Indradhanus
Indradhanus · indra-dhanus, “the bow of Indra, the rainbow”
Grammar: neuter noun; a compound of indra and dhanus (bow).
Meaning: the rainbow.
In the scriptures: Sūta names it twice in his teaching on utpātas. If Sūrya is not seen for some time, the directions begin to burn, a dhūmaketu is seen, earthquakes come again and again and a rainbow appears on the king’s birthday, this is a heavy durnimitta for him. Under Rāhu he tells of the Indradhvaja and the rainbow falling, with red-yellow hail or stones without thunder, trees swaying without wind, jackals crying by day, the owl by night, and one bull bellowing with its mouth on the hump of another. When such faults occur, pāpa grows in the country, the king falls from his kingdom and from dharma, conflict arises between cows and brāhmaṇas, and vehicles are destroyed.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapter 20
Related terms: Utpāta · Durnimitta · Dhūmaketu · Indradhvaja
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapter 20