SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 6

S'rî S'uka said: 'With Vritra killed became, except for Indra himself, the leaders and everyone else in the three worlds, o charitable one, very soon free from all fears and physical agitation.

S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: O King Parîkshit, who are so charitably disposed, when Vritrâsura was killed, all the presiding deities and everyone else in the three planetary systems was immediately pleased and free from trouble--everyone, that is, except Indra. (Vedabase)

Text 2

Thereafter, on their own accord [without taking leave from Indra], returned home the godly, Brahmâ, S'iva and the ones belonging to Indra as well as all other followers of the divine, together with the saints, the forefathers, the other living beings and the demoniac.

Thereafter, the demigods, the great saintly persons, the inhabitants of Pitriloka and Bhûtaloka, the demons, the followers of the demigods, and also Lord Brahmâ, Lord S'iva and the demigods subordinate to Indra all returned to their respective homes. While departing, however, no one spoke to Indra. (Vedabase)

Text 3

The king asked: 'O my Lord, great sage, I'd like to hear about the reason of Indra's being troubled; from where came his gloom while all the godly of Indra were so very happy?

Mahârâja Parîkshit inquired from S'ukadeva Gosvâmî: O great sage, what was the reason for Indra's unhappiness? I wish to hear about this. When he killed Vritrâsura, all the demigods were extremely happy. Why, then, was Indra himself unhappy? (Vedabase)

Text 4

S'rî S'uka said: 'By the power play of Vritrâsura were all the godly and the sages beset with fear, but afraid of killing a brahmin had Indra declined their request to kill him.

S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî answered: When all the great sages and demigods were disturbed by the extraordinary power of Vritrâsura, they had assembled to ask Indra to kill him. Indra, however, being afraid of killing a brâhmana, declined their request. (Vedabase)

Text 5

Indra had said: 'By the favor shown by the women, the earth, the trees and the water was the load of the sin of killing Vis'varûpa carried together [see 6.9: 6-10], but how am I released from killing Vritra?'

King Indra replied: When I killed Vis'varûpa, I received extensive sinful reactions, but I was favored by the women, land, trees and water, and therefore I was able to divide the sin among them. But now if I kill Vritrâsura, another brâhmana, how shall I free myself from the sinful reactions? (Vedabase)

Text 6

S'uka continued: 'The sages hearing that said this to the great Indra: 'We will perform a great as'vamedha sacrifice [horse-sacrifice] for your good fortune, do not fear.

S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: Hearing this, the great sages replied to King Indra, "O King of heaven, all good fortune unto you. Do not fear. We shall perform an as'vamedha sacrifice to release you from any sin you may accrue by killing the brâhmana." (Vedabase)

Text 7

The as'vamedha sacrifice of worshiping the Original Person, the Supersoul, the Controller that is Lord Nârâyana our God, liberates even from the sin of killing the whole world!

The rishis continued: O King Indra, by performing an as'vamedha sacrifice and thereby pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul, Lord Nârâyana, the supreme controller, one can be relieved even of the sinful reactions for killing the entire world, not to speak of killing a demon like Vritrâsura. (Vedabase)

Text 8-9:

One who has killed a brahmin, his father, a cow, his mother or his spiritual master, such a sinner or outcast dog-eater even may find purification in singing His holy name. If you, with us with faith conducting the as'vamedha sacrifice, the topmost of all sacrifices, are not even contaminated by killing all creatures of Brahmâ including the ones of respect for him, then what for having killed a harassing demon?'

One who has killed a brâhmana, one who has killed a cow or one who has killed his father, mother or spiritual master can be immediately freed from all sinful reactions simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Nârâyana. Other sinful persons, such as dog-eaters and candâlas, who are less than s'ûdras, can also be freed in this way. But you are a devotee, and we shall help you by performing the great horse sacrifice. If you please Lord Nârâyana in that way, why should you be afraid? You will be freed even if you kill the entire universe, including the brâhmanas, not to speak of killing a disturbing demon like Vritrâsura. (Vedabase)

Text 10

S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus encouraged by the learned killed Indra his enemy, and was as well the reaction undone of killing a brahmin when Vritrâsura approached Vrishâkapi, the myth that is Indra.

S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: Encouraged by the words of the sages, Indra killed Vritrâsura, and when he was killed the sinful reaction for killing a brâhmana [brahma-hatyâ] certainly took shelter of Indra. (Vedabase)

Text 11

By the reaction suffered Indra at first the deepest misery in not finding happiness but shame and ill-fame instead in missing the qualities, even though he had done others a favor.

Following the advice of the demigods, Indra killed Vritrâsura, and he suffered because of this sinful killing. Although the other demigods were happy, he could not derive happiness from the killing of Vritrâsura. Indra's other good qualities, such as tolerance and opulence, could not help him in his grief. (Vedabase)

Text 12-13:

He saw it chasing him in the form of an outcast woman old and trembling in her limbs whose clothes because of her suffering from consumption were covered in blood. With her disheveled, gray hair she yelled 'Wait, wait', spreading with her breath a bad fishy smell polluting the entire road.

Indra saw personified sinful reaction chasing him, appearing like a candâla woman, a woman of the lowest class. She seemed very old, and all the limbs of her body trembled. Because she was afflicted with tuberculosis, her body and garments were covered with blood. Breathing an unbearable fishy odor that polluted the entire street, she called to Indra, "Wait! Wait!". (Vedabase)

Text 14

The thousand-eyed Indra, went everywhere in all directions of the sky and then hurried in the northeastern direction to enter, o King, the Mânasa-sarovara lake.

O King, Indra first fled to the sky, but there also he saw the woman of personified sin chasing him. This witch followed him wherever he went. At last he very quickly went to the northeast and entered the Mânasa-sarovara Lake. (Vedabase)

Text 15

Invisible to the servant of the sacrificial fire he lived there, bereft of all sustenance, for a thousand years in the subtle network of the fibers of a lotus stem, while he in his heart constantly pondered over how he could find liberation from having killed a brahmin.

Always thinking of how he could be relieved from the sinful reaction for killing a brâhmana, King Indra, invisible to everyone, lived in the lake for one thousand years in the subtle fibers of the stem of a lotus. The fire-god used to bring him his share of all yajñas, but because the fire-god was afraid to enter the water, Indra was practically starving. (Vedabase)

Text 16

For the time of his absence were the heavens ruled by Nahusha who, equipped with education, austerity, yoga and strength, turned mad with his intelligence blinded from the excess of opulence; chasing Indra's wife fell he [cursed by her] victim to the fate of a snake.

As long as King Indra lived in the water, wrapped in the stem of the lotus, Nahusha was equipped with the ability to rule the heavenly kingdom, due to his knowledge, austerity and mystic power. Nahusha, however, blinded and maddened by power and opulence, made undesirable proposals to Indra's wife with a desire to enjoy her. Thus Nahusha was cursed by a brâhmana and later became a snake. (Vedabase)

Text 17

From being gone was he, whose offenses by the divinity of Rudra in his meditation on the Maintainer of truth were all nullified, by mouth of the brahmins then invited back. He, with all their power diminished, could not be overcome again by them, protected as he was by the wife of Vishnu, the Goddess of Fortune.

Indra's sins were diminished by the influence of Rudra, the demigod of all directions. Because Indra was protected by the goddess of fortune, Lord Vishnu's wife, who resides in the lotus clusters of Mânasa-sarovara Lake, Indra's sins could not affect him. Indra was ultimately relieved of all the reactions of his sinful deeds by strictly worshiping Lord Vishnu. Then he was called back to the heavenly planets by the brâhmanas and reinstated in his position. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

Welcomed back by the brahmins was he, for indeed pleasing the Supreme Lord Hari, properly, according the rules, consacrated by means of an as'vamedha sacrifice, o son of Bharata.

O King, when Lord Indra reached the heavenly planets, the saintly brâhmanas approached him and properly initiated him into a horse sacrifice [as'vamedha-yajña] meant to please the Supreme Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 19-20:

From that as'vamedha sacrifice performed by the expert brahmins in worship of the Original Person, the Supersoul and Maintainer of all divinity, could indeed the mass of sin of regrettably having killed the son of Tvashthâ, o King, like fog before the sun be reduced to nothing.

The horse sacrifice performed by the saintly brâhmanas relieved Indra of the reactions to all his sins because he worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead in that sacrifice. O King, although he had committed a gravely sinful act, it was nullified at once by that sacrifice, just as fog is vanquished by the brilliant sunrise. (Vedabase)

Text 21:

He, the worshipable Indra, was, favored by that as'vamedha sacrifice which as prescribed was performed by the priests headed by Marîci, in the worship of the Original Personality and Lord of Sacrifice completely cleansed of the misstep.

King Indra was favored by Marîci and the other great sages. They performed the sacrifice just according to the rules and regulations, worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul, the original person. Thus Indra regained his exalted position and was again honored by everyone. (Vedabase)

Text 22-23:

This great historical incident describing the glorification of the Lord of the Holy Places, the growing in devotion and the victory and liberation of Indra the King of heaven, cleanses one of innumerable sins. This narration should always be read and continuously be heard by the intelligent and be reiterated on the occasion of great festivals; it sharpens one's senses, brings wealth and fame and releases from all misconduct; it brings victory over one's enemies and good fortune and longevity to all.'

In this very great narrative there is glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nârâyana, there are statements about the exaltedness of devotional service, there are descriptions of devotees like Indra and Vritrâsura, and there are statements about King Indra's release from sinful life and about his victory in fighting the demons. By understanding this incident, one is relieved of all sinful reactions. Therefore the learned are always advised to read this narration. If one does so, one will become expert in the activities of the senses, his opulence will increase, and his reputation will become widespread. One will also be relieved of all sinful reactions, he will conquer all his enemies, and the duration of his life will increase. Because this narration is auspicious in all respects, learned scholars regularly hear and repeat it on every festival day. (Vedabase)