The Markandeya Purana (Study)
by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words
This page relates ‘Worship of Indra’ of the study on the Markandeya Purana, one of the oldest of the eigtheen Mahapuranas preserving the history, civilisation, culture and traditions of ancient India. The Markandeyapurana commences with the questions raised by Rishi Jaimini (a pupil of Vyasa), who approaches the sage Markandeya with doubts related to the Mahabharata. This study examines various social topics such as the status of women, modes of worship, yoga, etc.
Worship of Indra
There are some other Gods mention is this Purāṇa like Śiva, Indra etc. whose epithets only are mentioned in the context of various situations. These epithets applied to them bear their characteristics.
Indra is an atmospheric God. Lord Indra was worshipped as the god of battle who helped the Aryans to conquer their enemies.[1] According to the Vedas, lord Indra got the first position among all the gods. God Indra also maintains his kingship from the Brāhmaṇa period to Purāṇic period. This fact is proved by his various names and epithets found in the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa.
Some of these epithets are—
- Surādhirāja (1.28),
- Sureśa (5.14),
- Devarāja (8.255,258),
- Deveśa (8.262),
- Sureśvara (8.262; 118.3),
- Tribhuvaneśvara (8.268),
- Vibudhādhipa (8.269),
- Amarādhipa (79.22) etc.
There are some common epithets for all the gods. such as—
He is also known as—
- Śakra (1.27),
- Śacīpati (1.29; 82.1),
- Vṛtrahan (1.30),
- Śatakratu (1.31),
- Pākaśāsana (1.38; 5.4),
- Vāsava (8.241; 16.135),
- Purandara (79.1; 118.1) etc.