88 INDIAN MYTHOLOGY
by the promise of a share in the cake at the sacrifice, he vanquished Vrtra, who apparently then became his food. The story of the death of Visvarupa, the three-headed son of Tvastr, is variously told, but it is clear that Indra was afraid that this demon was likely to betray the gods to the Asuras, whence he cut off his three heads, which turned into different birds. Nevertheless by this act Indra had been guilty of the sin of slaying a Brahman, and, since all beings cried out upon him for his deed, he besought the earth, trees, and women, each of which took to themselves a third of the blood-stain which had fallen on the deity. The slaying of Tvastr' s son, however, is only one of the sins of Indra known to the Brahmanas: it is said that he insulted his teacher Brhaspati; gave over the Yatis, who are traditionally sages, to the hyenas; and slew the Arurmaghas or Arunmukhas, of whom no further data are recorded. For these sins, according to the Aitareya Brdhmana (vi. 28), he was excluded by the gods from the soma, and with him the whole of the warrior race; but later he managed to secure the soma for himself by stealing it from Tvastr, though, if we may believe one account, he paid dearly for the theft by being seriously affected by the drink and requiring to be cured by the Sautrdmani rite.
Other new features of the Indra myth are the prominent parts played by other gods in the conflict with Vrtra: the appearance of Agni and Soma as helpers is paralleled by the stress laid on the aid of Visnu or of the Maruts. Moreover we hear now of the consequences of his slaying of the dragon, which is no longer regarded merely as a triumph. Indra himself flees to the farthest distance, thinking that he has failed to lay his opponent low, and all his strength passes from him and enters the water, the trees, the plants, and the earth; or, again, he feels that he has sinned in his action, which is parallel to his disgrace for slaying Visvarupa. All the gods save the Maruts abandon him at the decisive moment; and, when Vrtra has been struck, it is Vayu who is sent to see if he is really dead.
