Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.886

c7.886

13) Indra and King Kuru. The King named Kuru was once ploughing the field at the place known as Kurukṣetra. (This was long before Kurukṣetra became famous as the battlefield of Bhārata Yuddha). Indra who happened to come that way at the time, seeing the King tilling the land, asked him why he was doing so. The King replied that he was performing a yāga to enable the men who fell dead there, to attain Heaven. Indra returned to Heaven, smiling. Other devas came to know of this from Indra. They said that if all men came to Devaloka, the share of yajña which was to be received by the gods, would be diminished and so they advised Indra to go and give some boon to King Kuru. Indra returned to earth and gave his blessing to Kuru as follows :