It is related that on one occasion, in the form of a shepherd boy, Indra robbed the garden of a peasant. In this theft he was detected. The story is told in a hymn ' The sage musician chose ; He told how Sochi, soft as morning light, Blythe Sachi, from her lord Indrani bight, When through clear skies their car ethereal rose, Fixed on a garden trim her wandering sight, Where gay pomegranates, fresh with early dew, Vaunted their blossoms new ; Oh pluck, she said, you gems, which nature dresses To grace my darker tresses.
In form a sheplerd's boy, a god in soul, He hastened, and the bloomy treasure stole.
The reckless peasant, who those glowing flOwerli, Hopeful of rubied fruit, had fostered long, Seized, and with cordage strong Shackled the god, who gave him showers.
Straight from seven winds immortal Genii flew, Varuna green, whom foamy waves obey, Bright Vahni, flaming like the lamp of day, Cuvera, sought by all, enjoyed by few, Marut, who bids the winged breezes play, Stern Yama, ruthless judge, and Isa cold, With Nairit mildly bold They with the ruddy flash, that points his thunder, Rend his vain bands asunder.
The exulting god resumes his thousand eyes, Four arms divine, and robes of changing dyes.' To understand these allusions, it must be re membered that the Hindus have assigned regents to each cardinal and intermediate point of the compass. Indra being esteemed the first of firmamental and especially the ruler of the east, that point is reckoned first, and the others are thus ruled :—Agni, south-east ; Yama, south; Nairit, south-west ; Varuna, west ; Vayu, north-west ; Kuvera, north ; Isa or Isani, north east. To which are sometimes added three other quarters or points, viz. above, governed by Brahma ; below, by Naga or Scsba Naga, the king of serpents, otherwise named Vauki ; and the centre, ruled by Rudra or Siva.
Indra is called Sakra in consequence of being the evil adviser of the demons or asura, by whom he was so often driven from heaven ; but also, with mythological inconsistency, Pakushasani, he who governs the gods with justice ; Shatkratu, he to whom a hundred sacrifices are made ; Vitraba, Bularati, and Numuchisadana, the de stroyer of the giants ; Urisha, the holy ; Meghusa dana, he who is borne on the clouds, etc., etc.
Indra possesses the following blessings, produced at the churning of the ocean :—Kaindenu, the all yielding cow ; I'ariyataka, the tree of plenty ; and Uchisrava, the eight-headed horse. The princes of Kangti, the rajas of Assam, and other chiefs in the eastern parts of. India, claim to have derived their origin from Indra.
One of his numerous names is Dyupeti, or, in the nominative case, before certain letters, Dyn pctir, which means the Lord of Heaven. He may be considered as the Jove of Ennius, in his memorable line ' Aspice hoc sublime candens, (mem invocant °ranee Jovem; where the poet clearly means the firmament, of which Indra is the personification.
Indra is fabled to reside in the celestial city of Amravati, where his palace Vaijayanta is situated in the garden Nandana, which contains the all yielding trees Pariyataka, Kalpadruma, and three others similarly bountiful. He rides the elephant Airavati, driven by his charioteer Matali, and he holds the weapon Vajra or the thunderbolt, and he is hence named Vajrapani. His chief musician is named Chitra-rat'ha, who rides in a painted car, which on one occasion was burned by Arjun, the confidential friend and agent of Krishna or the sun. The water-spout is said to be the trunk of his elephant, and the iris is appropriately called his bow, which it is not deemed auspicious to point out. Menu says, ' Let not him who knows right from wrong, and sees in the sky the bow of Indra, show it to any man.' His consort is Indrani, or Aindri, or Mahendri, also named Pulomaya, sometimes Powlumi and Sachi, and she is very as well as beautiful.—Williams' Nala ; Coleman; Menu ; Moore ; Cal. Rev.; N. Br. Rev. ; Sir W. Jones' Hymn to Indra, xiii. p. 275.