Indra, protector of freedoms

In Rig Veda, the Indra, the Supreme Truth is represented as a friend of poor, downtrodden, oppressed and marginalized sections of soceity. Indra is always a supporter of liberty and relentlessly fights for liberty and justice. Indra is also "sakha sakhibhyo" I am the Friend of Friends, and someone who is the champion of freedom.

"Indra, you lifted up the outcast who was oppressed, you glorified the blind and the lame. "(Rg-Veda 2:13:12) Rig Veda has a beautiful definition of freedom I.e Obstructing, or rather restricting the natural course of anything is bondage and the absence of it is freedom.

Let's consider the following verse of Rig Veda .

"Nananam dhiyo vratani jananam."
(Diverse are the thoughts and actions of the people ) -- Rig Veda 9 : 112

This Rig Vedic verse very explicitly declares that people's thoughts and actions are naturally diverse. A logical extension of this verse would be that, any obstruction or restriction to any of these diverse thoughts and actions would attract the wrath of Indra, who strikes with his Vajra ( thunder) against any form of curb on 'freedom'. Indra is the Liberator of People and Protector of Political Freedom, Right to Thought and Right to Action. Indra's Greek counterpart Zeus also has a role as protector of political freedom and known as Zeus Eleutherios (Zeus the Liberator). This aspect of Indra / Zeus stood behind the founding fathers in America's struggle for independence. Since then Liberty has served as a national symbol of America as Lady of Liberty as thee Roman Goddess Libertas.

Idea of freedom in the Rig Veda and role of Indra/ Zeus as liberator is very relevant today as we clearly see a disturbing pattern of undermining the values of liberty, freedom of expression, freedom of speech and invading personal privacy around the world by fundamentalists, terrorists and authoritarian regimes. At the same time they are not the only ones who threaten our liberty and freedom. Interestingly, the very people who raise their voices against any sort of moral policing or curb against freedom of expression, thought or action themselves fall into their own trap and come about as obstructers to thoughts or expressions different from their views or they don't espouse.

Indra's Vajra is needed to strike the fundamentalists, terrorists, authoritarian ideologies, dictatorships, self-proclaimed pesudo champions of freedom and all others who obstruct the free flow of thoughts and actions. Indra's Vajra is perhaps needed also to bring in unity among 8 billion people of world , so that they can speak together, live together, dream together and pray together in peace and harmony . That would be the real freedom to the people of all nations, races and religions.

"May we all be protected
May we all be nourished
May we work together with great energy
May our intellect be sharpened
Let there be no Animosity amongst us
Let there be peace everywhere."
(Peace prayer from Vedas)