In Hindu mythology, Vritra is the serpentine demon who personifies drought.
In the Vedic tradition, Vritra is a powerful asura who blocks or imprisons the world’s waters. His name is linked to the idea of covering or obstructing, matching his role as the being who holds back rivers and rain. He is also called Ahi, meaning “serpent.”
The Rigveda describes Indra, the thunder god and king of the devas, battling Vritra with the vajra, or thunderbolt. When Indra defeats him, the captive waters are released and the rivers flow again. The myth therefore presents the storm god’s victory as the restoration of cosmic order and life-giving water.
Vritra is sometimes loosely called a dragon, but he is not the same figure as a naga or a later European-style dragon. Nor is he Mahishasura, Ravana, or Hiranyakashipu: those demons belong to different Hindu mythic narratives. Later Puranic traditions expand Vritra’s story and connect his defeat with the sage Dadhichi, whose bones are used to make Indra’s weapon.