Indra

Also known as: Him who shoots the thunder flame / King of Heaven / Lord Indra / Lord of the skies / Mahendra / Sákra / Thousand-eyed / Town-destroying Indra / Śakra · Family: Gods · Role: king of the Gods · First appears: Book I, Canto 5 · Ayodhyá

In Book I, Indra’s child Báli was born. In Book I, Canto 26, Indra slew his friend Namuchi, then the Gods and saints bathed him and made him pure again; he blessed Malaja and Karúsha. He slew Manthará (daughter of Virochan) when she sought to devastate the earth, and in Book I, Canto 31, Bali won dominion over him and the three worlds before the universe was restored to Indra’s rule. In the tale told by the hermit in Book I, Canto 40, Indra disguised himself as a demon and stole the sacrificial horse.

In Book I, Canto 47, Indra cleft Diti’s bud into seven parts, then granted her request that her children become Maruts and receive heavenly forms; he also smote Bali until he died. In Book I, Canto 48, disguised as Gautam, he wooed Ahalyá, who yielded to his desire, and Gautam cursed him to become sexless. He rejected Triśanku in Book I, Canto 60, sending him falling toward earth, but the Gods granted Viśvámitra’s request to keep Triśanku in heaven among his stars. In Book I, Canto 61, Indra took the sacrificial charger intended for Ambarísha, and in Cantos 63–64 he summoned Rambhá and ordered her to seduce Viśvámitra.

In Book III, Canto 5, Indra departed for heaven in his car. In the tale told by Sítá in Canto 9, he left his sword with Śuchi to keep; in Canto 30, he had given Ráma the fiery arrow called Brahmá’s staff. At Brahmá’s command in Canto 57, Indra brought heavenly food to Sítá in Lanká, where Sleep closed the giants’ eyes to aid his plan. He gave Kabandha arms a league long and foretold that Ráma and Lakshmaṇ would cut them, releasing his soul to the skies.

In Book IV, Indra slew Viśvarúpa and Maya. He struck Hanumán with a red bolt, shattering his cheek, then swore that his thunderbolt would never injure him. In Book VI, Indra repaid Jámbaván with boons and fought Kumbhakarṇa, who struck him and drove him from the fight. He sent Mátali with his chariot and weapons for Ráma in Canto 103, and in Canto 122 granted Ráma’s request to restore the slain Vánars to life.