Special methods are required to understand myths for their interpretation, and fi rst of all, the methods of revealing the content, which can be regarded as cognitive information, and also the methods of reconstructing the events and phenomena that are behind the mythological images. Thus, the problem of understanding myths is the problem of approaching to them as to a source of knowledge, it is the problem of a search for real referents represented by the esoteric content. The author of this article applies such an approach to one of the central myths of the great monument of world literature, Rig-Veda, created by ancient Indian poets-rishi, to the myth about the demon Vrita, about his evil doings and the killing of this demon by the god of thunder and lightning, Indra.