god of thunder and rain and a great warrior who battles with the water obstructing serpent Vritra and other enemies frequently referred to as Dasa. In the later Hindu religion he leads the Deva (the gods who form and maintain Heaven) and the elements, such as the god of fire, Agni, the sun god Surya, and Vayu of the wind . He constantly wages war against the opponents of the gods, the demonized asuras. As the god of war, he is also regarded as one of the Guardians of the directions, representing the east. As the most popular god of the Vedic Indians, Indra has about 250 hymns dedicated to him in the Rigveda.

Characteristics[edit]

Appearance[edit]

Detail of the Phra Prang, the central tower of the Wat Arun ("Temple of Dawn") in Bangkok, Thailand - showing Indra on his three-headed elephant Erawan (Airavata).
In Rigveda, Indra the solar god is sometimes described as golden-bodied with golden jaw, nails, hair, beard.
One Atharva Vedic verse reads, "In Indra are set fast all forms of golden hue."[12]
In the RV 1.65 reads, "SAKRA, who is the purifier (of his worshipers), and well-skilled in horses, who is wonderful and golden-bodied."[13] Rigveda also reads that Indra "is the dancing god who, clothed in perfumed garments, golden-cheeked rides his golden cart."[14] One passage calls him both brown and yellow.[15] "Him with the fleece they purify, brown, golden-hued, beloved of all, Who with exhilarating juice goes forth to all the deities":
With him too is this rain of his that comes like herds: Indra throws drops of moisture on his golden beard. When the sweet juice is shed he seeks the pleasant place, and stirs the worshipper as wind disturbs the wood.
—Rig Veda, Book 10, Hymn XXIII, P. 4 [16]
At the swift draught the Soma-drinker waxed in might, the Iron One with yellow beard and yellow hair.
—Rig Veda, Book 10, Hymn XCVI, P. 8 [17]

Other characteristics[edit]

Like violent gusts of wind the droughts that I have drunk have lifted me
Have I not drunk of Soma juice?[18]
Fair cheeks hath Indra, Maghavan, the Victor, Lord of a great host, Stormer, strong in action. What once thou didst in might when mortals vexed thee, where now, O Bull, are those thy hero exploits?
—RigVeda, Book 3, Hymn XXX: Griffith[19]
May the strong Heaven make thee the Strong wax stronger: Strong, for thou art borne by thy two strong Bay Horses. So, fair of cheek, with mighty chariot, mighty, uphold us, strong-willed, thunder armed, in battle.
—RigVeda, Book 5, Hymn XXXVI: Griffith[20]
Indra's weapon, which he used to kill Vritra, is the (vajra), though he also uses a bow, a net, and a hook. The thunderbolt of Indra is called Bhaudhara.[21] In the post-Vedic period, he rides a large, four-tusked white elephant called Airavata. When portrayed having four arms, he has lances in two of his hands which resemble elephant goads. When he is shown to have two, he holds the Vajra and a bow.[22] He lives in Svarga in the clouds around Mount Meru. Deceased warriors go to his hall after death, where they live without sadness, pain or fear. They watch the apsaras and the gandharvas dance, and play games. The gods of the elements, celestial sages, great kings, and warriors enrich his court.

Indra's Bow[edit]

The rainbow is called Indra's Bow (Sanskrit: indradhanus इन्द्रधनुष).

Relations with other gods[edit]

In Hindu religion, he is married to Shachi or Indrani or Pulomaja.[3]
Indra and Shachi have daughters called Jayanti and Devasena. Jayanti is the spouse of Shukracharya and the latter is the consort of the war-god Kartikeya.[23]

In the Puranas[edit]

Status and function[edit]

Krishna holding Govardhan hillfrom Smithsonian Institution’s collections
In post-Vedic texts, Indra is described with more human characteristics and vices than any other Vedic deity. Modern Hindus tend to see Indra as minor deity in comparison to others in the Hindu pantheon, such asShiva, Vishnu, or Devi. A Puranic story illustrating the subjugation of Indra's pride is illustrated in the story of Govardhan hill where Krishna, Avatar or incarnation of Vishnu carried the hill and protected his devotees when Indra, angered by non-worship of him, launched rains over the village.In Mahabhrata,Lord Indra became afraid of the fighting prowess of Karna and he himself took the form of a bee and stung Karna's thigh in order to benefit his son Arjuna. On a day towards the end of his training Karna happened to offer Parashurama his lap so his guru could rest his head and nap. But while Parashurama was asleep, Indra in the form of a bee stung Karna's thigh and despite the pain, Karna did not move, so as not to disturb his guru's sleep.With blood oozing from his wound and making him impure, Parashurama woke up and laid curse uponKarna that he would forget all the knowledge required to wield the divine weapon Brahmanda astra, at the moment of his greatest need.Later this incident saved the life of Indra's son Arjuna from certain death.[24] In another Mahabharata story, Karna tries to earn merit and fame by becoming the lord of charity, a ‘daan-veer’. Krishna takes advantage of this charitable nature and gets Indra, king of the gods, to ask as charity Karna’s natural armor 'Kavach and Kundal'. Karna donates this leaving himself vulnerable. Impressed by Karna’s unwavering commitment to charity, Indra gifts Karna a spear that never misses its mark but can be used only once.[25] Indra is also believed to have composed a treatise on modern philosophy named Bahudantaka.[21]

Gautama's curse[edit]

Indra tricked Ahalya, the wife of Gautama Maharishi. The affair between Ahalya and Indra was not mutual. Gautama punished Indra with a curse of losing his manliness and Ahalya too was cursed of being invisible to the eyes of everyone.

Indra and the Ants[edit]

In this story from the Brahmavaivarta Purana,[26][citation needed][27] Indra defeats Vṛtrá and releases the waters. Elevated to the rank of King of the gods, Indra orders the heavenly craftsman, Vishvakarma, to build him a grand palace. Full of pride, Indra continues to demand more and more improvements for the palace. At last, exhausted, Vishvakarma asks Brahma the Creator for help. Brahma in turn appeals to Vishnu, the Supreme Being. Vishnu visits Indra's palace in the form of a Brahmin boy; Indra welcomes him in. Vishnu praises Indra's palace, casually adding that no former Indra had succeeded in building such a palace. At first, Indra is amused by the Brahmin boy's claim to know of former Indras. But the amusement turns to horror as the boy tells about Indra's ancestors, about the great cycles of creation and destruction, and even about the infinite number of worlds scattered through the void, each with its own Indra. The boy claims to have seen them all. During the boy's speech, a procession of ants had entered the hall. The boy saw the ants and laughed. Finally humbled, Indra asks the boy why he laughed. The boy reveals that the ants are all former Indras. Another visitor enters the hall. He is Shiva, in the form of a hermit. On his chest lies a circular cluster of hairs, intact at the circumference but with a gap in the middle. Shiva reveals that each of these chest hairs corresponds to the life of one Indra. Each time a hair falls, one Indra dies and another replaces him. No longer interested in wealth and honor, Indra rewards Vishvakarma and releases him from any further work on the palace. Indra himself decides to leave his life of luxury to become a hermit and seek wisdom. Horrified, Indra's wife Shachi asks the priest Brihaspati to change her husband's mind. He teaches Indra to see the virtues of both the spiritual life and the worldly life. Thus, at the end of the story, Indra learns how to pursue wisdom while still fulfilling his kingly duties.

The 14 Indras[edit]

Each Manu rules during an eon called a Manvantara. 14 Manvantaras make up a Kalpa, a period corresponding to a day in the life of Brahma. Every Manvantara has 1 Indra that means with every Kalpa 14 Indras changes. Thae Markandye Rishi is said to have a complete age of one Kalpa and in a Puran on his name called "Markandey Puran" the exact age corresponding to the human age or solar year is described in details. The following list is according to Vishnu Purana 3.1–2):[28]
Manvatara/ManuIndra
SvayambhuvaYajna (Avatar of Vishnu)
SwarochishVipaschit
UttamSushaanti
TaamasShibi
RaivatVibhu
ChaakshushManojav
ShraaddhdevPurandar (the present Indra)
SavarniBali
Daksha SaavarniAdbhut
Brahma SaavarniShanti
Dharma SaavarniVish
Rudraputra SaavarniRitudhaama
Ruchi (Deva Saavarni)Devaspati
Bhaum (Indra Saavarni)Suchi

Sangam literature(300 BCE-300 AD)[edit]

Indra gives Devasena as wife toKartikeya(God of Tamils); scene from the Mahabharata.
Sangam literature of Tamil describes more times about lord Indira by various authors.for example in Silapathikaram,lord Indira mentioned as Maalai venkudai mannavan(மாலைவெண் குடை மன்னவன்),literally means Indra with the pearl-garland and white umberella [29]
The Sangam literature of Tamil mentioned,Indhira Vizha(festival for Indira), the festival for want of rain, celebrated for one full month starting from the full moon in Ootrai (later name-Cittirai) and completed on the full moon in Puyaazhi (Vaikaasi) (which coincides with Buddhapurnima). It is epitomised in the epics Cilapatikaram in detail.[30][31][32][33]

In Buddhism, Jainism, Taoism and Bali[edit]

Indra as Sakka and Sachi Riding the Divine Elephant Airavata, Folio from a Jain text, Panchakalyanaka (Five Auspicious Events in the Life of thetirthankara Rishabha), circa 1670-1680, Painting in LACMA museum, originally from Amer, Rajasthan
A Burmese statue of Thagyamin, the Burmese representation of Sakka-Indra.
Main article: Śakra (Buddhism)
In Buddhism and Jainism, Indra is commonly called by his other name, Śakra or Sakka, ruler of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. However, Śakra is sometimes given the title Indra, or, more commonly, Devānām Indra, "Lord of the Devas". The ceremonial name of Bangkok claims that the city was "given by Indra and built by Vishvakarman." The provincial seal of Surin Province, Thailand is an image of Indra atop Airavata.

Jainism[edit]

In Jainism, Indra is also known as Saudharmendra, and always serves the Tirthankaras. Indra most commonly appears in stories related to Tirthankaras, in which Indra himself manages and celebrates the five auspicious events in that Tirthankara's life, such as Chavan kalyanak, Janma kalyanak, Diksha kalyanak, Kevala Jnana kalyanak, and moksha kalyanak.
Certain Jain texts also depict the comparative powers of Indra in the following manner:[34]
  • A bull is as powerful as 12 warriors.
  • A horse is as powerful as 10 bulls.
  • A buffalo is as powerful as 12 horses.
  • An elephant is as powerful as 15 buffalos.
  • A lion with mane is as powerful as 500 elephants.
  • An octoped (Astapada mythical eight limbed animal) is as powerful as 2,000 maned lions.
  • A Baldeva is as powerful as 1 million octopeds.
  • A Vasudeva is as powerful as 2 Baldevs. (A Prati-vasudeva is slightly less powerful that a Vasudeva)
  • A Chakravarti is as powerful as 2 Vasudevs.
  • A king of serpent gods is as powerful as 100,000 Chakravartis.
  • An Indra is as powerful as 10 million kings of serpent gods.
  • The power of innumerable Indras is insignificant as compared to that of the small finger of a Tirthankara.

Taoism[edit]

In China, Korea, and Japan, he is known by the characters 帝释天 (Chinese: 釋提桓因, pinyin: shì dī huán yīn, Korean: "Je-seok-cheon" or 桓因 Hwan-in, Japanese: "Tai-shaku-ten", kanji: 帝釈天). In Japan, Indra always appears opposite Brahma (梵天, Japanese: "Bonten") in Buddhist art. Brahma and Indra are revered together as protectors of the historical Buddha (释迦, Japanese: "Shaka", kanji: 釈迦), and are frequently shown giving Shaka his first bath. Although Indra is often depicted like a bodhisattva in the Far East, typically in Tang dynasty costume, his iconography also includes a martial aspect, wielding a thunderbolt from atop his elephant mount.
Some Buddhists regard the Daoist Jade Emperor as another interpretation of Indra.
In the Huayan school of Buddhism and elsewhere, the image of Indra's net is a metaphor for the emptiness of all things.
In Bali, the legend of Tirta Empul Temple origin is related to Indra. The sacred spring was created by the Indra, whose soldiers were poisoned at one time by Mayadanawa. Indra pierced the earth to create a fountain of immortality to revive them.

See also[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Indra.
King Nahusha performed hundred Ashwamedha yajnas and conquered all the kingdoms of earth and heaven. Then, Nahusha ordered Indra and his wife Shachi to become his servants.
Sachi, who was the queen of heaven, did not want to become a servant. She thought of a plan to punish Nahusha.
image: http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fairytales/indian_mythology_stories/images/nahusha_agastya.jpg
Nahusha and AgastyaShe told Nahusha that she and Indra would become his servants only if he came on a palanquin carried by sages. She knew that sages are great people who would be insulted if Nahusha asked them to carry a palanquin. Proud Nahusha failed to realise this and ordered a few sages to carry his palanquin. Agastya was one of the sages carrying the palanquin tilted to one side. At this, Nahusha got angry and kicked him. Agastya felt insulted and cursed him to be born as a snake.

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Read more at http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fairytales/indian_mythology_stories/nahushas_pride.htm#7dLcXEGwPPfjBltx.99

Shachi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Indrani" redirects here. For other uses, see Indrani (disambiguation).
Indra (alias Sakra) and Shachi Riding the Divine Elephant Airavata, Folio from a Jain text, Panchakalyanaka (Five Auspicious Events in the Life of Jina Rishabhanatha [Adinatha]), circa 1670-1680, Painting in LACMA museum, originally from Amber,Rajasthan
In Hinduism (specifically, early Vedic accounts), Shachi (Sanskrit: शची; also known as Indrani (queen of Indra), Aindri, Mahendri , Pulomaja and Poulomi) is the goddess of wrath and jealousy, and a daughter of Puloman, an Asura who was killed by Indrani's future husband, Indra. She is one of the seven Matrikas (mother goddesses). She is described as beautiful and having the most beautiful eyes. She is associated with lions and elephants. With Indra, she is the mother of Jayanta and Jayanti and Midhusa, Nilambara, Rbhus, Rsabha and Chitragupta. In Hindu epics, she is also described as "The Endless Beauty".
Goddess Shachi or Indrani is one of the Sapta Matrikas – the seven divine mothers or Saptamatris in Hindu religion. It is said that she has similar characteristics to Indra and the same Vahana or vehicle – white elephant. A puja dedicated to Goddess Aindrani is performed during the Ashada Navratri.
She is also believed to help in destroying jealousy.
According to the Mahabharata, Goddess Shachi was incarnated as Draupadi, Shachi is said to be destroying Jealousy. But in this incarnation, Draupadi was jealous a time at Subhadra, second wife of Arjuna, who was Shachi's husband's son born by Kunti
She has a significance in Vedic literature in developing the idea of Shakti which denotes power, the feminine personified might. She gave origin to the concept that female consort, whether she is Parvati or Kali, is the most important Shakti of all, thus becoming the role model for all the goddesses in later period (the Purana has several mentions of this concept).
In Rig Veda she is described to be very beautiful, one of the hyms in RigVeda pictures her as jealous of rivals. In the same hymn Shachi also asks god to rid her of rivals.
It is said that unlike other goddesses, she possess an independent character of her own. Unlike most of the goddess wives who are known by their husbands name like Rudrani, Varuni (wife of Varun), Saranya (wife of Sun), Indra is probably the only god who is known to be after his wife's name as well, hence he was often referred as Shachipati - meaning master of shakti/power, or ShachiVat (possessor of Shachi)
Shachi is derived from the verb shak or shach - in vedas, it is said that shakti/Shachi is something a male god possess not female ..As the goddess itself is shakti
In the earlier Vedic accounts, Shachi was depicted as a female shadow of Indra. She was, for a short while, considered to be an evil spirit. She was said to be the daughter of a demon; hence she is sometimes referred to as the Goddess of wrath. Then, in later Hindu interpretations, she began personifying jealousy and evil intent, but after a few years, she became an important and highly worshiped Astral Spirit and is worshiped in South India until this day.
According to the Rig Veda, Shachi is considered a most fortunate female for Indra granted her immortality. It is said that he chose her over all of the other Goddesses because of Her magnetic attractions
Shachi is rarely worshipped as an independent deity and is usually part of the Saptamatris.
Yet she is a goddess, who even though and a father of demonish origin, is pure, the most beautiful, kind and the one who was a wonder to many eyes; a source of jealously for long because there was no one who did not long for her.

Further reading[edit]

  • Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David Kinsley
Hindu Goddesses: Beliefs and Practices

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