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Rigveda Book 8 Hymn 1 mentions the following:

11 When Sūra wounded Etaśa, with Vāta's rolling winged car. Indra bore Kutsa Ārjuneya off, and mocked Gandharva. the unconquered One.

12 He without ligature, before making incision in the neck, Closed up the wound again, most wealthy Maghavan, who maketh whole the injured part.

13 May we be never cast aside, and strangers, as it were, to thee. We, Thunder-wielding Indra, count ourselves as trees rejected and unfit to burn.

Wiki gives the following information about Kuts:

Kutsa is mentioned in the Vedas in 40 to 50 different contexts. Kutsa asked Indra to help in decimating Ruru's enemies. Indra invited Kutsa to Indraloka to celebrate the victory. Rig Veda 4.16.10 mentions a conversation between Sage Vaamadeva and Indra, which indicated that Kutsa and Indra were friends who resembled each other so much that at one stage, Indrani herself could not differentiate between them.

I want to understand what exactly is happening in this story & if it is described in more detail elsewhere. Are Etasa and Kutsa the same guy and what was Vata's rolling winged car? Who was the Gandharva whom Indra mocked by taking Kutsa away and did he heal his wounds or cause them?

Dr. Vineet Aggarwal
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    When the term Gandharva is used in the Vedas, it almost never refers to the race of celestial singers who are the male equivalent of Apsaras. In the Vedas it's mainly used as a name of Surya. So I think this hymn may be referring to the same story you asked about here: https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q/19937/36 – Keshav Srinivasan Jan 10 '18 at 12:16
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    By the way, the reason that Kutsa resembled Indra is that he was born from Indra's thigh. He had an affair with Indra's wife Shachi, who thought it was Indra. When Indra found out, he made Kutsa bald, so they wouldn't resemble each other anymore. But then Kutsa wore a turban, and continued tricking Shachi. Then Indra made Kutsa's neck black with dust, but Kutsa wore a robe to cover it up. Finally Indra got really angry and wanted to put a curse on Kutsa, to turn him into a Malla (a type of mixed-caste), but Kutsa begged for mercy and Indra relented, making Kutsa a king instead. – Keshav Srinivasan Jan 10 '18 at 12:40
  • Damn this seems to be one major love-hate relationship! Where can I find this story in detail? Also if the two questions I asked are about the same story can you help find an answer that will serve both :) – Dr. Vineet Aggarwal Jan 11 '18 at 04:43
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    The story is told in the Jaiminiya Brahmana and Panchavimsha Brahmana of the Sama Veda, but it doesn't mention the incident of Indra taking Surya's chariot wheel. By the way, there's more to the story. Once Kutsa became king, his first act was to ban all worship of Indra, to take revenge against Indra. But then Indra convinced a young Brahmana to make an offering to him, and then he bragged to Kutsa that he got an offering despite the ban. Kutsa got angry and killed the Brahmana. Then the Brahmana's father chanted a certain Saman (song) of the Sama Veda, which brought his son back to life. – Keshav Srinivasan Jan 11 '18 at 10:39
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    The part at the end is the whole reason the story is told in the Brahmanas of the Vedas - the story demonstrates the fact that this particular Saman is a wish-granting Saman. By the way, Indra alludes to this story in this hymn of the Rig Veda when he says "Kutsa son of Arjuni I master." (He's called Kutsa Arjuneya because Arjuna is a name of Indra.) In any case, I assume that sometime after all this, Indra and Kutsa got on good terms and Indra helped him win some battles. – Keshav Srinivasan Jan 11 '18 at 10:40
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    Very interesting! So this hymn could be referring to the same story? Is Etasa also a name of Kutsa? What could be the meaning of the incision and subsequent sealing of it? – Dr. Vineet Aggarwal Jan 11 '18 at 11:14
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    @Keshav These antics of Indra are so similar to those of Zeus I really do continue to wonder.... – Surya Jan 12 '18 at 05:29
  • @Keshav Why don't you post a standalone question about Kutsa's life and answer it? This story seems too interesting to be left in comments. – Surya Jan 12 '18 at 05:31
  • @Surya Good idea. – Keshav Srinivasan Jan 12 '18 at 05:40
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    @Surya OK, I posted the question and answer: https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q/23393/36 – Keshav Srinivasan Jan 12 '18 at 18:56

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