The interpretation of the nAma "upendra".

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SrI Chandrasekharan Venkataraman:

 

I have included the write-up for this nAma in Slokam 17 below. It

appears that the two explanations are not "opposite", unless we take

His being younger to Indra as also meaning that He was in some way

inferior to Indra. This is not how it has been interpreted. So I do

not see the conflict. I hope the attached write-up helps in

clarifying the two interpretations.

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

 

 

>Message: 3

> Wed, 13 Sep 2000 16:56:54 -0000

> "Chandrasekaran Venkatraman" <vchandra

>doubt about the nAmam "upEndra"

> adiyEn,

> chandrasekaran.

 

 

 

 

 

153. upendrah - a) One who appeared as the younger brother of indra

to

help him.

b) One who is superiror to

indra.

 

Om upendrAya namah.

 

a) upagatah indram - One who assisted indra. SrI

rAdhAkRshNa Sastri

gives the following instance in this context.

PrahlAda's grandson Bali

defeated Indra by doing penances according to

SukrAcArya's advice.

Indra's mother aditi prayed to God to get Indra's

position back. Since

Bali had attained Indra's position through penance

etc., there was no

way of getting back the position easily. So

bhagavAn appeared as the

younger brother of indra by being born as the son of

aditi, and

restoring the position of indra by asking for three

feet of land from

Bali in his yAga Sala.

 

b) indrasya upari indrah - One who is superior to

indra. upa also means

above or superior. Sri rAdhAkRshNa Sastri gives the

example of Lord

KRshNa subduing indra's self-assumed superiority

complex in gokulam

when indra tried to flood and destroy the place for

not offering prayers

to him.

 

 

 

 

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