Indrani

Indrani, also known as Shachi and Paulomi, is the queen of the devas in Hinduism. She is described as beautiful, proud, and kind. Indrani is the daughter of the asura Puloman and the wife of Indra, the king of the devas.

According to legend, many men wanted to marry Indrani because of her beauty. Once, when Indra was away, a mortal king named Nahusha ruled the heavens. He tried to make Indrani his queen, but she outsmarted him and helped Indra return to his position.

Indrani is also one of the Sapta Matrika, the seven divine mothers, and is an important goddess in Shaktism, a major part of Hinduism. Though she is rarely worshipped alone, she is often honoured together with Indra across India. Indrani is also mentioned in Jainism and Buddhism.

Etymology and epithets

The name Indrani means "wife of Indra" and comes from her husband, Indra. Indra is also sometimes called by her name, like "husband of Shachi."

Shachi is another important name for Indrani. It can mean "speech" or "power," and it is linked to the idea of divine strength. Indrani has many other names too, such as "queen of devas" and "beautiful."

In Hindu literature

Indrani first appears in the Rigveda, which was written a very long time ago. She is Indra's wife and is mentioned many times in the stories. Some think she might not come from nature stories like other gods, but instead started as Indra's partner.

In later stories like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, Indrani is also called Shachi. She is the daughter of Puloman, a demon, and married Indra, becoming the queen of the gods, called the devas. She and Indra had children, including sons and a daughter.

One important story tells of when Indra had to leave his place because of a mistake he made. During this time, a king named Nahusha ruled the heavens. He wanted Shachi for himself, but she refused and asked for help. With her help, Indra returned and took back his place as ruler.

Another story tells of an asura named Anuhlada who tried to take Shachi by force, but Indra saved her. Her beauty and loyalty are often compared to other famous women in the stories.

In some parts of Hinduism that focus on goddesses, Indrani is seen as one of the seven divine mothers called the Matrikas. She helps in battles against powerful demons with the other mothers.

Iconography and worship

Sculptures of Indrani and her husband, Indra, are often found in Hindu temples. They are usually shown sitting on a white elephant named Airavata. Indrani is described as having a golden complexion and wearing blue clothes. In some descriptions, she has two arms, with one holding a special flower called an utpala, while the other embraces Indra.

Indrani is sometimes shown with many arms, holding symbols like a vajra (thunderbolt) and a spear. She is often decorated with jewelry and wears a special crown. She is usually worshipped together with Indra, and sometimes she is honored during special festivals like Ashada Navratri.

In other religions

Indrani appears in other religions, but she does not play a major role. In Jain tradition, she is like a mirror of Indra, and together they are seen as an ideal couple. The story says that when a Tirthankara is born, Indra comes down with Indrani on a large elephant named Airavata to celebrate.

In the Buddhist Pāli Canon, Indrani is called Sujā, and she is the wife of Śakra. She was born to the asura Vemacitrin. Through many lifetimes, Sujā worked to become pure and finally became Śakra’s wife. Because Vemacitrin was against Śakra, Śakra disguised himself and took Sujā with him. After defeating Vemacitrin, Sujā and Śakra married, and she became his main wife.