Vedic Mythology c5.s2.20

c5.s2.20

In the mythical imagery of the thunderstorm the clouds also very frequently become the fortresses (*puraḥ*)²¹ of the aerial demons. They are spoken of as ninety, ninety-nine, or a hundred in number (2, 14⁶. 19⁶; 8, 17¹⁴. 87⁶). These fortresses are 'moving' (8, 1²⁸), autumnal (1, 130⁷. 131⁴. 174²; 6, 20¹⁰), made of metal (2, 20⁸) or stone (4, 30²⁰)²². Indra shatters them (1, 51⁵ &c.), and so the epithet 'fort-shatterer' (*pūrbhid*) is peculiar to him. In one verse (10, 111¹⁰) he is spoken of as a fort-shatterer and lover of waters at the same time. In another the various features of the myth are mentioned together: he slew Vṛtra, broke the castles, made a channel for the rivers, pierced the mountain, and made over the cows to his friends (10, 89⁷).