Lesson plan
Indra
Indra ( ; , ) is the supreme Vedic god and a major deity in Hinduism who is the king of the devas and Heaven (Known as Svar in Vedism and later Svarga in Hinduism). He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, sovereignty, power, kingship, truth, fertility, virtue, storms, rains, river flows, and war. Indra is the most frequently mentioned deity in the Rigveda. He is celebrated for his powers based on his status as a god of order, and as the one who killed the great evil, an asura named Vritra, who obstructed human prosperity and happiness. Indra destroys Vritra and his "deceiving forces", and thereby brings rain and sunshine as the saviour of mankind. Indra's significance diminishes in the post-Vedic Indian literature, but he still plays an important role in various religious accounts. He is depicted as a powerful hero. According to the Vishnu Purana, Indra is the title borne by the king of the gods, which changes every Manvantara – a cyclic period of time in Hindu cosmology. Each Manvantara has its own Indra and the Indra of the current Manvantara is called Purandhara. Indra is also depicted in Buddhist ( ) and Jain texts. Indra rules over the much-sought Devas realm of rebirth within the Samsara doctrine of Buddhist traditions.…
Article summary
Indra ( ; , ) is the supreme Vedic god and a major deity in Hinduism who is the king of the devas and Heaven (Known as Svar in Vedism and later Svarga in Hinduism). He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, sovereignty, power, kingship, truth, fertility, virtue, storms, rains, river flows, and war. Indra is the most frequently mentioned deity in the Rigveda. He is celebrated for his powers based on his status as a god of order, and as the one who killed the great evil, an asura named Vritra, who obstructed human prosperity and happiness. Indra destroys Vritra and his "deceiving forces", and thereby brings rain and sunshine as the saviour of mankind. Indra's significance diminishes in the post-Vedic Indian literature, but he still plays an important role in various religious accounts. He is depicted as a powerful hero. According to the Vishnu Purana, Indra is the title borne by the king of the gods, which changes every Manvantara – a cyclic period of time in Hindu cosmology. Each Manvantara has its own Indra and the Indra of the current Manvantara is called Purandhara. Indra is also depicted in Buddhist ( ) and Jain texts. Indra rules over the much-sought Devas realm of rebirth within the Samsara doctrine of Buddhist traditions.…
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.