We have many Gods.

The Gods are there to take care of us, to look after the welfare of the world.

Like how we have a finance minister, a home minister, a health minister, each God takes care of particular function.

Vayudeva gives us air to breathe.

Suryadeva gives us light and heat and food through photosynthesis.

Varunadeva gives us water.

Agnideva gives us fire to cook and even digest whatever we eat.

They are all in a world called Swarga.

Swarga is above us, in the sky, we can’t see it.

Rishis and Yogis can see Swarga.

They can even go there and come back as we go to any place like Switzerland or America.

They have only told us that the Swargaloka exists.

Our scriptures give us detailed description of how everything is there in Swargaloka, how everything is organized.

These Gods there, are ministers in a cabinet.

Each one has his department here on earth through which they manage everything.

Through us, the inhabitants on earth, they manage everything.

For example, if they want us to feed a poor man, they will put kindness in our heart.

When we see that person, we will feel sympathy, we will feel like helping him.

That’s how Gods operate.

Like this everything.

Suryadeva with his rays, evaporates water in the ocean.

It will go up in the sky and become clouds.

Then, Vayudeva will take those clouds to places where water is not there and make rains to happen.

Plants will grow there, produce grains and fruits, with which humans, birds, animals can live.

This is how Gods work for the welfare of the world.

Like how we have the Prime Minister as the head of the cabinet, head of all the ministers, in the Swargaloka also there is a head of all the Devas, the king of all the Devas.

He is Indra, Devendra.

Indra is like a designation, like the Prime Minister, it is a post.

Like how our Prime Minister has a term of 5 years, Indra also has a term.

It is called a Manvantara.

The duration of a Manvantara is 30,67,20,000 years.

If someone becomes Indra, then he remains as Indra for so many years.

After that, somebody else will become Indra.

The actual name of the present Indra is Purandara.

Once his term is over, another one will come.

The next Indra will be Mahabali.

Don’t you remember the Asura king whom Lord Vamana has sent down to Pathalaloka?

He is waiting there to become the next Indra.

Only the most noble, the best can become Indra.

For that, they have to do so many good things on earth.

When they become the best on earth through their noble conduct, intelligence, power, then they become eligible to be Indra.

Indra is responsible for rains.

That is one function he looks after directly.

He hasn’t delegated this, because rains are so important.

The oceans are under the command of Varunadeva.

Then Suryadeva causes evaporation, rain clouds are formed, Vayu Deva takes clouds from here to there, but rains actually happen when Indradeva orders.

That’s why people pray to Indra deva for rains.

Lightning is the weapon of Indradeva.

It is called Vajrayudha.

He rides on a huge while elephant called Airavata which is in fact the clouds only.

Indra Deva’s wife is Shachi.

He has one son- Jayanta, and one daughter- Jayanti.

Being the king of Devas, he is their ruler and protector.