HV - Indra 2 - Good Fortune: Rigveda

Indra’s Good Fortune : Hymns of Vaisvamitra

Indra is called घनो or घना, the Fortunate one (1.004.8, 1.008.3). The theme of his good fortune is oft repeated (इन्द्र ज्यैष्ठ्याय,[1] 1.005.6). It is to be celebrated in songs (इन्द्राय गायत,[2] 1.005.4) or praised (सखायः स्तोमवाहसः,[3] 1.005.1). Many explanations are given as why Indra is considered fortunate. Some we have noted.

His good fortune was that he turned pious before the end of his life: इन्द्राय सोमपीतये (1.008.10).

Another reason is that Indra was an exception to the damages of samsara and drinking. Thus:

इन्द्रेहि मत्स्यन्धसो विश्वेभिः सोमपर्वभिः | महाँ अभिष्टिरोजसा || (1.009.1.1)[4]

With the well known exception of Indra, intoxication ensnares one in darkness ! The world seems a delusion, festival of soma seems a delusion; The great are afflicted with sickness, superiority goes along with energy.

Vaisvamitra repeats elsewhere that  while intoxication with self improves concentration (मत्स्वा सुशिप्र),[5] intoxication deludes (मन्दिभिः[6], 1.009.3, op. cit.). Indra seems to have been an exception to this rule, hence his good fortune.

Also:

त्वं सुतस्य पीतये सद्यो वृद्धो अजायथाः | इन्द्र ज्यैष्ठ्याय सुक्रतो || (1.005.6)[7]

You beget children, (then) absorbed in Union, (but) you are not reborn a sage immediately as deserving. Indra had good fortune of precedence and was wise.

Thus, while it is not usual for one to be reborn immediately as a sage after drinking and engaging in samsara, Indra was fortunate to be an exception.

This verse gives another reason for Indra’s good fortune. First, he had precedence. That is to say he was among the first. The word ज्यैष्ठ्य used in this context also means the eldest. According to puranic lore, Indra was the eldest of the children of Aditi, and Visnu was the youngest. So the term could also refer to this relationship. In either case, he was fortunate to be so. The second reason was Indra’s wisdom. This presumably relates to his ability to give up his worldly pleasures in time and turn to piety.

Another reason for Indra’s good fortune is well known from puranic lore: his preceptor, Brahaspati.

इन्द्रो दीर्घाय चक्षस आ सूर्यं रोहयद्दिवि | वि गोभिरद्रिमैरयत् || (1.007.3)[8]

Indra’s long good fortune is due to his spiritual teacher/Brahaspati entirely (इन्द्रो दीर्घाय चक्षस आ); (just as) the day is due to the sun rising; (just as) a mass of clouds do not attempt to move away from the mountain. ‘चक्षस्’ which means spiritual teacher, is also an epithet for Brihaspati. He is responsible entirely for Indra’s good fortune, just as the day is because the sun rises. He keeps his good fortune glued just as clouds are to a mountain peak.

Finally, there is the support of Hari:

यस्य संस्थे न वृण्वते हरी समत्सु शत्रवः | तस्मा इन्द्राय गायत || (1.005.4) [9]

To abide unchanging (as Indra) gratifyingly pronounced by Visnu, the Supreme, Excellent, Destroyer, Protector, Auspicious; Therefore, Indra’s good fortune, celebrate in a song.

It was gratifyingly pronounced by Hari (वृण्वते हरी), for Indra to abide unchanging (यस्य संस्थे न)[10]. Therefore, the sage adds, Indra’s good fortune, celebrate in a song (तस्मा इन्द्राय गायत)(1.005.4). 

Indra’s good fortune attracted detractors:

य एकश्चर्षणीनां वसूनामिरज्यति | (1.007.9.1)[11]

Who alone continues to be the Lord of the thunderbolt, honour (य एकश्चर्षणीनां), (people) are jealous of him called Vasu. Vaisvamitra curses the jealous in the next verse: 

अस्माकमस्तु केवलः || (1.007.10.2)[12]

We wish unhappiness on the envious.

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[1] Indra (इन्द्र) precedence good fortune (ज्यैष्ठ्य-अय = ज्यैष्ठ्याय) 

[2] Indra good fortune (इन्द्र-अय = इन्द्राय) celebrate in a song (गै = गायत)

[3] Friends good fortune (सख-अयः) offering praise (स्तोमवाहस्).

[4] इन्द्र – आ - हि मद् – सि - अन्धसो विश्व - भिः सोमपर्व - भिः | मह - अम् अभिष्ट् – ईर् - ओजसा ||

Indra (इन्द्र) except (आ) as is well known (हि) to be intoxicated (मद्) ensnares (सि) darkness! (अन्धस्-ओ = अन्धसो) world (विश्व) delusion (भः = भिः) festival of soma (सोम-पर्व) delusion (भः = भिः) | Great (मह) afflict with sickness (अम्) superiority (अभिष्ट्) to go (इर्) energy (ओजस् = ओजसा)

[5] Delight in (मद्) one’s own self (स्वः = स्वा) (मद्-स्वः = मत्स्वा) to possess power (सु) to be attentive (शि) very (प्र)

[6] intoxicated (मन्द्) is reduced to (इ) delusions (भः = भि) (मन्द्-इ-भः = मन्दिभिः)

[7] त्वं सुत - अस्य पीत - ये सद्यो वृद्धो अ – जा - यथाः | इन्द्र ज्यैष्ठ्य - अय सुक्रतो ||

You (त्वं) have offspring (सुत-अस् = सुतस्य) absorbed Union (पीत-यः = पीतये) immediately (सद्यस = सद्यो) sage (वृद्धः = वृद्धो) not (अ) born (जा) as deserving (यथा) (अ-जा-यथा = अजायथाः) | Indra (इन्द्र) precedence good fortune (ज्यैष्ठ्य-अय = ज्यैष्ठ्याय)  wise (सुक्रतु = सुक्रतो)

[8] इन्द्रो दीर्घ - अय चक्षस आ सूर्यं रोह – यद् - दिवि | वि गोभिर् – अद्रिम् – ईर् - अयत् ||

Indra’s (इन्द्रो) long (दीर्घ) good fortune (अय) spiritual teacher/Brahaspati (चक्षस् = चक्षस) entirely (आ) sun (सूर्यं) rising (रोह) wherefore (यद्) day (दिवि) | Away from (वि) mountain (गोभृत् = गोभिर्) mass of clouds (अद्रिम् = अद्रि) to go (ईर्) not attempting (अयत्)

[9] यस्य संस्थे न वृण् - वते - ते हरी स – मत् - सु श – त्र - वः | तस्मा इन्द्र - अय गायत ||

To be (यस्य) abiding (संस्थ = संस्थे) same (न) to give pleasure spoken (वृण्-वत = वृणवते) Hari (हरि = हरी) together with (स) possess supremacy (मत्) excellent (सु) (स-मत्-सु = समत्सु) destroyer (शः) protecting (त्र) auspiciousness (वः) | therefore (तस्मा) Indra good fortune (इन्द्र-अय = इन्द्राय) celebrate in a song (गै = गायत)

[10] To be (यस्य) abiding (संस्थ = संस्थे) same or identical (न)

[11] य एक – श्चर्- षण् – इनः - अम्  वसू – नाम् - इरज्यति |

Who (य) alone (एक) continue to be (श्चर्) thunderbolt (षण्) Lord (इनः) honour (अम्) (  Vasu (वसु = वसू) by name (नाम् = नाम्ना) jealous (इरज्य = इरज्यति)

[12] अस्म – अकम् - अस्तु केवलः ||

We (अस्म) absence of happiness (अकम्) let it be (अस्तु)(अस्म-अकम्-अस्तु = अस्माकमस्तु) envious (केवलः)