DRAand ITRA

T H E S T O R Y O F

' I M Q R h 'S e n c o u n t e r

k ^ C H E N E M Y

in the Vedas, Indra is Invoked more often than any other deity. Nearly one-fourth of the hymns in the Rigveda are addressed to him.The earliest reference to the battle between Indra and Vritra is found in the Rigveda in w hich Vritra is described as the demon of drought. Indra killed the demon and liberated w ater, earning the title V R ITR A H A N - the slayer of Vritra. In the Rigveda, Indra w a s praised as a com -

- passionate friend, a brother, a father and mother in one. W ith the rise of Vaishnavism ( 4th century B. C. ), however, Indra lost his place of importance to Vishnu. In the Puranic versions, Indra invariably runs to Vishnu, w henever he is in trouble. He is beaten again and again by the Asuras and he is able to emerge victorious only w hen Vishnu bestow s on him his guidance and favour. Our account of Indra's encounter w ith his arch enemy, Vritra, is based on the Bhagaw at Purana, w hich differs a great deal from versions of the same episode in the Vedas and the Mahabharata.

A M A R C H I T R A K A T H A m e a n s g o o d re a d in g . O v e r 3 6 0 tit les are n o w o n sale.

© India Book House Pvt. Ltd., Bombay 400 026.All rights reserved 1986

Published by H.G Mirchandanl for India Book House Pvt Ltd., Mahalaxmi Chambers, 22, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Bombay 400 026 and printed by him at IBH Printers, Marol Naka, Mathuradas Vissanji Road, Andheri (East), Bombay 400 059.

Editor : Ana nt Pai

3-A, Rasi S cript : Subba Rao A r tw o rk s : C. M. Vitankar

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INDRA, KING OF THE DEVA5, RULED HEAVEN. HIS 3URU, BRIHASPAT/ PERFORMED SACRIFICES WHICH GAVE THE DEVAS DIVINE GRACE . . .

■ ■AND INVINCIBLE VICTORY IN THEIR BATTLES WITH THEIR COUSINS,THE ASURAS.

amar chitra katha

ONE DAY BRIHASPATI CAME TO 5EE IN DR A. ENGROSSED IN THE DANCE AT HIS COURT, INDRA DID NOT SEE HIS GURU AND REMAINED RUDELY SEATED.

IN D R A 8c V R ITR A

i

i

TO APPEASE THE GURU, INDRA RUSHED TO HIS HOUSE HUT IT W/)S ONE OF BRIHASPATI’S DISCIPLES VJHO RECEIVED HIM. \---------- ----------— — - U P ^

MV NEGLIGENCE HAS COST ME MV GURU. WE ARE LOST WITHOUT

V HIM. >WHERE IS AW GURU ?

7 MV LORD, \ HE HAS LEFT VOUR. REALM

S. BOR GOOD.

vVWaS?

WHEN THE NEWS REACHED THEM, THE ASURAS WERE JUBILANT ON TO HEAVEN|

NOW IS THE TIME TO ATTACK

THE DEVAS!

THE ASURAS INVADED HEAVEN. THIS TIME THE DEV AS COULD NOT DRIVE THEM BACK

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amar chitra katha

IN D R A & V R ITR A

am ar chitra katha

AND V E T... THE ASURAS ARE MV

MOTHER'S RELATIVES. WHAT

. SHOULD I DO ?

REINFORCED BY THE SPIRITUAL POWER O F V/SHIVARUPA, THE DEUAS INVADED THE KINGDOM OF THE A SURAS . . .

INDRA CALLED O N VISHWARUPA •

Y THANKS TO VOUR. SPIRITUAL

LEADERSHIP, WE

IN D R A & VRITR A

amar chitra katha

VISHWARUPA M 5 HAPPY MEANWHILE, INDRA CONFERRED WITH THE OTHER. DEUA5.GOOD ( I HAVE SUCCEEDED

I HAVE MADE THEM EQUALLY STRONG. . NEITHER CAN DEFEAT 1

K T"HE OTHER 1

THE BATTLE WITH ■ THE ASURA6 PROVED v INDECISIVE.

WHAT COULD THE SECRET OF THEIR RENEWED STRENGTH

B E ? ^

A WORRIED INDRA APPROACHED V/SHWARUPA I SHALL PERFORM A SACRIFICE FOR.

YOUR SUCCESSO, GURU,PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR

ABSOLUTE.V VICTORY. /

...AND FOR THE ! SUCCESS OF THE ASURAS TO O -

IN D R A & V R ITR A

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am ar chitra katha

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IN D R A & VR ITR A

AS THE GURU FELf , ONE O F HIS HEADS TOOK THE FORM OF A CHAT AKA BIRD, ANOTHER OF A SPARROW AND THE THIRD O F A PHEASANT. ALL THE THREE SOARED HIGH IN THE A IR . h m , , w------nr,--------

amar chitra katha

IN D R A & VR ITR A

A5 VRITRA NEARED HEAVEN, INDRA AND THE OTHER DEUfiS RAINED A SHOWER. OF ARROWS AND SPEARS O N HIM.

BUT THE QREAiT ASURA OPENED HIS HUGE M OUTH AND SWALLOWED THEM ■ rr-

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amar chitra katha

A5 LORD VISHNU APPEARED, INDRA AND THE OTHER DEV A 5 F E U A T HIS FEET-

NO WEAPON CAN HARM VRITRA WHO WAS BORN THROUGH THE AUSTE­

RITIES OF TWA5HTA, EXCEPT...

..'A WEAPON MADE OF THE BONES OF SAGE DADHICHI WHOSE AUSTERITIES MATCH' THOSE OF TWASHTA. ONLY

BY WIELDING THAT WEAPON, CAN INDRA SLAY VRITRA •

IN D R A & V R ITR A

* THE TWIN DEV A 5 WHO ARE THE CELESTIAL PHVSICIANS •

amar chitra katha

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IN D R A & V R ITR A

a m a r chitra katha

"WITHIN SECONDS WE REPLACED HIS OWN' HEAD . " nmiitiiiiiinH— unwiini n.niiiiiiiiiiiiimiiTTnrmiiiiiiTiiiiiir

" THE M OM ENT HE FINISHED, HIS NEW HEAD SPLIT UP INTO PIECES . " i------------

~ MAY YOUR ^k n o w led g e be everFOR THE GOOD OF

. T H E UNIVERSE.

r v 4i\>.WV

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IN D R A & V R ITR A

WHEN THE ASHW/NS CONCLUDED THEIR. TALE —

amar chitra katha

IN D R A & VR ITR A

THE SAGE S A T IN MEDITATIONI KNOW THIS BODY TO BE GR0S5 AND PERISHABLE. IF IT CAN BE OF SOME USE,I WILL FEEL REWARDED.TAKE MY

V BONES BY ALL MEANS. S

HIS SOUL MERGED WITH LORD VISHNU, LEAVING BEHIND HIS LIFELESS BODY.

LORD, HERE IS THE DEADLIEST OF WEAPONS, VAJRA, THE 'THUNDERBOLT. TAKE IT V

AND FIGHT VRITRA.

ARMED WITH VAdRA AND MOUNTED ON A/RAUATA, INDRA LED THE DEV AS AGAINST THE A SURAS­

AS SOON AS INDRA ACCEPTED THE WEAPON —

amar chitra leatha

IN D R A & V R ITR A

FIERCE WAS THE BATTLE THAT WAS FOUGHT ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER. NARMADA ■

THE ASURA&, WHOSE WEAPONS WERE SOON EXHAUSTED, BEGAN TO HURL MOUNTAIN PEAKS A T THE DEVAS. I------------------------------^

amar chitra katha

. . . THE ASURAS TOOK TO THEIR. HEEL5 WITH THE DEV A 5 IN H O T PU R S U IT• |------------------------ 7— 71— T "

IN D R A & VR ITR A

AND STRUCK IN DRfit’5 M O UNT W ITH IT.

IN DRft'S M O UN T, AIRAVATA BEGAN TO RUN AMUCK. ON THE BATTLEFIELD -

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IN D R A & VR ITR A

AND SEVERED ONE O F VRtTRfit'S ARMS. O i,---------------------------------------- -------------------------I/ Ml

amar c hit ra katha

IN D R A & VR ITR A

amar chitra katha

TO HIS SURPRISE, INDRA FOUND HIMSELF BEJNG DRAWN TOWARDS THE ASURA.

, . . AND H IT HIS ABDOMEN WITH A THUD.

ALONG WITH AIRAVATAj HE FELL INTO THE MOUTH OF THE A SURA, WENT DOWN HIS G U L L E T . . .

HE CUT OPEN VRITRA'5 ABDOMEN WITH HIS VAJRA • • •

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IN D R A & VR ITR A

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