Editing Vritra

{{short description|Asura in Hinduism}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| deity_of = Personification of drought<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6zj3DwAAQBAJ&dq=vritra+personification+drought&pg=PA92 | isbn=9780429624650 | title=Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. In Two Volumes. Volume I A-L | date=9 April 2019 | publisher=Routledge }}</ref>
| father = [[Tvashtr]]
| mother = [[Danu (Hinduism)|Danu]]
| affiliation = [[Asura]]
| image = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| Indo-european_equivalent = [[H₂n̥gʷʰis]]
}}
'''Vritra''' ({{Langx|sa|वृत्र|lit=enveloper}}, {{IAST3|Vṛtrá}}, {{IPA|sa|ʋr̩.ˈtrɐ}}) is a [[Danava (Hinduism)|danava]] in [[Hinduism]]. He serves as the personification of [[drought]], and is an adversary of the king of the [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]], [[Indra]]. As a danava, he belongs to the race of the [[asura]]s.{{Anachronism inline|date=July 2024|reason=The identification between danavas and asuras is a Hindu phenomenon absent in the Vedas}} Vritra is also known in the [[Vedas]] as '''Ahi''' ({{langx|sa|अहि|lit=snake}} {{IAST3|ahi}} {{IPA|sa|ɐ.hi}}). He appears as a human-like serpent blocking the course of the Rigvedic [[Rigvedic rivers|rivers]], and is slain by [[Indra]] with his newly forged [[vajra]].<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/63 63]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref>

==Etymology==
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2024}}
''Vritra'' literally means "cover, obstacle", in reference of him holding back the waters. It stems from [[Proto-Indo-Iranian language|Proto-Indo-Iranian]] ''*wr̥trás'', from the [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] root ''*wer-'' "to cover, to obstruct". The Indo-Iranian word is also found in [[Avestan]] as ''[[Verethragna|vərəθraγna]]'' (Vedic ''vṛtraghná''), literally "(one who) slays obstacles". Functionally, he is related to [[Jörmungandr]] of Norse myth, [[Typhon]] of Greek myth, and [[Veles (god)|Veles]] of Slavic myth.

==Literature ==

=== Vedas ===
[[File: Indra kills Vrttirasura (story from Rik Veda, featured in Bhagavatha).jpg|left|thumb|Indra kills Vritrasura (story from the Rig Veda, featured in Bhagavata)]]
According to the [[Rig Veda]], Vritra kept the [[Ap (water)|waters]] of the world captive until he was killed by Indra, who destroyed all the 99 fortresses of Vritra (although the fortresses are sometimes attributed to [[Sambara]]){{By whom|date=July 2024}} before liberating the imprisoned rivers. The combat began soon after [[Indra]] was born, and he consumed a large volume of [[Soma (drink)|Soma]] at [[Tvashtri]]'s house to empower him before facing Vritra. [[Tvashtri]] fashioned the thunderbolt ([[Vajrayudha]]) for Indra, and Vishnu, when asked to do so by Indra, made space for the battle by taking the three great strides, for which Vishnu became famous, and was later adapted in his legend of [[Vamana]].<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rvsan/rv01154.htm Rig-Veda 1.154 (Sanskrit)]</ref>

Vritra broke Indra's two jaws during the battle, but was then thrown down by Indra and, in falling, crushed the fortresses that had already been shattered.<ref name="Rig-Veda 1.32 English">[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda/rv01032.htm Rig-Veda 1.32 (English)]</ref><ref name="Rig-Veda 1.32Sanskrit">[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rvsan/rv01032.htm Rig-Veda 1.32(Sanskrit)]</ref> For this feat, Indra became known as "Vṛtrahan" (lit. "Slayer of Vritra" and also as "slayer of the first-born of dragons"). Vritra's mother, [[Danu (Asura)|Danu]], who was also the mother of the [[Danava (Hinduism)|danava]] race of [[asuras]], was then attacked and defeated by Indra with his thunderbolt.<ref name="Rig-Veda 1.32 English" /><ref name="Rig-Veda 1.32Sanskrit" /> In one of the versions of the story, three devas – [[Varuna]], [[Soma (deity)|Soma]], and [[Agni]] – were coaxed by Indra into aiding him in the fight against Vritra, whereas before they had been on the side of Vritra (whom they called "[[Father]]").<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda/rv10124.htm Rig-Veda 1.124 (English)]</ref><ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rvsan/rv10124.htm Rig-Veda 1.124 (Sanskrit)]</ref>

Hymn 18 of Mandala IV provides the most elaborate account of the Vedic version. The verses describe the events and circumstances leading up to the battle between Indra and Vritra, the battle itself, and the outcome of the battle.<ref>[http://rigvedaanalysis.wordpress.com/2014/03/23/the-birth-of-indra-end-of-an-ice-age/ The birth of Indra and slaying of Vritra according to Vamadeva mandala - RV 4.018]</ref>

=== Puranas ===
As told in the narration given to King [[Yudhishthira]] in the [[Mahabharata]], Vritra was an asura created by the artisan god [[Tvashta|Tvashtri]] to avenge the killing of his son by Indra, known as [[Trisiras|Triśiras or Viśvarūpa]]. Vritra won the battle and swallowed Indra, but the other deities forced him to vomit Indra out. The battle continued and Indra was eventually forced to flee. Vishnu and the [[rishi]]s (sages) brokered a truce, with Indra swearing that he would not attack Vritra with anything made of metal, wood or stone, nor anything that was dry or wet, or during the day or the night. Indra used the foam (which Vishnu had entered to ensure victory) from the waves of the ocean to kill him at twilight.

The [[Bhagavata Purana|Srimad Bhagavatam]] recognizes Vritra as a [[bhakta]] (devotee) of Vishnu<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/faith/true-grace/article29693486.ece|title=True grace|date=2019-10-15|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-12-14|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> who was slain only due to his failure to live piously and without aggression.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vedabase.net/sb/6/9/en1|title=Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 6 Chapter 9|website=vedabase.net|access-date=2019-12-14|archive-date=23 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223122148/https://vedabase.net/sb/6/9/en1|url-status=dead}}</ref> This story runs thus:

SB 6.9.11: After Visvarupa was killed, his father, Tvashta, performed ritualistic ceremonies to kill Indra. He offered oblations in the sacrificial fire, saying, "O enemy of Indra, flourish to kill your enemy without delay."

SB 6.9.12: Thereafter, from the southern side of the sacrificial fire known as Anvaharya came a fearful personality who looked like the destroyer of the entire creation at the end of the millennium.

SB 6.9.13-17: Like arrows released in the four directions, the demon's body grew, day after day. Tall and blackish, he appeared like a burnt hill and was as lustrous as a bright array of clouds in the evening. The hair on the demon's body and his beard and moustache were the colour of melted copper, and his eyes were piercing like the midday sun. He appeared unconquerable as if holding the three worlds on the points of his blazing trident. Dancing and shouting with a loud voice, he made the entire surface of the earth tremble as if from an earthquake. As he yawned, again and again, he seemed to be trying to swallow the whole sky with his mouth, which was as deep as a cave. He seemed to be licking up all the stars in the sky with his tongue and eating the entire universe with his long, sharp teeth. Seeing this gigantic demon, everyone, in great fear, ran here and there in all directions.

SB 6.9.18: That very fearful demon, who was actually the son of Tvashta, covered all the planetary systems by dint of austerity. Therefore, he was named Vritra, or one who covers everything.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://vedabase.net/sb/6/9/en1 |title=Srimad Bhagavatam 6:9 |access-date=6 April 2014 |archive-date=15 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015041917/http://vedabase.net/sb/6/9/en1 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Vritra became the head of the asuras (portrayed as inherently malicious here, as opposed to the Vedic version, in which they may be benevolent or malevolent). He renounced his [[dharma]] – duty – to do good unto others and turned to violence, battling with the devas. Eventually, he gained the upper hand, and the devas were frightened of his evil might. Led by Indra, they approached [[Vishnu]] for help. He told them that Vritra could not be destroyed by ordinary means, revealing that only a weapon made from the bones of a sage could slay him. When the deities revealed their doubts about the likelihood of any ascetic donating his body, Vishnu directed them to approach the rishi [[Dadhichi]]. When approached by the deities, Dadhichi gladly gave up his bones for the cause of the good, stating that it would be better for his bones to help them attain victory than to rot in the ground. The devas collected the bones and Indra crafted the [[Vajra]]yudha from them. When they engaged Vritra again, the battle lasted for 360 days before Vritra breathed his last.

In [[Vaishnavism]], Vritra is depicted to be a devotee of Vishnu. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, when the vajra-armed Indra and the devas battle against Vritra and his asuras, the Vritra proclaims that were he to fall in battle, he would be blessed, since the vajra was imbued with the power of Vishnu and Dadhichi. During the single combat between Indra and Vritra, the former drops his vajra when he is struck on the cheek. Even as the devas gasp, Vritra merely advises him to pick up his weapon, since life and death are the same for him, as he believes that they are all instruments of Vishnu. Indra marvels at the asura's devotion to the preserver deity. When the king of the devas succeeds in slicing both of his opponent's arms, the latter swallows him whole, along with [[Airavata]]. Protected by Vishnu, Indra cuts open the belly of Vritra and escapes, finally beheading him with the vajra. Vritra ascends to [[Vaikuntha]] upon his death.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Swami |first=Bodhasarananda |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a4SoCwAAQBAJ&dq=vritra+vajra&pg=PT54 |title=Stories from the Bhagavatam |date=2016-03-02 |publisher=Advaita Ashrama |isbn=978-81-7505-814-9 |language=en}}</ref>

According to the Puranas, the terrible anthropomorphic personification of [[Brāhmanahatya|Brāhmanahatya (Brahmanicide)]] chased Indra and forced him into hiding for his sin,<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05009.htm Mahabharata 5.9] and [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05010.htm Mahabharata 5.10] (English).</ref><ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs05009.htm Mahabharata 5.9] and [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs05010.htm Mahabharata 5.10](Sanskrit)</ref> and [[Nahusha]] was invited to take his place.<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05011.htm Mahabharata 5.11] (English).</ref><ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs05011.htm Mahabharata 5.11](Sanskrit)</ref>

==Buddhism==
In the [[Pali Canon]], Vritra is alluded to when the Buddha addresses [[Śakra (Buddhism)|Śakra]] with the title "Vatrabhū."<ref>{{cite web |title=SN 2.3 |url=https://suttacentral.net/sn2.3/pli/ms}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Jörmungandr]]
*[[Susna]]
*[[Typhon]]
*[[Vala (Vedic)|Vala]] (Vritra's brother)
*[[Vedic mythology]]
*[[Veles (god)|Veles]]
*[[Verethragna]]
*[[Yamata no Orochi]]
*[[Yato-no-kami]]
*[[Nāga]]
*[[Mahoraga]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
 
*{{Cite book | last=Radhakrishna | first=B.P | title=Vedic Sarasvati and the Dawn of Indian Civilization | publisher=Memoir Geological Society of India | edition = 42 | year=1999 }}
*{{Cite book | last=Griffith | first=Ralph | title=Hymns of the Rigveda | year=1896 | publisher=Lawrence Verry Incorporated | isbn=0-8426-0592-4}}
* Ganguli, Kisari (1883–96, reprinted 1975). ''The Mahabharata''. {{ISBN|0-89684-429-3}}.

==External links==
*https://web.archive.org/web/20070104221418/http://members.cox.net/apamnapat/entities/Vritra.html
 
{{HinduMythology}}
{{Rigveda}}

[[Category:Asura]]
[[Category:Danavas]]
[[Category:Characters in the Bhagavata Purana]]
[[Category:Drought gods]]
[[Category:Rigveda]]
[[Category:Snake gods]]
[[Category:Evil gods]]
[[Category:Killed deities]]
[[Category:Indian dragons]]