The hair on the demon's body and his beard and moustache were the colour of melted copper, and his eyes were piercing like the midday sun. Tall and blackish, he appeared like a burnt hill and was as lustrous as a bright array of clouds in the evening. SB 6.9.13-17: Like arrows released in the four directions, the demon's body grew, day after day.
SB 6.9.12: Thereafter, from the southern side of the sacrificial fire known as Anvaharya came a fearful personality who looked like the destroyer of the entire creation at the end of the millennium. He offered oblations in the sacrificial fire, saying, "O enemy of Indra, flourish to kill your enemy without delay." SB 6.9.11: After Visvarupa was killed, his father, Tvashta, performed ritualistic ceremonies to kill Indra. Srimad Bhagavatam recognizes Vritra as a bhakta (devotee) of Vishnu who was slain only due to his failure to live piously and without aggression. Indra used the foam (which Vishnu had entered to ensure victory) from the waves of the ocean to kill him at twilight. Vishnu and the rishis (sages) brokered a truce, with Indra swearing that he would not attack Vritra with anything made of metal, wood or stone, nor anything that was dry or wet, or during the day or the night. The battle continued and Indra was eventually forced to flee. Vritra won the battle and swallowed Indra, but the other gods forced him to vomit Indra out. Sanaka and other sages preaching to Shukracharya and VrutrasuraĪs told in the narration given to King Yudhishthira in the Mahabharata, Vritra was a demon created by artisan god Tvashta to avenge the killing of his son by Indra, known as Triśiras or Viśvarūpa. The verses describe the events and circumstances leading up to the battle between Indra and Vritra, the battle itself, and the outcome of the battle. Hymn 18 of Mandala IV provides the most elaborate account of the Vedic version. In one of the versions of the story, three Devas – Varuna, Soma and Agni – were coaxed by Indra into aiding him in the fight against Vritra, whereas before they had been on the side of Vritra (whom they called " Father"). Vritra's mother, Danu, who was also the mother of the Dānava race of asuras, was then attacked and defeated by Indra with his thunderbolt. "Slayer of Vritra" and also as "slayer of the first-born of dragons"). For this feat, Indra became known as "Vṛtrahan" (lit. Vritra broke Indra's two jaws during the battle, but was then thrown down by Indra and, in falling, crushed the fortresses that had already been shattered. Tvashtri fashioned the thunderbolt ( Vajrayudha) for Indra, and Vishnu, when asked to do so by Indra, made space for the battle by taking the three great strides for which Vishnu became famous. The combat began soon after Indra was born, and he had drunk a large volume of Soma at Tvashtri's house to empower him before facing Vritra. Check them out at the Database A-Z list ,Ĭheck out our most frequently-asked questions, Discovery Search, eJournals A-Z list, Electronic Resources Temporarily Available for Research, E-Reserves, Research Guides, and more.Indra kills Vrttirasura (story from Rig Veda, featured in Bhagavata)Īccording to the Rig Veda, Vritra kept the waters of the world captive until he was killed by Indra, who destroyed all the 99 fortresses of Vritra (although the fortresses are sometimes attributed to Sambara) before liberating the imprisoned rivers. Nexis Uni, E&E News, (including Energywire, Climatewire, E&E Daily, Greenwire, and E&E News PM) and Alexander Street’s AVON (Academic Video OnLine). New resources at the Libraries for the campus community Du Bois Library, at the Science & Engineering Library, and at Mount Ida's Wadsworth Library. Interlibrary loan items are available for pickup at service desks on the Lower Level of the W. Self-service pickup and checkout of UMass and Five Colleges requested items (holds) are available at all Library locations. UMass students, staff, and faculty may request a return shipping label by filling out this form. Please drop off materials at the Du Bois Library or Lederle Lowrise. The Libraries' Book Drop at the Robsham Visitor's Center is not in service due to construction.