Question

Does the word “Indrajāla” (Indra’s net) have any connection to the god Indra?

Answer

Indrajala has been used in various scriptures. It has various meanings as given by OP in question. It is also a name of weapon used by Arjuna as given in Mahabharata:

Mahabharata, Book 3, SECTION CCXLIII

sthūṇākarṇendrajālaṃ ca sauraṃ cāpi tathārjunaḥ / (17.1)

āgneyaṃ cāpi saumyaṃ ca sasarja kurunandanaḥ // (17.2)

Then Arjuna of the Kuru race shot his well-known weapons called Sthunakarna, Indrajala, Saura, Agneya and Saumya.

In Mahabharata, it is also used in the sense of magic as below:

Mahabharata, Book 5, SECTION CLXI

na māyā hīndrajālaṃ vā kuhakā vā vibhīṣaṇī / (35.1)

āttaśastrasya me yuddhe vahanti pratigarjanāḥ // (35.2)

Neither deception, nor conjuror's tricks, nor jugglery, can terrify the armed man addressed for fight. On the other hand, these provoke only his wrath.

Matsya Purana, Chapter 150 also mention Indrajala weapon for magic.

द्वितीयमिन्द्रजालेन योजितं प्रमुमोच ह। सच्चारास्त्रेण रूपाणां क्षणाच्चके विपर्ययम्। १५६॥

second Indrajala-astra having the properties of magic. By the influence of the sancara-astra the faces of the demons and the Devas were changed into those of the Devas and Danavas.

Atharva Veda also mention the word Indrajala as:

enter image description here

Another translation of the above Atharva Veda verse is as follows:

  1. This world so mighty was the net of Sakra, of the Mighty One:

With this, the net of Indra, I envelop all those men with gloom.

Please note that Atharva Veda verses should be recited only by the proper guidance of Guru

Note: “The question: Does the word ‘Indrajāla’ (Indra’s net) have any connection to the god Indra?” is licensed by Stack Exchange Inc (https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/); user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA.