#Meghnada was the eldest son of Ravana and Mandodari. On completion of his training in use of weapons and art of warfare, his Guru Shukracharya advised him to worship Lord Shiva for mighty celestial weapons. Meghnada did so and received most dangerous weapons from Lord Shiva. To please his father Ravana, Meghnada decided to conquer Indralok. Indra and the resident Devtas of Indralok got afraid of Meghnada and his army as they approached Indralok, so they fled away. As Meghnada entered Indralok Shachi, the wife of Indra scolded him. So she was captured. Meghnada challenged Indra to fight him and rescue her. Indra returned and after a fierce duel he was defeated. Meghanada tied and brought him to Ravana in Lanka. Ravana and Meghanada decided to kill Indra. At this juncture, Lord Brahma intervened and asked Meghanada to free Indra. Meghanada obliged and was granted a chance to ask for a boon from Brahma. Meghanada asked for immortality, but Brahma remarked that absolute immortality is against the law of the nature. Instead, he was then granted another boon that after the completion of the Yagna (fire-worship) of his native goddess Prathyangira or the "Nikumbhila yagna" would be completed, he will get a celestial chariot, mounting on which, any enemy can't kill him in a war and become invulnerable. But Brahma also cautioned him that whosoever would destroy this yagna, would also kill him. Brahma was highly impressed by Meghanada's valor in this war and it was Brahma who coined him the name Indrajit - "the conqueror of Indra"
This oleograph by Ravi Varma Press is based on painting by Raja Ravi Varma.
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