Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 15
Indra’s Brahma-hatyā, Flight from Sin, and Purification by Aśvamedha
स आवसत्पुष्करनालतन्तू- नलब्धभोगो यदिहाग्निदूत: । वर्षाणि साहस्रमलक्षितोऽन्त: सञ्चिन्तयन् ब्रह्मवधाद्विमोक्षम् ॥ १५ ॥
sa āvasat puṣkara-nāla-tantūn alabdha-bhogo yad ihāgni-dūtaḥ varṣāṇi sāhasram alakṣito ’ntaḥ sañcintayan brahma-vadhād vimokṣam
Always thinking of how he could be relieved from the sinful reaction for killing a brāhmaṇa, 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.
FAQs
This verse shows that even a powerful celestial agent (Agni’s messenger) may suffer long and hidden austerity while seeking release from brahma-hatya, emphasizing the grave karmic weight of such an act and the need for genuine purification.
Śukadeva describes his concealed dwelling and deprivation to highlight prolonged suffering and intense inner reflection undertaken to escape the reaction of brahma-hatya.
It teaches accountability and sincere reform—wrongdoing has consequences, and real relief comes through deep self-examination, corrective action, and pursuing true purification rather than denial.