Indra and Viswarupa

 

Story of Indra and Viswarupa

 

Lord Indra was the king of the Devas in heaven and the master of the pancha boothas. We have many tales where the kingdom of the Devas is in trouble due to their own excesses or due to a powerful asura getting greedy and trying to capture their kingdom. This is one such story. 

The Devas and Asuras who we talk about in many of our stories are actually half-brothers. The Danavas (Devas) are sons of Maharishi Kashyap through his wife Danu, daughter of the original progenitor, Daksha Prajapathi. The Daithyas (Asuras) are sons of Maharishi Kashyap through his wife Dithi.

 

One day Indra was wandering through his celestial gardens. The garden was in full bloom as it was spring. The bees were buzzing and the birds were singing. The whole place was a riot of colours, smells and sounds. Indra was feeling proud that this beautiful and incomparable place is his kingdom and all the devas and the apsaras were at his command. He was so immersed in his thoughts that he did not see his Guru Brihaspathi approach him to discuss something. Brishaspathi waited for sometime for the Devaraja to notice him and pay his respects. Unfortunately, Indira was otherwise occupied. Annoyed at such a show of disrespect, Brihaspathi disappeared.

 

The disappearance of a Guru from the Devaloka resulted in a vacuum where the Devas did not have anyone to guide them on important matters. Without guidance, they were also unable to perform their regular offerings to the Brahman, resulting in loss of valour and lustre. The Asuras, getting wind of this problem and the consequent loss of powers of the Devas, repeatedly attack them. In all these attacks, the weakened and demoralised Devas are beaten quite badly.

 

Things deteriorated fast and the Devaloka lost all its beauty and allure. Indira, the king of the Devas and the root cause of the problem went to the creator Lord Brahma and prayed that he should show the way. Lord Brahma was not sympathetic. He told Indra “Your arrogance was the cause of this problem. You of all people should know that a Guru is more than God and without a Guru one is directionless. Instead of setting an example for the three worlds, you have let things become this bad. Indra, you have to remember that you have been given custody of the Devaloka and are expected to guide the Dhanavas under you. You are neither the owner of Devaloka nor or you the master of the Dhanavas.”.

 

After seeing a repentant Indra and the state of the Devas, Lord Brahma took pity. He told Indra, “Go request Twasta to send his younger son Visvarupa as the Guru for the Devas.” Acting on this advice, Indra went to Twasta who graciously agreed to send his son Visvarupa as the Devaguru.

 

Once the Devas got a preceptor (Guru), they were able to think and act clearly. This helped them in strategizing and winning their conflicts against the Asuras. It also helped them to set right their kingdom as the yagnas and the pujas were done as defined in the shastras and this resulted in better prosperity and happiness.

 

Visvarupa also had a Daitya (Asura) connection from his mother Rochana’s side. When he did the yagnas on behalf of the Devas, he also was doing an offering into the sacrificial fire on behalf of the Asuras. Indra saw this happening once and got very angry and cut off the head of Visvarupa with his vajra ayudha (mace like weapon).

 

When Sage Twasta heard of the death of his son Visvarupa in the hands of Indra, he got very angry. He took a lock of his hair and offered it in the fire with some chants. From the fire emerged an awful looking creature breathing fire by the name Vritra emerged. Vritra, the demon had flames for his tongue and was breathing hot air and scorched anything that came his way. Unable to bear the heat generated by the demon, the Devas fled. The demon chased them wherever they went.

 

Unable to run any longer they went to Sri Vishnu for help. Vishnu asked them to go Sage Dadichi (who had got the boon of having boons that were more powerful than the Vajra ayudha) and request for his bones. Vishnu said that with Dadichi’s bones that were strengthened by long years of meditation and divine blessings, they can overcome Vritra. The Devas went to Dadichi and requested him to give his bones. Dadichi sacrificed his body and gave his bones for the cause of Devas. (We had earlier written about Dadichi and his bones in the story  (https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/02/of-ego-clashes-and-loss-of-friendship.html) )

 

Armed with the bones of Dadichi, the Devas again went to battle against Vritra and the Asuras. A fierce fight ensued. After many years of fight, finally Vritra and Indra came to face to face. Vritra was enraged to see the killer of his brother Visvarupa. He fought skilfully and bravely and Indra found it difficult to keep up with him.

 

Vritra told Indra “I have been waiting to see you face to face. You killed my brother Visvarupa, who came to your kingdom to help you gain your glory back. I am aware that the weapon you hold in your hand is made of Sage Dadichi’s bones and has the power to kill me. I am waiting to reach the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu. But before I go there, I want to teach you a lesson you will never forget.” Vritra flung a weapon at Indra. Indra laughed and cut off Vritra’s hand.

 

Furious now, Vritra opened his mouth and the flames swallowed Indra with the Airavata (Airavata is Indra’s elephant). Indra prayed to Lord Vishnu inside Vritra’s stomach and used the weapon made of Dadichi’s bones to tear the demon and come out. The Devas watched their king emerge from the dead body of Vritra. Vritra reached the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu as he desired.

 

Indra and the Devas were finally free of the demon. They still did not have a Guru. Lord Brahma counselled Indra to pray to his Guru Brihaspathi. Repentant and ashamed, Indra did as he was told. Brihaspathi came back to Devaloka and Indra took his blessings and went back humbled. This is how this tale is narrated in the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata.

 

Twist in the Tale

As always, some of our stories have many versions and references across the puranic texts. The story of Visvarupa finds place in other puranas also. In the Udyoga Parva of the Mahabharta and in the Devi Bhagavata Purana the same Visvarupa is mentioned.

 

In that version, Sage Twasta had a dispute with Lord Indra. He and his wife Rochana (who was the daughter of Prahaladha) have a son called Visvarupa. Visvarupa was also called as Trisiras as he had three heads. Trisiras’s three heads namely Somapitha, Surapitha and Annada were used to consume food, wine and reciting the Vedas respectively.

 

In a similar way, Trisiras becomes the Devaguru and Indra cuts off his head. He sent a carpenter to ensure that all the heads are severed properly so that there is no chance of Trisiras reviving. When Visvarupa (Trisiras) died, from the head that chanted Vedas, Kapinjala birds emerged. From the head that consumed food, Titthri birds emerged and from the head that consumed soma (wine), Kalapinga birds emerged.

 

Hearing about his son Trisira’s death did a yagna and from it emerged Vritra. The rest of the story is similar about his battle with Indra, and demise using the weapons made of Dadichi’s bones.