Indra- Part One - Historicity
It is necessary to trace
the life of Indra through Vaisvamitra’s hymns for two reasons. First, seven of
his ten hymns are dedicated to Indra. Second, about 1/4th of the
1026 hymns in Rigveda are believed to be dedicated to Indra. Third, Indra is
considered to be the pre-eminent deity in Rigveda for these reasons.
Historicity of Indra
There is some evidence of
the historicity of Indra. The Hymns 7 and 8, read together with other hymns of
Vaisvamitra suggest a story of a warlike, drink loving, wordly king, who turned pious suddenly.
Valour and fondness of liquor
At some time Indra was
the king who ruled the earth, as it were. Hence line 2 of a verse reads:
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:
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).
Metamorphosis
This being so, how was
Indra elevated to godhood? The explanation too comes in a lighter vein (एवा हि ते):
The sage says
humourously, that the mighty (विभूतय) favoured (ऊतया) Indra is like me (इन्द्र मावते), and explains: suddenly he regains
consciousness, starts bestowing gifts (सद्यश्चित्सन्ति), and turns pious (दाशुषे). This shows that at a later stage in life, there
was a metamorphosis in Indra. He had a change of heart and understanding,
turned pious, and distributed his wealth.
That this is the correct
understanding of the events is shown in another verse made in lighter vein:
एवा ह्यस्य काम्या स्तोम उक्थं च शंस्या | इन्द्राय सोमपीतये || (1.008.10)
The meaning of the first
line has already been explained. To repeat, Indra’s desires/women were praised,
his life though bad was praiseworthy. The second line: इन्द्राय सोमपीतये, is telling. This is a brilliant twist of phrase.
It means directly that Indra’s good fortune was that he drank soma, playing on
Indra’s fondness for drink . But सोमपीतये also means : As time drew to an end, he increased
protection (finish time increase protection: सो-म-पी-तयः = सोमपीतये).[12] Thus, Indra’s good fortune
was that he increased protection before his time on earth came to an end.
In yet another verse, Vaisvamitra refers to the events relating to the
change of heart of Indra:
Before starting on his
new life (नव्यमायु प्र), (he) secretly made his intentions and appeased a thousand sages (सहस्रसामृषिम्), presumably
seeking their blessings.
Piety and Yoga
On turning pious, Indra
became adept at yoga. He is said to have kindled the fire of Union or Yoga, as
mentioned earlier (इन्द्र इद्धयोः,[14] 1.007.2). The full verse is
worth retelling:
Indra kindled union
(yoga). (Made) available meditation, also associated instructions to adhere to;
Indra’s thunderbolt is the golden yoga.
Indra seems to have
spread the enthusiasm for yoga (इन्द्र इद्धयोः) among his people, popularised meditation and
instructions to follow while meditating (संमिश्ल आ
वचोयुजा). The second line confirms: Indra’s thunderbolt is
that of the golden union or Yoga.
His was apparently a
pioneering work at least among his people, earning him the epithet of bull.
Vaisvamitra says: स नो वृषन्नमुं;[16] i.e., I bow to the God of
war and Bull (1.007.6). The word वृषन् also means chief or the best of its class. But
that the sage meant bull by वृषन् is confirmed in a later verse:
Bull of a herd as it were (is Indra), a bull ploughs produces and therefore
there is energy; (Indra) Lord
unrestrainable.
This verse uses two
different words for bull, वृषा and वंसगः, so as to leave no doubt about the meaning
intended. It also explains the epithet ‘bull’. He says Indra is bull of the
herd as it were (वृषा यूथेव) , a bull ploughs and therefore there is energy (वंसगः कृष्टीरियत्सोजसा) .
Clearly this implies the pioneering work done by Indra in the field of yoga.
The same idea reflects in a later verse already discussed, where he says
addressing himself “on the backbone as it were of Indra, you have acquired and
established Union: शतक्रत उद्वंशमिव येमिरे,[18] (1.010.1).
Since Indra did such work
in the material plane as well as the spiritual plane, Vaisvamitra is unable to
hold back his admiration, and calls him the “Unrestrainable Lord (ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुतः).[19]
Thus, after his
metamorphosis, Indra turned to Union or Yoga, was an adept at meditation, and
had a good knowledge of its techniques. The belief was that yoga eliminates
weaknesses from the origin. Thus yoga destroys moral darkness.
Referring to the
knowledge of Yoga: Vaisvamitra pleads for it saying:
As you killed with
clenched fist in that manner; (make) darkness/Vritra fear, confer knowledge to
rejoice; We invoke
thee, hasten!
There is a play on
imagery here. Since Vrittra is the demon that Indra killed apparently with a
blow of the fist (मुष्टिहत्यया) and Vrittra also
means moral darkness, he pleads for Indra to make in like manner, darkness to
fear and confer knowledge to rejoice (वृत्रा रुणधामहे).
And:
May we conquer this knowledge that fights desire (जयेम सं युधि स्प्रुधः), says the
sage. He calls as a child (वयं वज्रं) on the Fortunate One (घना) to grant the wish for
knowledge (ददीमहि).
Thus, Indra became an adept yogi, spread the
knowledge of yoga which removes moral darkness, and later became the king of
heaven. These events dictated the
choices posed by the Sage:
इतो वा सातिमीमहे
दिवो वा पार्थिवादधि | इन्द्रं महो वा रजसः || (1.006.10[22])
Decide which is best :
Knowledge or rejoicing in winning property and
perishing (इतो वा सातिमीमहे);
Heaven or earthly delight (दिवो वा पार्थिवादधि);
Is Indra - great or living in moral darkness (इन्द्रं महो वा रजसः).
Yoga also helps in conquering the spiritual world. In another verse,
suggestive of this as well as the historicity of Indra, the sage Vaisvamitra
says:
For us, Heroism attained
as man, invincible as man, Indra (शूरेभिरस्तृभिरिन्द्र), your yoga is a powerful support (त्वया युजा वयम्); in conquering battles on the other side (Or)
conquering battles on other grounds (सासह्याम
पृतन्यतः). The other side could refer to the other side of
life, i.e. death. Alternatively the verse could mean that Indra who helped win
battles as a man, his yoga is a powerful support in battles spiritual, which
are on grounds different from his real life battles.
Contemporaneity
The sense of
contemporaneity of
Indra is heightened by the repeated references to him as a friend. Speaking of
Indra, the sage says that he is offering praise (स्तोमवाहसः) to a friends’ good fortune (सखायः = सख-अय) (1.005.1). There are repeated references to his
friendship: He flies to delight friends (पतयन्मन्दयत्सखम्)[24] (1.004.7). He is the friend
of sacrificers (सुन्वतः सखा, 1.004.10). The sage calls for him to befriend (प्रावो, 1.004.8)[25]. In the seventh hymn, he is
also called a friend (वृध), more specifically, the ‘always granting unwearied protection’ friend (सत्रादावन्नपावृधि,[26] 1.007.6).
Here, the sage indicates
a special relationship by saying that Indra felt affection for the descendants
of Gathin : इन्द्रमिद्गाथिनो[27] (1.007.1). Gathin was Visvamitra’s father, and a
Kshatriya. So, it seems was Indra. Could there have been a personal
relationship?
[1] Indra (इन्द्रः) five
(peoples) (mankind) (पञ्च) earth (क्षिति) Lord (इनः) honour (अम्) (क्षिति-इनः-अम् = क्षितीनाम्).
[2] people king (जन-इभ्यः = जनेभ्य)
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).
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)
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)
[10] Merely (एवा) to
gratify (हि) happen (अस्य)(हि-अस्य = ह्यस्य) desire (काम्या) praise (स्तोम) life
(उक्थं)
bad (च) praiseworthy (शंस्य = शंस्या)
[11] Merely (एवा) to
gratify (हि) you (ते) mighty (विभूतय) favoured (ऊतय) Indra (इन्द्र) like
me (मावत्
= मावते) | Suddenly (सद्यस् = सद्यश्) regain consciousness (चित्) bestowing
gifts (सन्त्य = सन्ति)(सद्यस्-चित्-सन्ति = सद्यश्चित्सन्ति) pious (दाशुषे).
[12] That this is a correct interpretation of the term is confirmed by verse 1.002.3, which begins with : प्रपृञ्चती धेना जिगाति दाशुषे, i.e., before getting caught in the swiftly
moving river (of time), seek emancipation, and it ends: उरूची सोमपीतये, i.e., as earthly time finishes, one must
increase protection.
New (नव्यम्) life (आयु)(नव्यम्-आयु = नव्यमायु) before (प्र) bringing
forth (सू) secretly (तिर) make (कृ) intention (धी) thousand
(सहस्र)
to appease (साम्) sages (ऋषिम्)(सहस्र-साम्-ऋषिम् = सहस्रसामृषिम् )
Indra (इन्द्र) kindled (इद्ध) union
(यः
= योः) at hand (सचा) meditation (सं) associated (मिश्ल = मिश्र)
(सं-मिश्ल = संमिश्ल) also (आ) counsel (वचस् = वचो) adhere to (युज् = युजा) |
Indra’s (इन्द्रो) thunderbolt (वज्रिन् = वज्री) golden
(हिरण्य)
union (यः) ||
Bull (वृषा = वृषन्) herd (यूथ) as it were (इव) bull (वंसगः) ploughed
(कृष्ट)
produce (ईर्) therefore (इयत्) energy (ओजस् = ओजसा)
(कृष्ट-ईर्-इयत्-ओजस्) | Lord (ईशानः = ईशानो) unrestrainable (अप्रतिष्कुतः) ||
[18] performer of hundred
sacrifices (Indra) (शतक्रतु = शतक्रत) on (उद्) backbone (वंशम्) as
it were (इव)) Union (यः = ये) establish (मि) having acquired (रः = रे)
[19] The title ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुतः, could also mean one who has
mastered fear, since a couple of verse earlier, he confesses that “our fear is
unrestrainable : Our (अस्म = अस्मद्) fear (भ्यम् = भ्यस्) unrestrainable (अप्रतिष्कुतः) (अस्म-भ्यम्-अप्रतिष्कुत = अस्मभ्यमप्रतिष्कुतः)” using the same word अप्रतिष्कुतः.
Affirmation) (नि) as (येन) clenched
fist (मुष्टि) killing (हति) in this manner (अया) ( (affirmation) (नि) darkness/Vritra (वृत्रः = वृत्रा) fear
(रु)
knowledge (णः) confer (धा) to rejoice (महे) | Thou (त्व) invoked
(ओत)
to be! (अस् = असो) (affirmation ) (नि) hastening (अर्वत् = अर्वता)
also (आ) we (वयं) child (वज्रं) fortunate (घन = घना) give (दद्) wish (ई) knowledge
(म)
surely (हि | Conquering this (जय-इम = जयेम) knowledge
(सं)
fighting (युधि) desire (स्प्रुध् = स्पृधः) ||
Knowledge (इतम् = इतो) or (वा) winning
of property/spoils (साति) to die (मी) to rejoice (महे)(सति-मी-महे = सातिमीमहे);
Heaven (दिव् = दिवो) or (वा) earthly (पार्थिव) giving
(द)
delight (धि)(पार्थिव-द-धि = पार्थिवादधि) | Indra/master of-that which is
free (इन्द्रं) great (महः = महो) or (वा) living
in the darkness (रजसः)
We (वयं) heroism (शूर्) attained (ए) man (भिरु = भिर्) invincible
(अस्तृत
= अस्तृ) man (भिरु = भिर्) Indra (इन्द्र)(शूर्-ए-भिर्-अस्तृ-भिर्-इन्द्र =
शूरेभिरस्तृभिरिन्द्र) your (त्वया) yoga (युज् = युजा) powerful
support (व-यम्) | conquering (सासह्यस् = सासह्याम) battle (पृत्) on
the other side/on
other grounds (अन्यतः)(पृत्-अन्यतः = पृतन्यतः)
[26] always granting (सत्रादावन्) unwearied
(न)
protection (पा) friend (वृध = वृधि)(सत्रादावन्-न-पा-वृध = सत्रादावन्नपावृधि)
[27]Indra (इन्द्र) feel
affection (मिद्) Visvamitra’s descendants! (गाथिन्-ओ = गाथिनो)
(इन्द्र-मिद्-गाथिन्-ओ = इन्द्रमिद्गाथिनो)
No comments:
Post a Comment