Vṛtrāsura Vadha (Bhāgavata Purāṇa)

The Vṛtrāsura Vadha is the great battle narrative of the sixth Skanda of the Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa. It begins with Indra’s insult to his teacher Bṛhaspati and ends with the death of Vṛtrāsura, whose jīva (living self) merges into Bhagavān Vishṇu. Between come the Nārāyaṇa Kavaca, the death of Viśvarūpa, Tvashṭā’s yajña that makes Vṛtrāsura, the prayer of the devas, Dadhīca’s gift of his body for the Vajra, and the great battle on the Narmadā.

The telling below follows the Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa. It then gives the account of the Padma Mahā Purāṇa and the account of the Devī Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa.

Indra’s pride and Bṛhaspati’s departure (Chapter 7)

Indra was proud of the wealth of the three worlds. He sat in his assembly in svarga with Śacī at his side, among gandharvas, apsarasas, Maruts, Rudras, Ādityas and all the ranks of devas. Bṛhaspati, the guru of the devas, a son of Aṅgiras and a knower of Brahman, came into the assembly. Indra did not rise from his throne. He did not offer a seat. He gave no welcome. Bṛhaspati saw what wealth had done to his student. He left the hall in silence and vanished by his yogic power.

Indra at once saw his mistake and blamed himself: “My mind is small. I have shown disrespect to my guru in the assembly through the pride of wealth.” He looked for Bṛhaspati everywhere but could not find him. Without their guru the devas were left without spiritual protection.

Śukrācārya heard of this and advised the asuras to attack. The deva armies were beaten. Their leaders fled to Brahmā, who admitted their fault and sent them to Viśvarūpa, a son of Tvashṭā.

Viśvarūpa as purohita and the Nārāyaṇa Kavaca (Chapters 7–8)

The devas came to Viśvarūpa with respect. They called him their son and themselves his fathers. Viśvarūpa first held back, because the work of a purohita (family priest) lessens a brahmin’s brahmateja (spiritual radiance). But he said he could not refuse those who were his protectors and like fathers to him.

Viśvarūpa taught Indra the Nārāyaṇa Kavaca, the fullest protective text in Vaishṇava worship. It has these parts:

Nyāsa: the eight-syllable mantra Oṃ namo nārāyaṇāya for aṅga-nyāsa (from the feet to the head), and the twelve-syllable Oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya for kara-nyāsa on the fingers and the thumb joints.
Dhyāna: Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa with eight arms holding the śaṅkha, cakra, kheṭaka, khaḍga, gadā, bāṇa, dhanus and pāśa, riding Garuḍa, and served by the eight aiśvaryas (powers).
Protections by avatāra: Matsya for water, Vāmana for land, Nārāyaṇa in the form of the world for ākāśa (space), Nṛsiṃha for forests and the battlefield, Varāha for the road, Paraśurāma for mountains, and Rāma for travel.
Protections by time: from Keśava at dawn to Jagannātha after dawn, with a name for each prahara (watch) of day and night.
Calls to the weapons: the Sudarśana Cakra, Kaumodakī, Pāñcajanya, the khaḍga and the kheṭaka are addressed directly.
The closing teaching: all five bhūtas (elements) are Bhagavān Vishṇu, and in the experience of the one ātman there is no difference anywhere in Bhagavān Vishṇu.

With this kavaca and the power of Vaishṇava worship, Indra won back the wealth that Śukrācārya had hidden for the asuras, and he defeated the asura armies.

Viśvarūpa’s death and Tvashṭā’s revenge (Chapter 9)

Viśvarūpa had three heads, each with its own use: one to drink soma, one to drink surā (wine), and one to eat food. At the yajña he offered oblations openly to the devas, who were his father’s line, and secretly to the asuras, who were his mother’s line. When Indra found the secret offering, he cut off all three heads in anger. He took on brahmahatyā (the pāpa of killing a brahmin). He gave this dosha (fault) to four who each took a share in return for a vara:

Earth took barren patches (cāviṭi nēla), and received the vara that her wounds heal by themselves.
Trees took gum and resin (the fluid from cut branches), and received the vara that they sprout again.
Women took the monthly cycle (rājasvalā), and received the vara that their kāma (desire) is never lessened.
Water took foam and bubbles, and received the vara of a rich flow from springs.

Tvashṭā heard that Indra had killed his son Viśvarūpa. He performed a great yajña to make a destroyer of Indra. The mantra he used was: “O destroyer of Indra! Grow quickly, without delay! Destroy the enemy!”

From the southern fire rose an enormous, terrible being. He was dark, grew one arrow-length every day in all directions, and held a blazing three-pointed śūla (trident). His presence darkened the world. This was Vṛtrāsura, “the one who covers”. The Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa also says that Vṛtra is Citraketu born again, and that he is a great devotee who wants only liberation.

The devas’ prayer to Bhagavān Vishṇu (Chapter 9)

The devas attacked Vṛtrāsura with all their weapons, and he swallowed them all. His tejas (power) took theirs. In fear they turned to Bhagavān Vishṇu in prayer. Their stotra in Chapter 9 is a full statement of teaching:

Even Kāla (time) fears Bhagavān Vishṇu, and all seek his refuge.
He has no sense of being the doer, and no liking or dislike. He is ānanda-ghana (dense with bliss).
He shows himself equally in all, and creates, sustains and withdraws the worlds through māyā.
He has qualities for those who see difference, and is advaita (without a second) for those who see all as equal.
He is the inner Ātman of all beings. In the final truth the whole world is Bhagavān Vishṇu.
Devotees who taste even one drop of the amṛta (nectar) of his glory find all pleasure of the senses small beside it.

As the devas prayed, Bhagavān Vishṇu appeared in the west, holding the śaṅkha, cakra and gadā, among sixteen attendants who looked like him. He sent the devas to Dadhīca Maharshi.

Dadhīca’s gift (Chapter 10)

The devas came to Dadhīca (also written Dadhīci), who followed the Atharva Veda, and asked for his bones. Dadhīca said with gentle irony: “Do you not know that dying is painful even for devas? Who would give his body, even if Vishṇu himself asked?” The devas answered that a great soul like Dadhīca, full of bhūta-dayā (kindness to all beings) and of pure fame, could not truly refuse.

Dadhīca said: “I asked a dharma-question to learn your understanding. I did not mean to refuse. Here, I give my body. It will leave me one day anyway.” He said that a person who does not use this passing body to ease the suffering of others lives in complete poverty, however rich he is.

He melted his mind into Bhagavān Vishṇu, entered samādhi, and gave up his body so gently that he himself did not know the moment it left. Viśvakarmā made the Vajra from his bones. With the Vajra and the divine tejas of Bhagavān Vishṇu’s anugraha (grace), Indra mounted Airāvata and led the deva armies to battle.

The great battle at the Narmadā (Chapters 10–12)

The battle took place on the bank of the Narmadā, at the start of the Tretā Yuga of the first Mahāyuga. On the deva side were Rudras, Vasus, Ādityas, Aśvinīs, Pitṛdevas, Agni, Marutas, Ṛbhus, Sādhyas and Viśvedevas. Against them stood Vṛtrāsura with Namuci, Śambara, Anarva, Dvimūrdha, Ṛshabha, Ambara, Hayagrīva, Śaṅkuśiras, Vipracitti, Ayomukha, Puloma, Vṛshaparvan, Praheti, Heti, Utkala, Sumāli, Māli and thousands more.

The asura army ran in panic before the deva attack. Vṛtrāsura called them back with a speech on a hero’s death: “Death is sure for all who are born. If a noble death brings the worlds of puṇya (merit) and fame, who would not choose it? There are two noble deaths: the yogī dying in meditation on Bhagavān Vishṇu, and the warrior who goes forward without turning back and falls to the blows of the enemy.” The asuras did not listen and kept running.

Vṛtrāsura then fought alone against the whole deva army. He caught Indra’s gadā in his left hand and struck Airāvata. The blow sent Indra and the elephant back seven bow-lengths, bleeding. Vṛtrāsura was generous and did not press his gain. He stood waiting with his śūla raised.

The Vīravāṇi: Vṛtrāsura’s last speech of devotion (Chapter 11)

Seeing Indra hesitate, Vṛtrāsura spoke. He first reminded Indra that killing Viśvarūpa had been a pāpa done to a guru who knew Brahman. Then he turned to pure devotion to Bhagavān Vishṇu.

On the grace of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Vishṇu does not give wealth, svarga and comforts to his true devotees. This is his highest grace, because these things breed only hatred, fear, mental pain, pride, quarrel and sorrow, and the tiring work of guarding them. By experiencing this tapas (the taking away of comforts), his anugraha becomes plain. What ekānta-bhaktas (single-minded devotees) receive easily cannot be reached by those lost in enjoyment.

On his own wish. “I wish to be born as the servant of those whose only refuge is your lotus feet. In that birth, let my mind be filled with your qualities. Let my voice sing them. Let this body do your pūjā.”

The great declaration of detachment. “O Śrī Hari! I do not want a place in svarga, Dhruva’s place, Brahmā’s position, the rank of a ruler of the world, rule over Rasātala, the powers of yoga, or even birthless moksha, if they would mean being parted from you.”

The longing. “As a young bird without wings longs for its mother, as a calf pained by hunger longs for its mother’s milk, as a sad woman longs for her husband who has gone to a far land, so my mind thirsts to see you.”

The last prayer. “May I have friendship with your devotees. May my mind not cling to body, children, wife and home. And may I have no friendship with those who cling to these things.”

Indra was deeply moved. He said: “O rākshasa! You are a perfected soul, with such discernment. You have crossed the māyā of Vishṇu. You have given up the marks of an asura and gained the marks of a great soul. Your mind, once ruled by rajas, is now fixed on Vāsudeva, who is sāttvik. What would a person lost in the ocean of nectar of Hari’s glory want with the small pools of svarga?”

The last fight and Vṛtra’s liberation (Chapter 12)

The battle began again. Vṛtrāsura hurled his blazing śūla at Indra. Indra cut it with the Vajra and also cut off one of Vṛtrāsura’s arms. Vṛtrāsura then struck Indra’s face with an iron mace and knocked the Vajra from his grip. He kindly told Indra to pick it up and fight on. Then he swallowed Indra and Airāvata whole.

Inside the asura’s belly Indra stayed alive, guarded by the kavaca of Purushottama. He tore open Vṛtrāsura’s stomach and came out. Then the Vajra cut through Vṛtrāsura’s neck. This was a slow work and took a whole year. At the moment of death, Vṛtrāsura’s jīva came out of his body as a blazing sūkshma-śarīra (subtle body). Before the eyes of all the devas and ṛshis, it merged into Bhagavān Vishṇu. He reached sāyujya-mukti (merging with Bhagavān Vishṇu). The text is given as:

lokaātītuḍagu Bhagavānaṃlō aikya mayye nu

This means that he, who had gone beyond the worlds, became one with Bhagavān Vishṇu.

Brahmahatyā and Indra’s cleansing (Chapter 13)

With Vṛtrāsura dead, a second brahmahatyā clung to Indra; the first was for killing Viśvarūpa. He fled from the battlefield. The brahmahatyā-dosha followed him across the three worlds. He could not bear it, and he hid in a lotus stalk in the lake Mānasarovara for a thousand years, in dhyāna (meditation) on Bhagavān Vishṇu. Without their king the three worlds fell into disorder. Nahusha was set up as Indra for a time, but he grew proud and wanted Śacī. Finally Brahmā called Indra back, and Bhagavān Īśāna destroyed the brahmahatyā-dosha. Lakshmī guarded Indra throughout. The last cleansing was done by an Aśvamedha yajña.

The Padma Purāṇa account (Chapter 19)

The Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Chapter 19, gives a shorter account of the Vṛtrāsura Vadha, within the praise of the tīrtha of Pushkara.

Dadhīci on the Sarasvatī bank near Pushkara. The devas went to Dadhīci’s āśrama on the far bank of the Sarasvatī at Pushkara, a celestial grove. Brahmā himself allowed the visit. The āśrama is described as like paradise, with lions, tigers, elephants and peacocks. Dadhīci blazed like Sūrya and Vishṇu together. He gave his body at once and without doubt, saying, “Even my body I will give.” He gave up his bones to the devas on the spot.

Brahmā makes the Vajra. In this account Brahmā, not Viśvakarmā, made the Vajra from Dadhīci’s bones. He gave it to Indra with the words: “Destroy the mighty Vṛtrāsura with this divine astra (weapon).”

The Kālakeyas as Vṛtra’s bodyguards. The Kālakeya asuras served as Vṛtrāsura’s bodyguards. After Vṛtra fell to Indra’s Vajra, the Kālakeyas fled and hid in the ocean. They came out only at night and began to eat the ṛshis in their āśramas across the three worlds. This went on until Agastya drank the ocean.

Indra’s fear after the victory. After he struck Vṛtra with the Vajra, Indra was so afraid that he ran and hid in a lake, not knowing whether Vṛtra had really fallen. He came back only when the devas told him that Vṛtra was truly dead.

The Devī Bhāgavata account (Skanda 6, Chapters 1–6)

The Devī Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa tells the slaying of Vṛtrāsura in Skanda 6, Chapters 1 to 6. In it the teaching is that even Indra’s last victory came only through the śakti of the Devī.

Tṛśira’s tapas and Indra’s jealousy (Chapter 1)

The account begins with Tṛśira, a son of Tvashṭā, who is also called Viśvakarmā. Tṛśira went to a holy place and did hard tapas for a very long time, living on air alone. His tapas gave rise to great teja. Indra, watching from svarga, grew jealous and afraid. He thought this three-headed ṛshi was gathering power that might one day push him from his place. He could not bear Tṛśira’s glory in tapas. He came down and killed him with the vajra, though Tṛśira had done no wrong.

Tvashṭā heard of the unjust killing of his son and was full of grief and anger. He decided to take revenge by making a being strong enough to destroy Indra.

The birth of Vṛtrāsura from Tvashṭā’s fire (Chapter 2)

Tvashṭā did a great yajña with Atharvaṇa mantras, meaning to produce an asura who would destroy Indra. From the blazing fire of that yajña rose Vṛtrāsura, a huge and terrible being with strong weapons. Tvashṭā told him to go and ask Brahmā for a vara that would make him unbeatable.

Vṛtrāsura did tapas and received from Brahmā the vara that he could not be killed by any weapon made of wet matter, dry matter, or stone. Brahmā explained that immortality was beyond what he could give. This vara, protection from every ordinary weapon of those three kinds, was the next best thing. With this protection Vṛtrāsura raised a great army and marched against the three worlds.

Vṛtra defeats the devas and Indra is swallowed (Chapters 3–4)

Vṛtrāsura led his armies against svarga and beat the devas in open battle. When Indra struck him with the vajra, Vṛtra was only stunned for a moment. At a turning point in the battle, Vṛtrāsura opened his huge mouth and swallowed Indra whole. The king of the devas was trapped in the asura’s belly and could not get out by any means.

The devas watched in horror. By a strong mantra they made Vṛtrāsura yawn, and Indra slipped out through the open mouth, alive but shamed. Indra was free but could not match Vṛtra in fight, and the devas were driven from svarga. Vṛtrāsura and his allies took the kingdom of svarga and removed all the devas from their posts and honours. The devas wandered the earth and the forests with no duties.

Bhagavān Vishṇu’s plan (Chapter 4)

The devas saw that open fight had failed. They went first to Kailāsa and then to Vaikuṇṭha, to ask the guidance of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Vishṇu understood the whole matter and gave them a plan in two parts.

First, they should approach Vṛtrāsura through ṛshis and go-betweens, and make a formal truce and become his friends. Second, when the chance came, at sandhi-kāla, the twilight moment between day and night, Indra must strike. Bhagavān Vishṇu also promised that his own power would live in the vajra and give it force to overcome Vṛtra’s vara.

The devas also needed their weapons made strong against such an enemy. Bhagavān Vishṇu advised them to worship the Devī.

Devī Tripurā Sundarī gives the devas power (Chapter 5)

The devas praised the Parādevī with devotion, calling on her as the highest śakti, whose power lies under all divine action. She answered by showing herself before them as Devī Tripurā Sundarī, the Pañcadaśātmasvarūpiṇī, whose form holds the fifteen syllables of the Pañcadaśī mantra. Her form blazed with a crimson light and was decked with divine ornaments. She held the pāśa (noose) and the aṅkuśa (goad), and showed the vara and abhaya (protection) mudrās. Her three eyes shone with wisdom and power.

The Devī was pleased with the praise of the devas. She gave them the power they sought. Her own śakti entered each of their weapons and made them stronger than their usual power. She told them that with her power in their weapons, they would win.

The truce and the strike (Chapter 6)

Following the advice of Bhagavān Vishṇu, wise ṛshis went between Indra and Vṛtrāsura. Vṛtrāsura was a great warrior, yet he agreed to a truce on the condition that Indra would not kill him with any weapon. The two became friends in name. Indra spent time in Vṛtrāsura’s company and watched for the right moment.

The moment came at sandhi-kāla, the twilight, neither fully day nor fully night. Indra gathered sea foam, which is neither wet like water, nor dry like earth, nor stone, and filled it with the Devī’s śakti. At the exact moment of sandhi-kāla he struck Vṛtrāsura with the foam. Because the foam was empowered by the Devī, it overcame even Vṛtra’s seemingly complete protection. Vṛtrāsura fell and died.

The devas broke out in joy. Indra then worshipped the Devī with deep devotion and said that his victory was wholly by her grace. In her honour he built a temple to the Devī in Nandana Vana, the celestial garden of Indra’s svarga.

Indra’s guilt and flight (Chapter 6)

Though he had won, Indra was at once seized by the brahmahatyā-pāpa, the pāpa of killing a brahmin. Vṛtrāsura, born from Tvashṭā’s fire, bore the quality of a brahmin from his birth. The text also names the earlier brahmahatyā from the killing of Tṛśira. Viśvakarmā, the divine craftsman form of Tvashṭā, laid a śāpa (curse) on Indra for killing his son Tṛśira unjustly.

Overcome by brahmahatyā, Indra fled from svarga and hid in the stalk of a lotus at Mānasa Sarovara, where no one could see him.

Sources

Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa, 6th Skanda, Chapters 7–13
Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Chapter 19
Devī Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa, Skanda 6, Chapters 1–6