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Table of Contents
Raghu makes Indra his prisoner
Recap
One day King Saudasa mistakenly killed a shape-shifting rakshasa, prompting the rakshasa's wife to trick the king and Sage Vashistha into a misunderstanding that resulted in Saudasa being cursed to live as a flesh-eating rakshasa for eleven years. He got the name Kalmashpada after scorching his own feet. After that, the king spent over a decade in that form until a sprinkle of Ganga water from a passing rishi broke the curse. Restored to his human form, Saudasa returned to rule Ayodhya, ensuring the continuity that would eventually lead to his descendants, King Dilip and King Raghu.
Saudas returned to his kingdom and ruled his kingdom with a strong, stern hand. In due course, he was blessed with a son who was called Sudas. When he was old, Saudas made his son Sudas and retired to the forest. Sudas ruled wisely and later handed over the reins of the kingdom to his son Dilip. Dilip ruled the kingdom well and treated the subjects as his own children. Dilip himself was a father, and his own son was a handsome prince called Raghu. Even though he was young, he had learnt the use of all weapons, and he was also skilled in horse riding. Not only had he spent his time learning how to fight, he had learnt the scriptures also from his guru, rishi Vashistha. Dilip was pleased; Raghu would make an ideal king for Ayodhya.
One day Dilip consulted with the rishis and decided to perform the Ashvamedha Yagna. A person was needed who would protect the horse. Who else but Raghu was best suited for the purpose. He was confident that Raghu was capable enough to handle all calamities. The horse was arranged and Raghu was appointed as the keeper of the horse. Dilip said to Raghu, “I am performing the yagna for the prosperity of all. For this reason, the horse is important. For a year, the horse will let loose. Follow the horse. Go where it goes, and ensure that after the year is over, you are back with this same horse.”
The horse was let loose and it moved around as it pleased. Raghu and his army followed the horse.
In heaven, Indra was disturbed. A successful Ashvamedha yagna, and the Dilip could lay claim over the throne of Indra. Not sure what to do, Indra went to Brahma and asked for a solution. Brahma advised Indra to steal the horse. If there was no horse, there would be no sacrifice. If there was no sacrifice, there was no way King Dilip could take over Indra’s throne. Indra agreed and started making plans.
The horse suddenly stopped to drink water. It was noon. Raghu asked the army to halt so that they could rest there for some time. They were about to set up the tents when it suddenly became dark. Before Raghu could realize what had happened, the darkness vanished. Raghu began to wonder what this was. He looked up and saw that the sun was still overhead. When he looked around, he realized what had happened. In that moment of darkness, the horse had vanished. He and the army had been surrounding the horse, so it was evident whoever had taken the horse was not human. Raghu thought and came to the conclusion that it was Indra. Only Indra would do such a thing; he decided to travel to Amravati and get the horse back. Indra needed to be taught a lesson.
Raghu was barely nine years old, but he was courageous and bold. Getting on his chariot, he drove towards Indra’s capital, Amravati. This was no ordinary chariot; this chariot was being pulled by a thousand horses who could fly.
The chariot reached Indra’s palace in the blink of an eye. “Where is Indra? Where is he hiding? Come. Face me. How could you run away with someone’s horse. I have come to challenge you. Come face me.”
Hearing this, Indra stepped out, riding elephant, Airavata. Seeing Raghu, Indra said, “Your death has brought you here today. You are acting like a housefly who is trying to uproot an entire mountain.”
Raghu said, “Indra, boasting before a battle does not befit you. Come fight me. I may be a child but are you a hero?” Saying that Raghu quickly aimed and released three arrows. The arrows struck Indra on his chest. Such was the impact that Indra and Airavata began to reel mid-air. Indra was impressed with Raghu’s skill. He said, “For a boy of nine years of age, you fight well. Now face me. “Saying that, Indra aimed ten arrows at Raghu, who quickly cut them off. Both of them showered arrows on each other and soon the sky was overcast with the arrows. They seemed to be equally matched in skill. Meanwhile, Raghu remembered the weapon called Pashupata. He invoked that weapon and released it. The weapon went to Indra and instead of striking him, it bound Indra with ropes. Unable to move himself, Indra fell off Airavata’s back. Making Indra his prisoner, Raghu put him in his chariot. Taking the horse that Indra had stolen, Raghu returned home, where king Dilip was busy in the rituals. For seven days, Indra stayed as a prisoner in Ayodhya.
In heaven, the devas were worried. Their king was a prisoner on earth. They went to Brahma. Brahma asked the devas to follow him, and they went to King Dilip was and said, “O King, you are a brave and courageous ruler. Your son is very brave. At his age, he fought and took Indra captive. I wish to say that going forward, your dynasty will be known as Raghu’s dynasty - Raghuvamsa. The king of heaven has been made captive by Raghu. Release him and let him return.”
Once Indra was released, he came and stood in front of Dilip and Raghu. Raghu said to Indra, “I have a condition for your release. You have to promise that Ayodhya will never face any drought.”
Indra said, “You do not have to worry. I personally will ensure that your city gets adequate rain and all your crops are well watered.” Having said this, Indra returned to the heaven, along with the other devas.
Analysis
Philosophical Inference
The tale of Raghu's confrontation with Indra is not just a story of nine-year-old’s battle with a deva.
This tale talks about the difference between having authority and deserving authority. Indra is the king. He has authority. Even then, he displays weakness. He goes to Brahma when he hears about Dilip’s yagna. Indra shows insecurity. Raghu is a young boy whose father has given him a responsibility – make sure the horse is safe and comes back, after a year. So, when Raghu fights for the horse, it is a fight between the two types of authority.
For a nine-year-old, Raghu is not scared. He guesses the culprit is Indra and proceeds. He knows he has to face Indra and get the horse. That is courage, when an action needs to be taken despite being aware that facing Indra could be dangerous.
This also shows one thing - fear is the root of unethical behaviour. Indra was worried about his position, his prestige, his influence. This made him take this step.
The tale also shows that devas can become jealous, can make mistakes or can act impulsively. Truth is above all. The term should be Dharma or righteous conduct. That has greater authority over rank, power, birth etc. In this case, a child acting rightly stands morally above Indra, acting wrongly.
Kings rule and warriors fight, but they do not get a lineage named after them. Raghu has exceptional qualities. At the age of nine, he is not reckless, he is not cruel, he is not arrogant. He has courage, strength, confidence
Character Analysis
Raghu: He is the nine-year-old prince of Ayodhya. He has been assigned the task of protecting a horse and he needs to make sure he does that properly. He displays many strengths, among which he displays fearlessness, mastery of weapons, and presence of mind. He is like a young prodigy who joins an organisation and then overshines established leaders through competence and adherence to principles and policies.
Indra: He is the king of the devas. He is insecure regarding his status. He has great command over weapons, which cannot save him. He gets humiliated and bound and then agrees to Raghu’s terms and blesses the land. He is like those leaders who could resort to underhand tactics to subdue talent if that hurts their position. When exposed, they need to negotiate.
Dilip: Raghu’s father is like that head of an organization who empowers young leaders to handle tasks independently.
Ashvamedha Yagna
Most of the Puranas, Itihasas (Ramayana, Mahabharata) and other scriptures talk about Ashvamedha yagna. I want to use this post to touch on this. It was a socio-political instrument used by rulers to assert themselves. What was this? A horse was chosen which had specific markings. It was consecrated and then let loose. It could run free for one year. There would a warrior (or warriors like the sons of Sagara) and an army. If the horse entered a kingdom, the ruler had two options – let the horse pass (signalling the horse’s owner as the emperor) or capture the horse and fight the army. If the horse returned unchallenged after a year, the patron king would declare himself a universal ruler (Chakravartin).
The objective of the yagna was to expand the empire without a direct clash or conflict. The horse was a tool. It allowed neighbouring kingdoms to integrate and form a larger federation. A successfully completed Yagna was believed to bring rains, prevent droughts, ensure good harvest, protect the population from illnesses, and maintain overall harmony.
To be eligible to perform an Ashvamedha, a king had to already be powerful, wealthy, and secure. The Ashvamedha was that ritual that elevated a ruler, from a king to an emperor (Chakravartin). Also, a king’s duty was to expand the reach of dharma. Using this tool, the kings could bring smaller kingdoms under a single umbrella of law and also ensure economic stability.
Indra
Before going further, let talk more about Indra. Indra is linked with the sky, lightning, thunder and rain. Vedas called him the supreme ruler who was also the destroyer of Vritra (the demon associated with drought). As Indra progressed into the Puranas and the Itihasa texts, Indra’s role also changed. Indra became linked with the mind which controlled the senses (Indriya) thus the name Indra. He was shown as the one who had taken the throne of heaven but living in the fear of losing it.
Who is Indra really? It is not a person. It is a position. Anyone who performed one hundred Ashvamedha yagnas could become Indra (Mahabharata Shanti Parva). Vishnu Purana Book 3 chapters 1 and 2 says the title of Indra changes every yuga.
Raghu’s age
Raghu, in the text is said to be nine years old. The number, may show Raghu as a young boy, yet the number itself is significant.
Nine is the largest single-digit number that when multiplied by any numbers, the result always reduces to nine.
By showing Raghu as nine, it is showing that his intellect and potential are complete and structurally sound.
Symbolic Interpretation
- The Sacrificial Horse: The horse is a symbol of sovereignty, ambition and energy. Letting it roam freely is an assertion of dharma across boundaries. Stealing this horse is the disruption of order.
- The Darkness Created by Indra: is the use of an illusion to deceive.
- The flying chariot: is higher consciousness and mastery over forces.
Names and Etymology
| Name | Literal Meaning | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Dilip | One who protects the earth up to the horizons. | He is the protective ruler who cares for his subjects like children. |
| Raghu | Sanskrit defines the word Raghu as Shighra (fast) and Laghu (light). This word thus literally means the swift runner. | Reflects his journey to Amravati and his resolution of crises. |
Comparing this work of Krittibas with Valmiki’s Ramyana and other texts: Kalidas’s Raghuvamsa
In Valmiki’s text, while the line of Raghu is described this specific battle between Raghu and Indra is not mentioned. This gets some mention in some versions of the Padma Purana. There is one text that has this, and that text is Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsa Chapter 3.
A brief overview of what happens in the previous chapter (Chapter 2) of Raghuvamsa. I want to touch on this for another. I remember reading an Amar Chitra Katha comic – The ancestors of Rama. This comic released in 1977 and I remember reading this and when I was writing this post, I could literally visualize that comic and the scenes. I will be touching on Raghuvamsa not just here, but moving forward also. The comic was a pictorial adaptation of Kalidas’s Raghuvamsa.
King Dilip and his wife, Sudakshina are childless. They are asked to serve Nandini, Rishi Vashistha’s cow. Dilip follows Nandini to the forest where she goes to graze. He carries his weapons, so he can save Nandini, in case there is trouble. This goes on for twenty days. On the twenty-first day Nandini wants to test the king. While she is grazing, a lion jumps and pins Nandini to the ground. Dilip tries to use his weapons, but he cannot. He is frozen. He then asks the lion to leave Nandini and take him, as he is failing his kshatriya duty of failing to protect Nandini. That is when Nandini reveals that this was a test and grants the boon of a son, whose name would carry the line forward. This was Chapter 2.
In the third chapter, Raghu is born. He grows up (Kalidas does not say Raghu is nine), when the horse is stolen. Here, by the grace of Nandini, Raghu can see Indra lead the horse away. Raghu challenges Indra and a fight happens between them. Indra even uses his vajra; Raghu falls senseless but recovers. Indra realizes that he cannot defeat Raghu. He says the horse cannot be returned but he promises to grant Dilipa the full merit of ritual without its completion.
Indra being taken captive by Raghu is mentioned in the text Ananda Ramayana, sometimes attributed to rishi Valmiki.
In today’s world, sometimes leaders act like Indra. They view young talent as threats to their position. Organizations will grow when these leaders will encourage rising talent rather than suppressing it through underhanded means.
Conclusion
This is the end of this tale from the Ramayana of Krittibas. Next week another tale about Raghu, tale of when Raghu is the king of Ayodhya and had to give wealth to a brahmin.
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