Lord Indra, king of the heavens, has been a formidable presence in Hindu scriptures from Vedic times to the medieval ages. Yet, his importance gradually diminished over the centuries. The Vedic Indra, wielder of the thunderbolt, was among the most important deities, but by the puranic period, he became a mere vassal of the holy trinity of Braham, Vishnu and Shiva.

In the Puranas, the heaven over which Indra ruled is referred to as Indraloka or Devaloka and is inhabited by the devas, the secondary deities. His city is Amaravati; his elephant, the four-tusked Airavata; and his horse, Uchchaishravas.

Stories like the ones included in this collection, which depict India as a benign and noble deity, are rare. Most of the stories in the Puranas depict Indra as a deity jealous of mortals who performed tapas (austerities) or yajnas (fire sacrifices). This was because, according to Puranic lore, the Position of Indra could be attained by anyone who performed a hundred Ashwamedha Yajnas.

All the stories in this collection are based on the Mahabharata. The story of Shibi is similar to the one narrated in the Mahabharata about Ushinara, his father.