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52. VRITRA
The battle had raged for a long while
when Vritra praising the Lord Vishnu,
said to Indra: "Meanest of the mean, why
do you not use the unfailing Vajrayudha?
Hallowed by Hari, use it against me and I
shall attain blessedness through Hari."
Indra maimed Vritra by chopping off his
right arm but, undaunted, the latter hurled
with his left band, his iron mace at his
assailant who thereupon cut down his
other arm also. When Indra disappeared
into the mouth of Vritra, great was the
consternation of the gods.
But Indra was not dead. He ripped Vritra's
belly open and issuing forth went to the
nearby beach. And directing his
thunderbolt at the water hurled it so that
the surf flew and hit Vritra. Vishnu having
entered the foam, it became a deadly
weapon and the mighty Vritra lay dead.
The long battle thus ended and the
afflicted world heaved a sigh of relief. But
to Indra himself, the end of the war
brought only ignominy because his
victory was secured through sin and deceit
and is went into hiding for sheer shame.
Indra's disappearance caused the gods and
the rishis great distress. For a people
without a king or a council of state to
govern them cannot prosper. So they went
to the good and mighty king Nahusha and
offered him the crown.
"Forgive me, I cannot be your king. Who
am I to aspire to the seat of Indra? How
can I protect you? It is impossible," he
humbly objected. But they insisted,
saying: "Do not hesitate. Be anointed our
king. All the merit and potency of our
penance will be yours and be an addition
to your strength. The power and the
energy of everyone you set your eyes on
shall be transferred to you and you will be
invincible." Thus over-powered, he
agreed. Revolution is no new thing. This
story shows that, even in the world of the
gods, there was a revolution leading to
Indra's dethronement and Nahusha's
installation as king in his stead. The story
of Nahusha's fall is also instructive.
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