( the D in this name is pronounced like 'th' in 'brother')
Indra is the name of the lord of the gods in the heaven . He is the ruler of the heaven . The puraanas say that he has 1000 eyes . He is the prime of the celestial beings . Amaraavathi is the name of his abode . Vyjayanthi is the name of his palace and Nadanam is the name of his park . Shachi is his wife. Jayantha and Jayanthi ( also known as Shampa ) are his son and daughter . Maathali was his charioteer . The Ayraavatham is his white elephant. Ucchyshravam is his horse, which too was totally white. He is the ruling deity of the direction of East .
Arjuna was the son born to Kunthi by his gift . Many a time , he helped Paandavas . He deprived Karna of his natural armour and ear rings with a view to helping Arjuna . He also saw to it that Parashuraama knew Karna's identity which made him curse Karna to forego all that he learnt from him . Indra appeared many times in the course of Mahaabhaaratham story . He called Arjuna to heaven and entrusted to him the responsibility of destroying demons like Kaalakeyas and Nivaahakavachas . He gifted a divine crown to Arjuna. Also, he ordered a gandharva chief Chithrasena to instruct Arjuna in dance and music. He prevailed upon Vishnu and Shiva to grace Arjuna with victory in the great fight with Karna on the seventeenth day of the war.
In the end , he tested Yudhishthira in the walk of renounciation too.
Tradition says that Indra is the name of a position that rotates among the eligible holders of the post in the course of the time cycle. Current occupant of the position is named Purandara. Details can be seen in Bhaagavatham and other Puraanams.
"After praying to Naaraayana, Nara, Sarasvathi and Vyaasa, then one should read the Jayam."
DEDICATED TO MY DEAR NIECE VYSHNAVI KRISHNA