Most of the readers focused on the heroes and villains in famous epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana. We never notice the strong characters that are not popular. One such quite unknown character is Indrajit or Meghanada, Warrior prince of Lanka.
In Sanskrit’s literal translation the name “Indrajit” mentioned as “Conqueror of Indra” and Meghanada as “Thunderous”. In Tamil literal translation the name Meghanada mentioned as “One with the voice as deep as the (rumbling) Clouds”. He defeated Indra, after which he came to be known as Indrajit.
Indrajit was a son of Ravana and a possessor of Indra Loka(heaven). Indrajit played an active role in the battle between Lord Rama and Ravana. He was a mighty Atimaharathi and said to be invulnerable in battle because of a Yajna he used to perform before every battle.
Indrajit is considered as the powerful warrior of his era and the only warriors along with Parshurama to ever possess the three ultimate weapons of Trimurti, i.e. Brahmanda Astra, Vaishnava Astra, and Pashupatastra. He learned all kinds of cosmic weapons from his Guru Shukracharya, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva. By defeating the devas in heaven he took their weapons and become the possessor of deva. Indrajit killed 670 million Vanara’s in a day, nearly killing the entire half man-half monkey race.
Indrajit was the eldest son of Ravana and Mandodari, the daughter of Mayasura. Because his birth cry sounded like thunder, He was named Meghanada after his birth. When Meghanada was going to be born, Ravana desired his son to be supreme so that no one in the world could defeat him. Ravana wanted him to be the warrior and extremely knowledgeable. Ravana knew a great priest and as per his instructions he controlled all the planets and constellations in such a position that would allow his son to be born the way he wanted. All the planets and constellation feared Ravana, because of his anger and power. All the planets united in such a way that they come in the 11th house of his Meghanada’s horoscope and Meghanada was born.
At a very young age, Meghanada became the possessor of several supreme celestial weapons, including Brahmanda Astra, Pashupatastra, and Vaishnavastra, under the guidance of Shukracharya, the guru of the Asuras. He was married to Sulochana, the daughter of the King of the Serpents Shesha Naga.
Brahma’s boon
Meghanada defeated all the Devas and Indra, during a battle between the Devas and Ravana. Meghanada secured and fixed Indra onto his celestial chariot and pulled him to Ravana in Lanka. Indra became a prisoner in Lanka for several hundred years until Lord Brahma intervened and asked Meghanada to free Indra.
Meghanada indebted and was allowed a chance to ask for a boon from Brahma. Meghanada asked for immortality, but Brahma remarked that absolute immortality is against the law of nature. He was then allowed another boon that after the completion of his Yagna and become immortal. But Brahma also advised him that whosoever would destroy this yajna would also kill him.
Astra’s of Indrajit
Indrajit was taught under the guidance of Shukra and acquired all kinds of divine weapons of man, Devas, asura, and Trimurtis. The weaponry is characterized mainly into two types. One is Shastra, a handheld weapon like a sword, lance, or mace. The other is Astra, a missile invoked by performing hymns.
Battle against hanuman
Hanuman, one of the strongest beings on Earth to ever live was defeated by Indrajit. Indrajit captured and defeated him by using powerful celestial weapons including the Brahmastra.
Battle against Rama & Lakshmana
When all his brothers had been killed by Rama and his army, Meghanada joined the battle. His father had been humiliated in the war and his paternal uncle Kumbhakarna had been killed by Rama. Thus, Indrajit battled with Rama’s army for three days.
Meghanada even bound Rama and Lakshmana with the Nagpash. The king of birds Garuda subsequently freed Rama and Lakshmana from the Nagpash by killing the serpent. When Meghanada came to know that Lakshman had survived again, he went to his native deity’s secret temple to perform the yagna that would make him immortal. Lakshmana and Vibhisana took the chance to face Indrajit in the “Yagnaagaar”, where Indrajit would not touch any weapons
He fought Lakshman with the yagna and even was able to get away from there. But before Indrajit could get armed Lakshmana chopped his head off his body in a brutal beheading with the Aindrastra. His wife Sulochana became Sati upon his death.
Indrajit is said to be one of the most skilled warriors. He was said to be so expert in archery that he could kill numerous opponents with one arrow shot from his bow. Indrajit was also capable of scattering darkness and ignorance among enemies. He created a false version of Sita and killed her in front of Vanaras, demoralizing them.
Originally published at https://vedicfeed.com on August 17, 2020.
