Khadira

[S.Kalyanaraman]

> >Would anybody know why Indra is sometimes called Khadira?
> >Bruno Lo Turco
> >Universita' di Roma  'La Sapienza'
> 
> Most probably because Indra is associated with water and so is Khadir
> (or Khidr/Khwaja Khizr in Coomaraswamy's writings). He is a legendary
> immortal character (prophet) very well known in the Islamic tradition,
> particularly to sufis.
> By the way, would you please also share where is it exactly that Indra
> is called Khadira? Thanks.
> Arif
> Temple University

I have elsewhere argued (Indian Alchemy: Soma in the Veda, Delhi, Munshiram
Manoharlal--in press) that Rigveda is an allegorical document, expounding
metallurgy, general and processing of electrum from a pyrite ore--ma_ks.ika_,
in particular, as the bronze-age evolved. 'Indra' is relatable to 'indha' or
fire-wood. The weapon of Indra is 'vajra', which is a gum-resin. Acacia
Catechu (called khadira in RV. iii.53.19) is a hard wood, the resin of which
is also used in ayurveda; it is also called khayar, terra japonica. The
phrase, khadira-van.ika in Pali  (Lalitavistara) is a clear indication of its
commercial importance.

It will be interesting to trace the early textual references which led to the
interpretation of khadira as an attribute of Indra in lexicons.

Regards,
Kalyan




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