Encyclopedia for Epics of Ancient India A - B - C - D - E - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - P - R - S - T - U - V - Y

Indrani

INDRANI. [Source: Dowson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology] Wife of Indra, and mother of Jayanta and Jayanti. She is also called Sachi and Aindri.

She is mentioned a few times in the Rigveda, and is said to be the most fortunate of females, "for her husband shall never die of old age." The Taittiriya Brahmana states that Indra chose her for his wife from a number of competing goddesses, because she surpassed them all in voluptuous attractions.

In the Ramayana and Puranas she appears as the daughter of the Daitya Puloman, from whom she has the patronymic Paulomi. She was ravished by Indra, who killed her father to escape his curse.

According to the Mahabharata, King Nahusha became enamoured of her, and she escaped from him with difficulty.

Indrani has never been held in very high esteem as a goddess.

Modern Languages MLLL-4993. Indian Epics. Laura Gibbs, Ph.D. The textual material made available at this website is licensed under a Creative Commons License. You must give the original author credit. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a license identical to this one. No claims are made regarding the status of images used at this website; if you own the copyright privileges to any of these images and believe your copyright privileges have been violated, please contact the webmaster. Page last updated: October 16, 2007 12:22 PM