1 <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> 2<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" > 3<html> 4<head> 5 <title>Indra - the storm god</title> 6</head> 7<body> 8 9<br> 10 11<div align="left"><font size="+3"><b>Indra the Storm-God:<br> 12 </b></font><b> <font size="+1"> images, information and worship/<i>puja</i></font></b><br> 13 <br> 14 </div> 15 16<div align="justify"><font size="+0"><b><img 17 src="indra-gilt-bronze-13c-nepal.jpg" 18 alt="Indra - from Nepal - gilt bronze statue (13th century A.D.)" 19 width="475" height="514" align="right"> 20 </b>Shri Indra was the favourite national god of the Vedic 21 Indians, with about 250 hymns dedicated to him in the Rigveda, more 22than those devoted to any other god and almost one fourth of the total 23number of hymns of the Rigveda. <br> 24 <br> 25 Shri Indra is the god of thunder, being similar in many ways 26 to the Teutonic Thor (Old Norse Þorr; Old English Þunor; German Donner), or Greek Zeus/Roman Jupiter. Like Thor, he is 27described in the Rigveda as red- or tawny-beared (RV 10.23,4), though 28the extant sculpture and carvings seem to invariably show him as beardless. 29His characteristic weapon is the cudgel <i>vajra </i>('thunder-bolt'), 30just as Thor's is the famous hammer <i>Mjöllnir. </i>Shri Indra is the 31pre-eminent drinker of the divine <i>soma </i>(the <i>madhu </i>or 'mead' 32of the gods), the imbibing of which exhilerates him and aids him in his 33heroic actions.<br> 34 <br> 35 Shri Indra's most important deed is the slaying of the <i>asura 36 </i>('demon') Vritra, who is a Dragon (<i>ahi</i>). Vritra<i> </i>hoards 37 and encloses the vital elements of the universe: waters, light, cows, 38 and Shri Indra struggled in order to free these life-sustaining treasures 39 from the grasp of the dragon Vritra<i> </i>(whose very name, <i>Vṛtra</i>, 40 means 'the Encloser, the Obstructer') and release them into the world. 41 And he must continually struggle against this Dragon (<i>ahi</i>), who represents 42 the forces of Chaos and Non-Existence (<i>asat</i>).This is why one of 43Shri Indra's epithets is <i>Vṛtrahan </i>'slayer of Vritra, overcomer 44of resistance'. By defeating these forces he separates and supports heaven 45and earth (RV 5.29). The Norse thunder-god Thor too battles against the 46<i>midgardsorm </i>('serpent of Middle-Earth') at various times, as do other 47Indo-European Storm-Gods, such as the Hittite Tarhunnas (the weather-god) 48against the dragon Illuyankas.<br> 49 <br> 50 In his battle with Vritra and other demons, such as Namuci (<i>na-muci 51 </i>'he who won't release'), his especial friend is Shri Vishnu (RV 521.22,19), who is often described as helping Indra to defeat Vritra. Vishnu's 53function in the battle with Vritra seems to be primarily to 'make space' 54by means of his famous three strides, for Indra, about to slay Vritra, 55says to Vishnu: 'O my friend Vishnu, stride out widely' (RV 4.18,11). 56The association of Arjuna (son of Indra) and Shri Krishna (avatara of Vishnu), 57especially in their companionship during the Mahabharata battle, is thus 58prefigured by this association of Shri Indra and Vishnu.<br> 59<BR> 60By worship and sacrifice (especially <i>soma</i>-sacrifice, as <i>soma</i>-drinking increases Indra's strength and vigour), humans on earth help Indra in his struggles, e.g.:<BR> 61<div align="center">'Sacrifice, Indra, made you grow so mighty, the dear oblation with the pressed <i>soma</i>. <BR> 62O Worshipful, with sacrifice help our sacrifice, for sacrifice helped your <i>vajra</i> when slaying the dragon'.<BR> 63 (Rigveda 3.32,12; cf. RV i.63,2) </div> <BR> 64See further below on <i>soma</I>-sacrifice. 65 <br> 66 .......<br> 67 <br></div> 68 </font> 69<hr width="100%" size="2"><font size="+3"><font size="+1"> 70 <b><u><font size="+2">Prayers to Indra</font></u><br> 71 <br> 72<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="10"> 73<A name=1.32></A>Rgveda I.32: 74<tr> 75<td valign="top"> 76<img src="rv/rv1.32.gif"> 77</td> 78 79<td valign="top"> 80I now proclaim the heroic deeds of Indra; what he did first, the vajra-wielder, 81he slew the dragon, bored through to the waters; he split through the bellies of the mountains. [1] 82<BR><BR> 83He slew the dragon who lay on the mountain; Tvashtar (the smith of the gods) fashioned for him the roaring Vajra (thunder-club). [With a sound] like lowing milch cows, the flowing waters ran quickly down to the ocean. [2] 84<BR><BR> 85Bullishly, he chose for himself the Soma (ambrosia of the gods); he drank from the pressed (soma) in the three soma-vessels. The Generous One (=Indra) took the missile, the vajra; he slew him, the first-born of dragons. [3] 86<BR><BR> 87When, you, O Indra, slew the first-born of dragons and thereupon dispelled the sorcery of the sorcerers, then producing the sun, the day, the dawn, you found no enemy indeed at that time. [4] 88<BR><BR> 89Indra slew Vritra (the dragon), the greatest of Vritras, with the vajra; (slew) the shoulderless one with his great weapon. Like branches/shoulders of a tree hewn off by an axe, the dragon lies flat on the ground. [5] 90<BR><BR> 91Like one ignorant of battle, badly intoxicated, (the dragon) challenged the advancing great warrior, the presser of many; (he) did not escape the collision of his weapons; he who had Indra as a conqueror crushed together the rivers (?). [6] 92<BR><BR> 93Footless and handless he fought Indra; (Indra) struck him on the ridge (=neck?) with his vajra. The gelded one who wished to be equal to the bull, the serpent lay cut into pieces strewn in many places. [7] 94<BR><BR> 95He (=the dragon) lay there like a split reed, the rising waters of Manu flowed over (him); the dragon lay at the feet of those whom he had encompassed with his might. [8] 96<BR><BR> 97Vritra's mother's strength became low; Indra warded off her weapon. The mother lay above, the son lay below; Danu (=Vritra's mother) lay like a milch cow with her calf. [9] 98<BR><BR> 99Vritra's body was sunk in the midst of the never standing, never resting water courses; the waters flowing over Vritra's secret, he who was conquered by Indra lay in the long darkness. [10] 100<BR><BR> 101The waters were as wives of the Dasa (=Vritra), guarded by the dragon, shut up like cows by the Pani. The orifice of the waters, which had been closed up, he (=Indra) opened after having slain the dragon. [11] 102<BR><BR> 103You became a tail-hair of a horse there, O Indra, when you struck against the missile; you, the unique god, conquered the cows; you conquered, O Hero, the Soma; you let flow free the seven rivers. [12] 104<BR><BR> 105Not for him [=Vritra] did the lightning avail, nor thunder, no what mist and hail-stones he scattered. When Indra and the dragon fought, the Generous One [=Indra] was victorious (then) and for the future. [13] 106<BR><BR> 107What avenger of the dragon did you see, O Indra, when fear came into the your heart, the heart of the one who slew the dragon, when you crossed
107nine and ninety streams; like a startled eagle crossed through the cloudy regions? [14] 108<BR><BR> 109Indra, the vajra-wielder, is king over that which moves and that which stays still, over the tamed and the horned; he rules as king over humans, containing (all) as spokes within the wheel's rim. [15] 110</td> 111 112</tr> 113</table> 114<font size="+3"><br> 115 <br> 116 117 <br> 118 </font> 119<hr width="100%" size="2"><font size="+3"><font size="+1"><b>Soma <i>yajna</i> 120 (sacrifice) / [Indrapuja]</b> 121 <a href="indra%20puja%20%28shillong%29.jpg" 122 target="_blank"><img src="indra%20puja%20%28shillong%29-chhota.jpg" 123 alt="soma yajna / Indrapuja - photo from author's puja in Shillong (Meghalaya, India), 2005" 124 width="432" height="290" align="right"> 125 </a></font><br></font> 126 <br><font size="+0"></b> 127 More to be added...<br> 128 <br> 129 <i>Soma</i> is to be identified with the plant <i>Ephedra</I> (<i>vulgaris</i> / <i>distachya</i>) 130 <br>............. 131 <br> 132<font size="+1"><b>Rigveda - Book 9, Hymn 4</b></font> (Griffith's translation; to be updated)<br> 133O flowing Soma, win and conquer high fame; [1ab]<BR> 134And make us better than we are. [1cd]<BR> 135Win the light, win heaven, and, Soma, all good things; [2ab]<BR> 136And make us better than we are. [2cd]<BR> 137Win skilful strength and mental power. O Soma, drive away our foes; [3ab]<BR> 138And make us better than we are. [3cd]<BR> 139Filterers- purify <i>soma</i> for Indra, for his drink: [4ab]<BR> 140And make us better than we are. [4cd]<BR> 141Give us our portion in the Sun through your own mental power and aids; [5ab]<BR> 142And make us better than we are. [5cd]<BR> 143Through your own mental power and aid long may we look upon the Sun; [6ab]<BR> 144And make us better than we are. [6cd]<BR> 145Well-weaponed Soma, pour to us stream of riches doubly great; [7ab]<BR> 146And make us better than we are. [7cd]<BR> 147As one victorious unsubdued in battle pour forth wealth to us; [8ab]<BR> 148And make us better than we are. [8cd]<BR> 149By worship, O flowing Soma, men have augmented you for support: [9ab]<BR> 150And make us better than we are. [9cd]<BR> 151O Indu ['soma drop']], bring us wealth in steeds, manifold, all-reaching; [10ab]<BR> 152And make us better than we are. [10cd]<BR> 153 <br> 154 <br> 155 <br> 156 <br> 157 <br> 158 <br> 159 <br> 160 <br> 161 <br> 162 <br> 163 <br> 164<hr width="100%" size="2"><font size="+3"><font size="+1"><b>Indra images<br> 165 </b></font> 166<table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" border="1" width="100%"> 167 <tbody> 168 169 <tr> 170 <td valign="top" align="center"> 171 <a href="taiwan national palace musuem - nepal 18th gilt bronze.jpg" target="_blank"><img 172 src="taiwan national palace musuem - nepal 18th gilt bronze [Thumb].jpg" 173 alt="Nepalese 18th-c. gilt bronze"></a><br> 174 175 176 <div align="left"> 177 178 <div align="center"><b>gilt Indra murti<br> 179 </b></div> 180 origin: Nepal<br> 181 date: 18th c.<br> 182 material: gilt-bronze<br> 183 size: ?<br> 184 credit: Taiwan National Palace Museum<br> 185 </div> 186 </td> 187 <td valign="top" align="center"> 188 <a href="indra-cruciform2.jpg" target="_blank"><img 189 src="indra-cruciform2 [Thumb].jpg" 190 alt="another shot of Nepalese 18th-c. gilt bronze"></a><br> 191 <b>another view of previous Indra murti<br> 192 </b> 193 194 <div align="left">origin: Nepal<br> 195 date: 18th c.<br> 196 material: gilt bronze<br> 197 size: ?<br> 198 credit: Taiwan National Palace Museum<br> 199 </div> 200 </td> 201 <td valign="top" align="center"> 202 </a><br> 203 <br> 204 </div> 205 </td> 206 </tr> 207 208 <tr> 209 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 210 href="copper%20indra%20mask%20-%20nepal%20%2813-14%20c%20ad%29.jpg" target="_blank"><img 211 src="copper%20indra%20mask%20-%20nepal%20%2813-14%20c%20ad%29.jpg.thmb.jpg" 212 alt="copper mask from nepal - 1200-1400 A.D." width="102" height="146"> 213 </a><br> 214 215 216 <div align="left"> 217 218 <div align="center"><b>copper Indra mask<br> 219 </b></div> 220 origin: Nepal<br> 221 date: 13th-14th c. A.D.<br> 222 material: copper<br> 223 size: ?<br> 224 credit: ?<br> 225 </div> 226 </td> 227 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 228 href="wooden%20mask%20of%20indra%20%28nepal%20-%2016-17th%20c%20ad%29%209-5in.jpg" target="_blank"><img 229 src="wooden%20mask%20of%20indra%20%28nepal%20-%2016-17th%20c%20ad%29%209-5in.jpg.thmb.jpg" 230 alt="wooden mask of indra - 1500-1700 A.D." width="80" height="146"> 231 </a><br> 232 <b>wooden Indra mask<br> 233 </b> 234 235 <div align="left">origin: Nepal<br> 236 date: 16th-17th c. A.D.<br>
237 material: wood<br> 238 size: ?<br> 239 credit: ?<br> 240 </div> 241 </td> 242 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 243 href="mask%20of%20indra%20%28contemporary%20brass%20casting%29%20-%206in%20tall%20-%20khazana.com.jpg" target="_blank"><img 244 src="mask%20of%20indra%20%28contemporary%20brass%20casting%29%20-%206in%20tall%20-%20khazana.com.jpg.thmb.jpg" 245 alt="contemporary brass indra mask" width="120" height="146"> 246 </a><br> 247 <b>brass Indra mask<br> 248 </b> 249 250 <div align="left">origin: India<br> 251 date: present-day<br> 252 material: brass<br> 253 size: 6" tall<br> 254 credit: <a 255 href="http://www.khazana.com/et/products/product.asp?squery=&sku=INAR435&Country=India&Department=Sculpture&strFindSpec=inar435&Next=0&new%5Ftarget=%2Fet%2FProducts%2Ffind%2Easp&mscssid=CEL8FTG4DTW78JKHPX7PSJAU1C500439" 256 target="_blank">khazana.com</a><br> 257 </div> 258 </td> 259 </tr> 260 <tr> 261 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 262 href="indra__nepal_-_9-10th_century_-_copper_alloy_-_patan_museum_.jpg" target="_blank"><img 263 src="indra__nepal_-_9-10th_century_-_copper_alloy_-_patan_museum_.jpg.thmb.jpg" 264 alt="Indra - 800-1000 A.D. - Patan museum, Nepal" width="108" 265 height="146"> 266 </a><br> 267 <b>Indra <i>murti<br> 268 </i></b> 269 270 <div align="left">origin: Nepal<br> 271 date: 9th-10th c. A.D.<br> 272 material: copper-alloy, gilt<br> 273 size: ?<br> 274 credit: <a 275 href="http://www.asianart.com/patan-museum/a12.html" target="_blank">Patan 276 Museum</a><br> 277 </div> 278 </td> 279 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 280 href="indra-gilt-bronze-13c-nepal.jpg" target="_blank"><img 281 src="indra-gilt-bronze-13c-nepal.jpg.thmb.jpg" 282 alt="Indra gilt-bronze 1200-1300 A.D. - Nepal" width="134" height="146"> 283 </a><br> 284 <b>Indra <i>murti<br> 285 </i></b> 286 287 <div align="left">origin: Nepal<br> 288 date: 13th c. A.D.<br> 289 material: gilt bronze<br> 290 size: ?<br> 291 credit: ?<br> 292 </div> 293 </td> 294 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 295 href="POIndra-nepal.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="POIndra-nepal.jpg.thmb.jpg" 296 alt="Indra - ?" width="127" height="146"> 297 </a><br> 298 <b>Indra <i>murti<br> 299 </i></b> 300 301 <div align="left">origin: Nepal<br> 302 date: ?<br> 303 material: ?<br> 304 size: ?<br> 305 credit: ?<br> 306 </div> 307 </td> 308 </tr> 309 <tr> 310 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 311 href="indra-mathura-sculpture-with%20airavata%20%28gupta%20period%29.jpg" target="_blank"><img 312 src="indra-mathura-sculpture-with%20airavata%20%28gupta%20period%29.jpg.thmb.jpg" 313 alt="Indra - Mathura sculpture with Airavata" width="85" height="146"> 314 </a><br> 315 <b>Indra sculpture<br> 316 </b> 317 318 <div align="left">origin: Mathura, India<br> 319 date: 4th-5th c. A.D.<br> 320 material: red sandstone<br> 321 size: ?<br> 322 credit: <a href="#mathura_sculpture"><i>Mathura Sculptures</i></a><br> 323 </div> 324 </td> 325 <td valign="top" align="center"><a
326 href="indra%20%28or%20vishnu%29-mathura%20%28saptasamundari%20well%29-sculpture-with%20other%20deities%20emerging%20from%20body%28kushaana%20period%29.jpg" target="_blank"><img 327 src="indra%20%28or%20vishnu%29-mathura%20%28saptasamundari%20well%29-sculpture-with%20other%20deities%20emerging%20from%20body%28kushaana%20period%29.jpg.thmb.jpg" 328 alt="Indra/Vishnu from Mathura" width="128" height="146"> 329 </a><br> 330 <b>Indra (or Vishnu?) sculpture (fragment)</b><br> 331 332 333 <div align="left">origin: Saptasamundari Well,<br> 334 Mathura, India<br> 335 date: early part of 2nd c. A.D.<br> 336 size: ?<br> 337 credit: <a 338 href="#mathura_sculpture"><i>Mathura 339 Sculptures</i></a><br> 340 </div> 341 </td> 342 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 343 href="indra-mathura%20%28village%20tarsi%29-sculpture-with%20vajra%20%28kushaana%20period%29.jpg" target="_blank"><img 344 src="indra-mathura%20%28village%20tarsi%29-sculpture-with%20vajra%20%28kushaana%20period%29.jpg.thmb.jpg" 345 alt="Indra with vajra - Mathura" width="106" height="146"> 346 </a><br> 347 <b>Indra sculpture (fragment)</b><br> 348 <b>with garland and <i>vajra<br> 349 </i></b> 350 351 <div align="left">origin: village Tarsi, near Mathura, India<br> 352 date: <i>c. </i>2nd c. A.D.<br> 353 size: ?<br> 354 credit: <a 355 href="#mathura_sculpture"><i>Mathura 356 Sculptures</i></a></div> 357 </td> 358 </tr> 359 <tr> 360 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 361 href="indra-madhubani%20painting-ei.jpg" target="_blank"><img 362 src="indra-madhubani%20painting-ei.jpg.thmb.jpg" 363 alt="Indra - madhubani painting with cow dung" width="103" height="146"> 364 </a><br> 365 <b><i>madhubani </i>painting of Indra on Airavata</b><br> 366 367 368 <div align="left">origin: India<br> 369 date: modern<br> 370 material: <i>Madhubani</i> painting on<br> 371 handmade paper treated with cow-dung<br> 372 size: 10" x 14"<br> 373 credit: Vidya Devi & Dhirendra Jha (artists) @<br> 374 <a 375 href="http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/DC77/" target="_blank">Exotic 376 India.com</a><br> 377 </div> 378 </td> 379 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 380 href="indra%20on%20airavata%20%28modern%20drawing-painting%29.jpg" target="_blank"><img 381 src="indra%20on%20airavata%20%28modern%20drawing-painting%29.jpg.thmb.jpg" 382 alt="Indra on Airavata (vahana]" width="146" height="138"> 383 </a><br> 384 <b>modern painting of Indra on Airavata<br> 385 </b> 386 387 <div align="left">origin: ?<br> 388 date: modern<br> 389 material: ? - painting<br> 390 size: ?<br> 391 credit: ?<br> 392 </div> 393 <br> 394 </td> 395 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 396 href="indra%20on%20airavata%20-%20ei%20-%20kailash%20raj.jpg" target="_blank"><img 397 src="indra%20on%20airavata%20-%20ei%20-%20kailash%20raj.jpg.thmb.jpg" 398 alt="Indra on Airavata (Kailash Raj)" width="115" height="146"> 399 </a><br> 400 <b>modern painting</b> <b>of Indra on Airavata</b><br> 401 402 403 <div align="left">origin: India<br> 404 date: modern<br> 405 material: miniature painting on paper<br> 406 size: 5.5" x 7.0"<br> 407 credit: Kailash Raj (artist) @<br> 408 <a 409 href="http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/HD77/" target="_blank">Exotic 410 India.com</a><br> 411 </div> 412 </td> 413 </tr> 414 <tr> 415 <td valign="top"> 416 417 <div align="center"><a href="introspective_indra_murti.jpg" target="_blank"><img 418 src="introspective_indra_murti.jpg.thmb.jpg" 419 alt="Indra murti" width="115" height="146"> 420 </a><br> 421 <b>Indra <i>murti</i></b><br> 422 <b><i> </i></b></div> 423 424 425 <div align="left">origin: India<br> 426 date: present-day<br> 427 material: copper with 24k gold gild<br> 428 </div> 429 size: 5.0" x 4.0" x 2.0" (0.6 kg)<br> 430 credit: <a 431 href="http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/EA36/" target="_blank">Exotic 432India.com</a><br> 433 </td> 434 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 435 href="indra-ei-3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="indra-ei-3.jpg.thmb.jpg" 436 alt="Indra murti - exotic india.com" width="112" height="146"> 437 </a><br> 438 <b>Indra <i>murti<br> 439 </i></b> 440 441 <div align="left">origin: India<br> 442 date: present-day<br> 443 material: brass<br> 444 size: 10.0" x 9.0" x 4.4" (2.8 kg)<br> 445 credit: <a 446 href="http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/ZQ55/" target="_blank">Exotic 447India.com</a><br> 448 </div> 449 </td> 450 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 451 href="indra-ei.jpg" target="_blank"><img 452 src="indra-ei.jpg.thmb.jpg" 453 alt="Indra murti from Exotic India.com" width="122" height="146"> 454 </a><br> 455 <b>Indra <i>murti<br> 456 </i></b> 457 458 <div align="left">origin: India<br> 459 date: present-day<br> 460 material: brass<br> 461 size: 7.5" x 6.0" x 7.5" (1.6 kg)<br> 462 credit: <a 463 href="http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/ZI02/" target="_blank">Exotic 464 India.com</a><br> 465 </div> 466 </td> 467 </tr> 468 <tr> 469 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 470 href="indra-ei-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="indra-ei-2.jpg.thmb.jpg" 471 alt="Indra murti - exotic india.com" width="106" height="146"> 472 </a><br> 473 <b>Indra <i>murti</i><br> 474 </b> 475 476 <div align="left">origin: India<br> 477 date: present-day<br> 478 material: brass<br> 479 size: 5.5" x 4.3" x 9.5" (2.7 kg)<br> 480 credit: <a 481 href="http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/ZF58/" target="_blank">Exotic 482India.com</a><br> 483 </div> 484 </td> 485 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 486 href="seated%20indra%20%28contemporary%20brass%20casting%29%2012in%20tall%20-%20khazana.com.jpg" target="_blank"><img 487 src="seated%20indra%20%28contemporary%20brass%20casting%29%2012in%20tall%20-%20khazana.com.jpg.thmb.jpg" 488 alt="Indra murti - khazana.com" width="104" height="146"> 489 </a><br> 490 <b>Indra <i>murti<br> 491 </i></b> 492 493 <div align="left">origin: India<br> 494 date: present-day<br> 495 material: brass<br> 496 size: 12" tall<br> 497 credit: <a 498 href="http://www.khazana.com/et/products/product.asp?Region=&Country=India&Department=Sculpture&Sub%5FDept=Indra&List=True&sku=INAR392&Next=0&new%5Ftarget=%2Fet%2Fproducts%2Fdept%2Easp&mscsstcid=&
498mscssid=M7MPTB9VWCVT8HL3TSSP7D97NMSC5MNE" 499 target="_blank">Khazana.com</a><br> 500 </div> 501 </td> 502 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 503 href="north%20indian%20indra%20%28contemporary%20brass%20casting%29%20-%209in%20-%20khazana.com.jpg" target="_blank"><img 504 src="north%20indian%20indra%20%28contemporary%20brass%20casting%29%20-%209in%20-%20khazana.com.jpg.thmb.jpg" 505 alt="Indra murti - khazana.com" width="103" height="146"> 506 </a><br> 507 <b>Indra <i>murti<br> 508 </i></b> 509 510 <div align="left">origin: northern India<br> 511 date: present-day<br> 512 material: brass<br> 513 size: 9" tall<br> 514 credit: <a 515 href="http://www.khazana.com/et/products/product.asp?Region=&Country=India&Department=Sculpture&Sub%5FDept=Indra&List=True&sku=INAR665&Next=0&new%5Ftarget=%2Fet%2Fproducts%2Fdept%2Easp&mscsstcid=&mscssid=M7MPTB9VWCVT8HL3TSSP7D97NMSC5MNE" 516 target="_blank">Khazana.com</a><br> 517 </div> 518 </td> 519 </tr> 520 <tr> 521 <td valign="top"> 522 523 <div align="center"><a 524 href="standing%20indra%20-%20sandstone%20-%20madhya%20pradesh%20-%20national%20university%20of%20singapore%20museum.jpg" 525 target="_blank"><img 526 src="standing%20indra%20-%20sandstone%20-%20madhya%20pradesh%20-%20national%20university%20of%20singapore%20museum.jpg.thmb.jpg" 527 alt="Indra sculpture - singapore musuem" width="95" height="146"> 528 </a><br> 529 <b>Indra sculpture</b><br> 530 <b> </b></div> 531 532 533 <div align="left">origin: Madhya Pradesh, India<br> 534 date: ?<br> 535 material: sandstone<br> 536 size: ?<br> 537 credit: National University of Singapore Museum<br> 538 </div> 539 540 541 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 542 href="indra riding airaawat.gif" target="_blank"><img 543 src="indra riding airaawat [Thumb].gif" 544 alt="Indra riding Airavaat" ></a><br> 545 <b>carving of Indra riding Airaavat<br> 546 </i></b> 547 548 <div align="left">origin: ?<br> 549 date: ?<br> 550 material: stone<br> 551 size: ?<br> 552 credit: ?<br> 553 </div> 554 </td> 555 556 557 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 558 href="rock carvings of Indra & Surya in Bhaja-India.jpg" target="_blank"><img 559 src="rock carvings of Indra & Surya in Bhaja-India [Thumb].jpg" 560 alt="Indra and Surya rock-carving"></a><br> 561 <b>carving of Indra and Surya<br> 562 </i></b> 563 564 <div align="left">origin: Bhaja, India<br> 565 date: ?<br> 566 material: stone<br> 567 size: ?<br> 568 credit: ?<br> 569 </div> 570 </td> 571 </tr> 572 573 <tr> 574 <td valign="top"> 575 576 <div align="center"><a 577 href="indra-mahout.jpg" 578 target="_blank"><img 579 src="indra-mahout [Thumb].jpg" 580 alt="19th-c. Nepalese Indra and Mahout"></a><br> 581 <b>Nepalese model of Indra with mahout on howdah</b><br> 582 <b> </b></div> 583 584 585 <div align="left">origin: Nepal<br> 586 date: 19th-c.<br> 587 material: bronze w/ turquoise, coral, glass<br> 588 size: 20"h. x 17"l. x 7"w.<br> 589 credit: <a href="http://www.burchardgalleries.com/auctions/2001/oct2101/oct2101r.htm" target="_blank"> BURCHARD GALLERIES INC</a><br> 590 </div> 591 592 593 <td valign="top" align="center"><a 594 href="indra - brahman - dakkhini (muladhara cakra).jpg" target="_blank"><img 595 src="indra - brahman - dakkhini (muladhara cakra) [Thumb].jpg" 596 alt="Indra - Muladhara cakra" ></a><br> 597 <b>Deities within the Muladhara Cakra:<br> 598 Indra, Brahma, Dakini (clockwise from bottom)<br> 599 </i></b> 600 601 <div align="left">origin: India(?)<br> 602 date: 20th-c.(?)<br> 603 material: drawing<br> 604 size: ?<br> 605 credit: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0892817666/" target="_blank"><i>Layayoga: The Definitive Guide to the Chakras and Kundalini</I></a><br> 606 </div> 607 </td> 608 609 610 <td valign="top" align="center"> 611 </td> 612 </tr> 613 614 </tbody> 615</table><BR> 616<font size="+2">For modern paintings of Indra and his battles, see the work of <a href="http://fantalov.tripod.com/Indian2.htm" target="_blank">A. Fantalov here</a></font><br> 617 </b> <BR> 618 </font> 619 <BR> 620 <B>LINKS:</B><BR> 621 <a href="http://www.manygods.org.uk/" target="_blank">Association of Polytheist Tradition</a><BR> 622 <a href="http://www.juliansociety.org/" target="_blank">The Julian Society</a><BR> 623 <a href="http://www.monochrom.at/polytheism/" target="_blank">International Year Of Polytheism (powered by monochrom)</a><BR> 624 625 <BR><BR> 626<hr width="100%" size="2"><font size="+3"><b><font size="+2"><u>Bibliography</u><br> 627 </font></b></font> 628 <!--<b><i>
628Rgveda-samhitaa</b>: padapaathasahitaa / Saayanaacaaryakrta-bhaasyasamvalitaa saiva Hindiibhaasaamantraanuvaadasamanvitaa.</i> [Sanskrit + Hindi translation & intro] Raamagovinda Trivedii, ed. Benares: Chaukambha Vidyaabhavana, 1991. 629 <BR>--> 630 <i><B>Ṛgveda with the padapāṭha and commentaries of Skandasvāmin, Udgītha, Veṅkaṭamādhava and Mudgala.</i></B> [devanagari Sanskrit text & English intro] Vishva Bandhu, ed. Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India: Vishveshvaranand Vedic Research Institute, 1963-6. <BR> 631 <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0674769716/beowulfonsteo-20/103-1779062-0455006?creative=125581&camp=2321&link_code=as1" target="_blank"><b>Rig Veda</b>: a metrically restored 632text with an introduction and notes.</i></a> [roman Sanskrit text + English intro.] 633Barend A. van Nooten & Gary B. Holland, eds. Cambridge, Massachusetts: 634Harvard University Press, 1994.<br> 635<i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000VKU3JW/beowulfonsteo-20/103-1779062-0455006?creative=125581&camp=2321&link_code=as1" target="_blank"><B>Der Rig-Veda aus dem Sanskrit ins Deutsche übersetzt mit einem laufenden Kommentar versehen.</i></b></a> [German trans. + notes] Geldner, Karl Friedrich, ed. Harvard 636Oriental Series 33-36, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1951-1957. [Vols. 33-35 reissued in one volume with preface by Michael Witzel, Cambridge, MA: The Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies, Harvard University, 2003].<BR> 637 <B><I>Atharvaveda-Samhita.</i></B> [devanagari Sanskrit text only] Svaamii Jagadiishvaraananda Sarasvatii, ed. Delhi: Vijay Kumar Govindram Hasanand, 1999.<BR> 638 <b><I>Atharva-Veda-Samhita.</i></b> [English trans. only] William Dwight Whitney, trans. Charles Rockwell Landman, ed. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1905. [reprinted, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1962]<BR> 639 <b><I>Rigveda Brahmanas: the Aitareya and Kau<u>s</u>iitaki Braahmanas of the Rigveda.</i></b> [English trans. only] Arthur Berriedale Keith, trans. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1920. [reprinted, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1971]<BR> 640 <B><I>The Shatapatha-Braahmana</b>, according to the text of the Maadhyandina school.</i> Julius Eggeling, trans. SBE 26, 41, 43, 44. Oxford: Clarendon, 1882-1900. [reprinted, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1963.]<BR> 641 <B><I>Kaatyaayana Shrauta Suutra</b> {Rules for the Vedic Sacrifices}.</i> [Sanskrit + English trans.] H.G. Ranade, ed. & trans. Pune (India): H.G. Ranade, 1978.<BR> 642<BR> 643<b>Benveniste, Émile, and Louis Renou</b> (1934). <i>Vr̥tra et Vr̥θragna.</i> Paris: Imprimerie Nationale.<BR> 644<b>Bhattacharji, Sukumari</b> (1970). <i>The Indian Theogony (Brahmaa, Vi<u>sn</u>u & Shiva).</i> Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [reprinted, New Delhi: Penguin, 2000].<br> 645<b>Brown, W. Norman</b> (1942). 'The Creation Myth of the Rig Veda'. <i>Journal of the American Oriental Society</i> 62:85-98.<br> 646<b>Brown, W. Norman</b> (1965). 'Theories of Creation in the Rig Veda'. <i>Journal of the American Oriental Society</i> 85:23-34.<br> 647<b>Buschardt, Leo</b> (1945). <i>Vṛtra: Det Rituelle Daemondrab iden Vediske Somakult. </i>Det Kgl. Danske Videnskabernes Selskab; Historisk-Filologiske Meddelelser, Bind XXX, Nr.3. Copenhagen: Munksgaard.<br> 648<B>Coomaraswamy, Ananda Kentish</b> (1943). 'The Hindu Tradition: The Myth'. from <I>Hinduism and Buddhism</i>. New York: Philosophical Library. [reprinted in <I>The Essential Ananda K. Coomaraswamy.</i> Rama P. Coomaraswamy, ed. Bloomington (Indiana): World Wisdom, 2004: 267-73]<BR> 649<B>Dandekar, Ramchandra Narayan</b> (1979). <i>Vedic mythological tracts.</i> Delhi: Ajanta Publications.<BR> 650<B>Doniger, Wendy</b> (1999). <I>Splitting the Difference: Gender and Myth in Ancient Greece and India.</i> Chicago: University of Chicago Press. [Indian edition, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2002]<BR> 651<B>Dumézil, Georges</b> (1970). <i>The Destiny of the Warrior.</i> Alf Hiltebeitel, trans. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. [translation of <i>Heur et malheur du guerrier: aspects mythiques de la fonction guerrière chez les Indo-Européens.</i> Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1969.]<BR> 652<B>Dumézil, Georges</b> (1983). <I>The Stakes of the Warrior.</i> David Weeks, trans. Jaan Puhvel, ed. Berkeley & Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1983. [trans. of 'L'enjeu du jeu des dieux--un héros', part one of <i>Mythe et épopée, vol. 2: Types épiques indo-européens: un héros, un sorcier, un roi.</i> Paris: Editions Gallimard, 1971.]<BR> 653<B>Falk, Harry</b> (1989). 'Soma I and II'. <I>Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies</i> 52:77-90.<BR> 654<b>Falk, Harry</b> (1997). 'The purpose of Rgvedic ritual'. In Michael Witzel (ed.), <i>Inside the texts, beyond the texts: New approaches to the study of the Vedas</I>, 69-88. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.<BR> 655<b>Geldner, Karl Friedrich</b> (1951-1957). <i>Der Rig-Veda aus dem Sanskrit ins Deutsche übersetzt mit einem laufenden Kommentar versehen.</i> 4 vols. Harvard Oriental Series 33-36. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.<BR> 656<B>Gonda, Jan</b> (1967). 'The Indra Festival According to the Atharvavedins'. <I>Journal of the American Oriental Society</i> 87:414-429.<BR> 657<B>Gonda, Jan</b> (1989). <I>The Indra Hymns of the <U>R</u>gveda.</i> Orientalia Rheno-Traiectina, 36. Leiden: E.J. Brill.<BR> 658<b>Grassmann, Hermann</b> (1873/1964). <i>Wörterbuch zum Rig-Veda.</i> 4th ed. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz.<BR> 659<b>Hiltebeitel, Alf</b> (1976). <i>The Ritual of Battle: Krishna in the Mahabharata.</i> Ithaca (New York): Cornell University Press, 1976. [reprinted, Albany: State University of New York Press, 1990].<br> 660<B>Jamison, Stephanie W.</b> (1991). <I>The Ravenous Hyenas and the Wounded Sun: myth and ritual in ancient India.</i> Ithaca (New York): Cornell University Press.<BR> 661<B>Jamison, Stephanie W.</b> (1996). <I>
661Sacrificed Wife/Sacrificer's Wife: women, ritual and hospitality in ancient India.</i> New York: Oxford University Press.<BR> 662<b><a name="mathura_sculpture"></a>Joshi, N.P. </b>(2004). <i>Mathuraa Sculptures: an illustrated handbook to appreciate sculptures in the Government Museum, Mathura. </i>New Delhi: Sundeep Prakashan.<br> 663<B>Kashikar, Chintaman Ganesh</b> (1990). <I>Identification of Soma.</i> Pune: Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth.<BR> 664<b>Kuiper, F.B.J.</b> (1962). 'The Three Strides of Vi<u>sn</u>u'. in <i>Indological Studies in Honor of W. Norman Brown.</i> Ernest Bender, ed. New Haven (Connecticut): American Oriental Society: 137-51.<br> 665<B>Kulkarni, R.P.</b> (1997). <I>Layout for Different Sacrifices According to Different Shrauta Suutras.</i> Ujjain (M.P., India): Maharshi Sandipani Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratishthan.<BR> 666<b>Lahiri, Ajoy Kumar</b> (1984). <i>Vedic Vrtra. </i>Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.<br> 667<b>Macdonell, A.A.</b> (1897). <i>Vedic Mythology.</i> Strassburg: Karl Trübner. [reprinted, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2000].<br> 668<B>Mahapatra, P.</b> (1965). 'Tree-Symbol Worship in Bengal'. in <I>Tree-symbol Worship in India</I>. S.S. Gupta, ed. Calcutta: Indian Publications.<br> 669<b>Mahdihassan, S.</b> (1974). 'Soma, in the light of comparative phramacology, etymology and archaeology'. <I>Janus</i> 61:91-102.<BR> 670<b>Mahdihassan, S.</b> (1985). 'A Persian painting illustrating ephedra, leading to its identity as Soma'. <I>Journal of Central Asia</i> 8:171-175.<BR> 671<b>Monier-Williams, Sir M.</b> (1899). <i>A Sanskrit-English Dictionary: etymologically and philologically arranged with special reference to cognate Indo-European languages.</i> Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1899. [reprinted with corrections, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2002]<BR> 672<b>Nicolás, Antonio T. de </b>(1978). <i>Meditations Through the <u>R</u>g Veda: Four Dimensional Man.</i> Boulder (Colarado) & London: Shambala.<br> 673<B>Nyberg, Harri</b> (1995). 'The problem of the Aryans and the Soma: the botanical evidence'. in <i>The Indo-Aryans of Ancient South Asia: language, material culture and ethnicity.</i> George Erdosy, ed. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter: 382-406. [Indian edition, New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1997]<BR> 674<b>Oldenberg, Hermann</b> (1917). <i>The Religion of the Veda.</i> Shridhar B. Shrotri, trans. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1988. [translation of <i>Die Religion des Veda.</i> Stuttgart: Cotta, 1917 (2nd. ed.)]<br> 675<B>Parpola, Asko</b> (1995). 'The problem of the Aryans and the Soma: textual-linguistic and archaeological evidence'. in <i>The Indo-Aryans of Ancient South Asia: language, material culture and ethnicity.</i> George Erdosy, ed. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter: 353-381. [Indian edition, New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1997]<BR> 676<B>Puhvel, Jaan</b> (1987). <I>Comparative Mythology.</i> Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.<BR> 677<B>Rönnow, Kasten</b> (1927). <i>Trita Aaptya: eine vedische Gottheit I.</i> Uppsala Universitets Årsskrift 1927 - filosofi, språkvetenskap och historika vetenskaper, 5. Uppsala: A.-B. Lundequistka Bokhandeln.<BR> 678<B>Schmidt, Hanns-Peter</b> (1968). 'Bṛhaspati und Indra'. Wiesbaden: Harassowitz.<BR> 679<B>Schmitt, Rüdiger</b> (1967). <I>Dichtung und Dichtersprache in indogermanischer Zeit.</i> Wiesbaden: Harassowitz.<BR> 680<B>Sen, Chitrabhanu</b> (1978). <I>A Dictionary of the Vedic Rituals: based on the shrauta and grhya suutras.</i> Delhi: Concept Publishing.<BR> 681<B>Slade, Benjamin</b> (2007). '<i>Untydras ealle</i> - Grendel, Cain and Vṛtra: Indo-European <i>śruti</i> and Christian <i>smṛti</i> in <i>Beowulf</I>.'</b> <I>In Geardagum</i> 27:1-32.<BR> 682<B>Slusser, Mary</b> (1982). <I>Nepal Mandala: A Cultural Study of the Kathmandu Valley.</i> Princeton: Princeton University Press.<BR> 683<b>Söhnen, Renate</b> (1997). 'Rise and decline of the Indra religion in the Veda'. In <i>Inside the texts, beyond the texts: new approaches to the study of the Vedas</i>, ed. Michael Witzel, 235-243. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.<BR> 684<b>Söhnen-Thieme, Renate</b> (2001). 'On the Vṛtra myth in the Ṛgveda'. In <i>Philologica et linguistica. Historia, Pluralitas, Universitas. Festschrift für Helmut Humbach zum 80. Geburtstag am 4. Dezember 2001</i>, ed. Maria Gabriella Schmidt and Walter Bisang, 302-315. Trier: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag.<BR> 685<B>Toffin, Gérard</b> (1992). 'The Indra Jatra of Kathmandu as a Royal Festival: Past and Present'. <i>Contributions to Nepalese Studies</i> 19.1:73-92.<BR> 686<B>Tripathi, G.C.</b> (1977). 'Das Indradhvaja-Fest in Orissa'. in <i>Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft</I>, suppl. III. (Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag), 2:1002-1014.<BR> 687<B>Venkatasubbiah, A.</b> (1965). 'On Indra's winning of cows and waters'. <I>Zeitschrift der deutschen morgenlandischen Gesellschaft</i> 115:120-133.<BR> 688<b>Watkins, Calvert </b>(1995). <i>How to Kill a Dragon: aspects of Indo-European poetics. </i>New York: Oxford University Press.<br> 689<b>Witzel, Michael</b> (1995a). 'Early Indian history: linguistic and textual parametres'. in <i>The Indo-Aryans of Ancient South Asia: language, material culture and ethnicity.</i> George Erdosy, ed. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter: 85-125. [Indian edition, New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1997]<BR> 690<b>Witzel, Michael</b> (1995b). 'Rgvedic history: poets, chieftains and polities'. in <i>The Indo-Aryans of Ancient South Asia: language, material culture and ethnicity.</i> George Erdosy, ed. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter: 307-352. [Indian edition, New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1997]<BR> 691<B>Witzel, Michael</b> (1997). 'The Development of the Vedic Canon and its Schools: The Social and Political Milieu. (Materials on Vedic Shaakhaas 8)'. in <i>Inside the Texts, Beyond the Texts: new approaches to the study of the Vedas.</i> Harvard Oriental Series. Opera Minora, vol. 2. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press: 257-345.<BR> 692<B>Witzel, Michael</b> (2004). 'The Ṛgvedic religious system and its Central Asian and Hindukush antecedents'. In <I>The Vedas: Texts, language and ritual</i>, ed. Arlo Griffiths and Jan E.M. Houben, 581-636. Groningen: Forsten.<BR> 693<b>Witzel, Michael & Stephanie Jamison</b> (1992). 'Vedic Hinduism'. Ms., Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. available online @ <u>http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/%7Ewitzel/vedica.pdf</u> [short version published in <i>The Study of Hinduism.</i> A. Sharma, ed. Charleston: University of South Carolina Press, 2003: 65-113].<BR> 694<BR> 695 <img 696 src="indra-mathura%20%28village%20tarsi%29-sculpture-with%20vajra%20%28kushaana%20period%29.jpg"
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