File:Paradise of Indra from Rock Sculpture of Mamallapuram 1913.jpg

Identifier: indianmythlegend00inmack Title: Indian myth and legend Year: 1913 (1910s) Authors: Mackenzie, Donald Alexander, 1873-1936 Subjects: Hindu mythology Publisher: London, Gresham Contributing Library: Indiana University Digitizing Sponsor: Indiana University

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Text Appearing Before Image: The god makes answer: O singer, I am: behold melI am here now, and I am greater than any living being.I delight in the performance of holy rites. I am alsothe Destroyer; I can hurl creation to ruin. Rigveda,viii, 89. I never knew a man to speak so to mc,When all his enemies are safely conquered;Yea, when they see how fierce the battle rages,They even promise me a pair of bullocks. When I am absent in far distant places. Then all with open hands their gifts would bring me . . . Lo! I will make the wealthy niggard needy. Seize by the foot and on the hard rock dash him. Rigveda^ x, 27. The lord of both the worlds hates all the haughty.He cares for those who feel themselves but human. Rigvedoj vi, 47.^ These verses recall: Silence, thou evil one, roaredThor, or else with my hammer shall I strike thy headoff and end thy life. Then did Loke answer humbly: Silent indeed 1shall be now, O Thor, for I know full well thou wiltstrike.^ * Arrow8inith8 translation. Teutonic Myth and Legend, p. 173.

Text Appearing After Image: > <Pi Q Z u,O wm 3< <I ^ w f^ ti: INDRA, KING OF THE GODS 17 The human qualities of Indra are illustrated in epicnarrative. Arjuna, the Indian Achilles, is his son, andpays a visit to the brilliant Celestial city on the summitof Mount Meru, where flowers are ever blooming, andpretty nymphs dance to pleasure battle-slain warriors. Arjuna saluted his divine sire. And Indra there-upon embraced him with his round and plump arms.And taking his hand, Shakra (Indra) made him sit on aportion of his own seat . . . And the lord of theCelestials—that slayer of hostile heroes—smelt the headof Arjuna, bending in humility, and even took him uponhis lap . . . Moved by affection, the slayer of Vritratouched that beautiful face with his own perfumed hands.And the wielder of the thunderbolt, patting and rubbinggently again and again with his own hands, which borethe marks of the thunderbolt, the handsome and largearms of Arjuna, which resembled a couple of goldencolumns and were hard in

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