How Powerful Was Indrajit: The One Who Conquered Lord Indra

One of the most powerful characters in the Ramayana is the son of Lord Ravana, the fearful and terrible Indrajit. Named so for his victory over Lord Indra, the king of the Devas himself, Indrajit was the greatest warrior in Ravana’s army. Without his fall, there was no way Shri Rama could have defeated Ravana in battle.

Moreover, Indrajit was the eldest son of Ravana and Mandodari. Thus, his fall dealt a psychological blow to Ravana’s ego and morale, as everyone considered Indrajit to be undefeatable. So, if you want to really know how powerful was Indrajit, this blog is meant to reveal everything about him and his capabilities!

If you wish to know the many capabilities of Indrajit also called by the name Meghnath, keep reading!

The Early Life of Meghnad

It is said that when he was born, Ravana named his son as Meghnad because his crying was like the crash of thunder. Thus, from a very early age, Meghnad showed signs that he would become a great warrior one day.

As the legend goes, Ravana commanded all of the planets to take favorable positions when his son was about to be born so that he would get all the qualities of a phenomenal warrior as well as a learned scholar.

However, Shani was the only one who played rogue and didn’t play according to Ravana’s rules. Thus, Shani was lodged in the 12th house of Meghnad’s chart, which ultimately became his doom. Nevertheless, it does not take away the many talents and skills that Meghnad possessed at an early age.

The Asura guru, Shukracharya, recognized these hidden skills in him and decided to take him on as his student. Thus, Meghnad learned the ways of sorcery and the occult from the best person possible, which only added to his repertoire of weapons and warfare tactics.

How Did Indrajit Get His Name? 

As his name can be literally translated to “one who has secured victory over Indra,” it is no surprise why he got the name. It is said that during a battle between the Devas and Ravana, Ravana was captured and held prisoner.

To free Ravana, Meghnad came on his flying chariot, defeated Indra, dragged him to his chariot, and kept him imprisoned for years. Meghnad tortured Indra for years before finally deciding to end his life.

At this point, Brahma came to the rescue of Indra, and granted Meghnad a boon in return for Indra’s release. When Meghnad asked for immortal life, Brahma replied that immortality is against the very rule of nature. However, he granted Meghnad the power to become undefeatable in battle every time he performed a yajna to Nikumbhila Devi, the local goddess.

Satisfied with this, Meghnad released Indra and let him go. Brahma thus coined the name “Indrajit” as a title to honor his victory over Lord Indra.

How Powerful Was Indrajit In Ramayana?

These are some of the events that show just how powerful Indrajit in Ramayana was:

Defeated Rama and Lakshman Twice

Many may not know this, but in the Ramayana, Indrajit was able to defeat Rama and Lakshman twice in battle. This is not to say that Lord Rama or Lakshman were any less warriors than Indrajit. However, it points out the sheer cunning and manipulation that Indrajit was capable of in battle.

While he was a fearsome warrior with his weapons, where he truly excelled was in psychological warfare. Indrajit understood the enemy’s weakness exceedingly well and knew full well how to exploit it to his advantage.

Thus, once by using the Nagapashastra and once using the Brahmastra, Indrajit was able to render both Rama and Lakshman unconscious twice.

Killed 64 Crore Vaanars In a Day 

According to the story of Ramayana, when Indrajit used the Brahmastra, he was able to decimate the Vaanar army and cut short their forces by a significant number. While the exact number is up for debate due to differences in units, it was a considerable number of soldiers and was enough to turn the tide of battle.

Almost Killed Lakshman 

While he failed in doing so, Indrajit came the closest to breaking the brothers apart than anyone else in Ravana’s army. By using his devious powers of sorcery and tantra, Indrajit was able to poison Lakshman grievously, bringing him close to death. It was only due to the opportune thinking of Hanuman Ji, who lifted the entire Dronagiri mountain and carried it to Lanka, that Lakshman could be saved.

Illusions and Magic 

Indrajit was a master of the occult and the dark arts. Thus, he struck fear in the hearts of Rama and the Vaanars when he killed a magical clone of Sita in front of them. This would have been fatal to the morale of Rama and his army had it not been for Vibhishana, who knew the cunning ways of his nephew and called the bluff.

Conclusion 

So, that was all about Indrajit and the terrible powers that he wielded! While he was undoubtedly a master warrior and a supreme sorcerer, in the end, he was unable to defeat the combined forces of Rama, Lakshman, and the Vaanar Sena, comprising Angad and Hanuman.

So, now you know that no matter how powerful the enemy may be, how terrifying the battle may seem, if you believe in Rama, you will always prevail! So, chant the name of Lord Rama, shout Jai Shree Ram, and begin a new journey towards victory!