Hindu Mythology

The colorful deities and demons of India...

INDRA

Hindu Supreme God

Also known as Śakra

Picture of the Hindu Supreme God Indra from our Hindu mythology image library. Illustration by Chas Saunders.

Deva leader and Supreme Ruler of the Vedic Gods

He’s a superstar deity in charge of War, Storms and Fighting, and also invented the curious practice of drinking water. As a supreme Leader of the Gods he is honored and admired. He rides a white elephant and runs his affairs from the world’s only portable Heaven (patent pending).

However, like Zeus and many other top gods, he has a tendency to abuse his position, indulging in wayward behavior such as sexual naughtiness and alcoholism. When it comes to drink he prefers the hard stuff, guzzling huge quantities of the potent Soma which seems to set him off with thunderbolts. He drinks so much his elephant is probably pink by now.

Perhaps of his best known exploits is battling the evil Vritra, who’d nicked all the world’s water and could only be defeated by a massive boozing session. Sadly, Indra seems to have faded into the background now and may even be in a clinic for gods with problems.

After a very naughty fling with Gautama’s beautiful wife Ahalya, Indra was punished with an embarrassing curse. First he lost his testicles, and then his body was covered with hundreds of tiny vaginas. To avoid shame he tells everyone they are eyes, which explains his nickname ‘Indra the Thousand-Eyed’.

Disclaimer: We haven’t actually seen or counted all the vaginas. There are some limits to a Godchecker’s duties.

Indra Facts and Figures

Name: Indra
Pronunciation: Coming soon
Alternative names: Śakra

Gender: Male
Type: God
Celebration or Feast Day: Unknown at present

Role:
In charge of: Everything
Area of expertise: Supreme, Everything

Good/Evil Rating: GOOD, quite approachable
Popularity index: 11352

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Article last revised on September 18, 2018 by Rowan Allen.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders

References: Coming soon.

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