Indra
Hindu · deity · vedic · deity
King of the devas; most-invoked Vedic deity, with roughly 250 Ṛgvedic hymns addressed to him — more than any other figure. Slayer of the dragon Vṛtra (Ṛgveda 1.32), releaser of the cosmic waters. Wielder of the vajra. Father of Arjuna in the Mahabharata; in Vana Parva 308 disguises himself as a brahmin to extract Karṇa's divine armor (kavacha) and earrings (kuṇḍala) to protect Arjuna — a structurally critical and morally fraught episode that sets up the Kurukshetra denouement.
Children
Domains
- kingship of devas
- thunder rain storms
- war and heroic strength
Powers
- Grants boons and divine weapons
- Hurls the thunderbolt to slay foes
- Sends rain and storms
- Changes shape and disguises himself
Epithets
- शक्र
- वृत्रहन्
- देवेन्द्र
- पुरन्दर
- मघवन्
- वज्रिन्
- गोत्रभिद्
- सहस्राक्ष
Relations
- lover: Kuntī
- father of: Arjuna
- equated with: Śakra
- interpretatio: King of the Nats
- equated with: Indr the Storm-Lord