A History of Indian Literature v1.c8.s2.83

v1.c8.s2.83

the battle of Indra with Vṛtra is celebrated by songs in numerous hymns. Again and again the splendid victory is spoken of, which the god achieved over the demon; countless times Indra is praised exultingly, because he slew Vṛtra with his thunderbolt. Vṛtra (probably "the Obstructor") is a demon in the form of a serpent or a dragon, who keeps the waters enclosed or imprisoned in a mountain. Indra wants to release the waters. With Soma he imbibes courage, hastens to the battle, and slays the monster—now the released waters flow in a rapid stream over the corpse of Vṛtra. This great deed of Indra is graphically described in the song Ṛv. I, 32, which begins with the verses¹:—