Indra
Topic: The Vedic Age · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Bricks, Beads and Bones"; Class 12, Ch 3 "Kinship, Caste and Class - Early Societies"; Class 12, Ch 4 "Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings"
Meaning
Indra is one of the most praised gods of the Ṛigveda. He is the god of strength, war and rain. More Ṛigvedic hymns are addressed to him than to any other god. Like other Vedic gods, he was linked with a force of nature, and people called on him through prayers and offerings in the yajña (sacrifice). Later texts also call on him in prayers, for example in marriage mantras asking for good sons.
Example
The Ṛigveda calls Indra puraṁdara, "destroyer of forts". In the mid-20th century the archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler used this name to argue that invading Aryans destroyed the Harappan cities. Later scholars rejected this idea. They pointed out that the Harappan cities had declined for other reasons, and that the evidence did not match.
Don't confuse with
- Agni: the god of fire. Offerings were poured into Agni so they could reach the gods. Indra is the warrior god of rain and thunder.