One of the main gods as per the Rigveda is Indra. He is also called ‘the thousand-eyed’ and the king of the gods, according to Hindu mythology. He performs various roles as stated in many of the earlier religious texts. He conquers the Asuras (the anti-gods) as a great warrior, as god of the thunderbolt he brings in rain and he defeats endless number of superhuman and human enemies. He also leads cattle raids against native inhabitants of the lands, over which his people range which are the dasyus or the dasas. Drinks of soma – the elixir of immortality provide him strength to deal with the feats. Maruts (or the Rudras) who ride direct storms and clouds are the allies of Indra.
Though Indra is no longer worshipped in later form of Hinduism, he plays a vital mythological role as guardian of the east, regent of the heavens and god of rain. Arjuna the great hero is fathered by Indra, in the Mahabharata. Indra tries very hard in stopping Agni, the god of fire from burning the forest, as stated in the Mahabharata.
In the ancient collections of Hindu legends and myths, in the Puranas, Vishnu’s avatar Krishna induces the cowherds of Gokula to discontinue worshipping Indra. The angry Indra sends down a deluge of rain. However Krishna uses his fingertip to pick Mount Govardhana and provides shelter to the people for a week till the time the relenting Indra pays him adulation. Indra is depicted riding the Airavata, the white elephant in many sculptures and paintings in India.
