If we start thinking how fascinating and encyclopedic is the range of characters that inhabit our Puranas and Itihasas, the one name that springs up at once is that of Indra. Indra is the son of Aditi and Sage Kashyapa, appointed as the King of gods or Devendra. He has a wonderful heaven called Amaravati. He is surrounded by other gods, sages and musicians and dancers. Manmatha, the god of man-woman love, obeys his commands.
It appears that Bhagavan Maha Vishnu has a soft corner for Indra. He gets him out of trouble every time, but mostly after teaching him a lesson. Why? No better answer than that it is Bhagavan’s Leela. In the end, we almost never like Indra.
Indra is indeed a FLAWED CHARACTER. He symbolises Power without Grace.
Let us see some snippets of Indra’s deeds. Links provided.
https://rsachi.blogspot.com/2023/03/pururavas-of-lunar-dynasty-soma-first.html
In this story, Urvashi, originally created by Nara Narayana out of his own thigh to show Indra that he should not be too proud of his Apasara army he unleashes on sages to tempt them, becomes the chief of Apsaras. She falls in love with King Pururavas. Finding her missing in his court, Indra is very upset! Failing to see Urvashi any longer in the heavenly region, felt that heaven was not worth living in without her, and despatched Gandharvas to bring her back. This caused untold misery to both Urvashi and Pururavas.
https://rsachi.blogspot.com/2022/12/srimad-bhagavatam-vi07-30-december-2022.html
Indra, the lord of all gods, was seated in his splendid heavenly assembly, with all the gods and celestials in attendance and offering their praises to him. Lord Brihaspati, the spiritual Guru of the gods, entered the assembly. Indra, being too absorbed in his own power and opulence, forgot himself and did not show respect to his Guru. Brihaspati realised that Indra's arrogance had to be tamed. he at once left the assembly, clearly indicating he had disowned Indra and the gods. This led to untold troubles for Indra.
https://rsachi.blogspot.com/2023/01/srimad-bhagavatam-vi11-3-january-2023.html
Indra wants to kill Vrittra, created to avenge the murder of Indra’s guru that Indra himself committed. He had also killed Vrittra’s brother. Vrittra is an Asura, but a devotee of Maha Vishnu!
When Vrittra saw Indra, his enemy, the killer of his brother, standing before him with a thunderbolt in his hand, desiring to fight, he became mad with anger. Laughing sarcastically, he spoke as follows:
"He who has killed a Brahmin, he who has killed his spiritual master — indeed, he who has killed my brother — is now, by good fortune, standing before me face to face as my enemy. O most abominable Indra, when I pierce your stonelike heart with my trident, I shall be freed from my debt to my brother."
"Indra, you are bereft of all shame, mercy, glory and good fortune. I shall strike you with my trident, and after you die with great pain, even fire will not touch you; only the vultures will eat your body."
"On the other hand, if I am killed with your Vajra, thunderbolt, I shall thus be relieved of my obligations to the reactions of my karma, and my fortune will be to receive the dust from the lotus feet of great devotees like Narada".
https://rsachi.blogspot.com/2023/02/srimad-bhagavatam-viii15-15-february.html
The story of Bali is wonderful. Grandson of the great Prahlada, Bali was full of great qualities, and in no way inferior to Indra. After the gods got Amrita, they managed to defeat Bali’s army. But Shukracharya who knew the art of Sanjivani brought Bali back to life and also made him very powerful.
Indra enquired, in a quivering voice, of his guru, Brihaspati: how come Bali had become so powerful!?
गुरुरुवाच
जानामि मघवन् शत्रोरुन्नतेरस्य कारणम् । शिष्यायोपभृतं तेजो भृगुभिर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः ॥
ओजस्विनं बलिं जेतुं न समर्थोऽस्ति कश्चन । विजेष्यति न कोऽप्येनं ब्रह्मतेजःसमेधितम् ॥
भवद्विधो भवान् वापि वर्जयित्वेश्वरं हरिम् | नास्य शक्तः पुरः स्थातुं कृतान्तस्य यथा जनाः ॥
तस्मान्निलयमुत्सृज्य यूयं सर्वे त्रिविष्टपम् । यात कालं प्रतीक्षन्तो यतः शत्रोर्विपर्ययः ॥
एष विप्रबलोदर्कः सम्प्रत्यूर्जितविक्रमः । तेषामेवापमानेन सानुबन्धो विनङ्क्ष्यति ॥
T: Brihaspati spoke: “Oh Indra, I know the cause for your enemy’s becoming so powerful. The sages descended from Sage Bhrigu, being worshipped by Bali, their disciple, have endowed him with such extraordinary power. Neither you nor your men can conquer this most powerful Bali. Indeed, no one but Bhagavan can conquer him, for he is now equipped with the supreme spiritual power called Brahma- Tejas. Like Yama, he is irresistible. Therefore, wait until the situation of your enemies turns adverse (by the play of Time!). Indra, you should all leave this heaven and go elsewhere, where you will not be seen.”
“A time will come when Bali will incur the displeasure of sages and fall from his powerful status.”
Bhagavan took the incarnation of Vamana, and put Bali into Sutala as its emperor, clearing the way for Indra to assume his position in heaven. But Bhagavan graced Bali much more than he ever did Indra and even became the doorkeeper of Bali’s palace. This should show us that Bhagavan allowed Indra to play his role as the king with power without grace, just as a part of the cosmic script in Bhagavan’s Leela.
There are many other stories of Indra’s excesses. I shall confine myself to just one more. How Indra was taught a lesson by Bhagavan Sri Krishna!
https://rsachi.blogspot.com/2023/04/srimad-bhagavatam-x-a25-21-april-2023.html
When Sri Krishna made the Gopas worship the Govardhana hill instead of doing Yajna to Indra, Indra was furious. Thus, the Saamvartaka deluge was let loose unwisely by Indra. It poured down in utter fury, and wreaked havoc among the cowherds and cows. They all were first bewildered, then terrorised, and rushed to Sri Krishna in desperation. "Oh, Krishna! We are being destroyed by this downpour and winds! Please save us! Save us!"
शिलावर्षनिपातेन हन्यमानमचेतनम् । निरीक्ष्य भगवान्मेने कुपितेन्द्रकृतं हरिः ॥
अपर्त्वत्युल्बणं वर्षमतिवातं शिलामयम् ।स्वयागे विहतेऽस्माभिरिन्द्रो नाशाय वर्षति ॥
तत्र प्रतिविधिं सम्यगात्मयोगेन साधये । लोकेशमानिनां मौढ्याद्धरिष्ये श्रीमदं तमः ॥
न हि सद्भावयुक्तानां सुराणामीशविस्मयः । मत्तोऽसतां मानभङ्गः प्रशमायोपकल्पते ॥
तस्मान्मच्छरणं गोष्ठं मन्नाथं मत्परिग्रहम् । गोपाये स्वात्मयोगेन सोऽयं मे व्रत आहितः ॥
T: Sri Krishna, who was none other than Bhagavan Sri Hari, knew at once that this rain of hailstones, these terrific winds, this torrential deluge, were all the acts of Indra. "Indra wants to destroy us because we defied the system of propitiating him. The only way to tame Indra is to employ My Yogic power. I have to break down the ego, and self-centred ignorance of Indra thinking that he is the overlord of creation. Indeed, the gods are essentially made up of Sattva Guna, and this aberration of arrogance in Indra, their king, should be broken so the gods see the light. I shall therefore protect these cowherds and their people and the cows and other helpless animals by using My Yogic power. After all, it is My proclaimed vow to protect My devotees!"
इत्युक्त्वैकेन हस्तेन कृत्वा गोवर्धनाचलम् । दधार लीलया कृष्णश्छत्राकमिव बालकः ॥
अथाह भगवान् गोपान् हेऽम्ब तात व्रजौकसः । यथोपजोषं विशत गिरिगर्तं सगोधनाः ॥
न त्रास इह वः कार्यो मद्धस्ताद्रिनिपातने । वातवर्षभयेनालं तत्त्राणं विहितं हि वः ॥
तथा निर्विविशुर्गर्तं कृष्णाश्वासितमानसाः । यथावकाशं सधनाः सव्रजाः सोपजीविनः ॥
क्षुत्तृड्व्यथां सुखापेक्षां हित्वा तैर्व्रजवासिभिः । वीक्ष्यमाणो दधावद्रिं सप्ताहं नाचलत्पदात् ॥
T: Having said this, Sri Krishna, who is Bhagavan Maha Vishnu Himself, picked up the Govardhana Hill with one hand and held it aloft just as easily as a child holds up a mushroom! The Lord then addressed the cowherd community:
"O Mother, O Father, O residents of Vraja, if you wish you may now come under this hill with your cows.You should have no fear that this mountain will fall from My hand. And don’t be afraid of the wind and rain, for I have taken care of your protection from all these difficulties."
Finally, Indra had to eat humble pie, bite the dust and apologise to Sri Krishna.
All these stories show us that the arrogance of power and prestige is the worst impediment to goodness and devotion.
