- Vritra
- The dragon or demon of drought, slain by Indra, for which deed he acquired the title of Vritrahan. In actual fact the whole story is borrowed from the earlier Zend-Avesta, wherein the god of war, Verethraghna, slew Verethra. Even this earlier version is doubtful and may have been invented to account for the title. In India, Vritra was a spiderlike being, also known as Ahi, the son of Danu, the serpent god. He was one of the Asuras, and was probably a serpent-worshipping king. In his battle with Indra he appears to have cut off the water supplies of the invading Hindus, a story which accounts for his being the demon of drought. The statement that he was a Brahman may be dismissed. In some respects the story of Vritra resembles that of Sesha.
Who’s Who in non-classical mythology . John Keegan. 2014.