Vṛtrahan
/ˈvrɪ.trə.hɑːn/noun
A Sanskrit epithet of the Vedic god Indra, meaning the slayer of Vṛtra.
Did you know?In the Rigveda, Indra’s destruction of Vṛtra releases the imprisoned waters, making Vṛtrahan a mythic title of storm, liberation, and restored cosmic order.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wer-
“To cover, enclose, or obstruct; the root associated with Vṛtra, the enclosing force.”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
vṛtra
“An obstruction or enclosing serpent-demon who withholds the waters.”
Rigvedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
vṛtrahán-
“Vṛtra-slayer; an epithet repeatedly applied to Indra.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Vṛtrahan
“The killer of Vṛtra, especially as a formal title of Indra.”
Modern English
English
Vṛtrahan
“A scholarly transliteration and loanword for Indra’s epithet, “slayer of Vṛtra.””