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Shloka 21

Indra’s Brahma-hatyā, Flight from Sin, and Purification by Aśvamedha

स वाजिमेधेन यथोदितेन वितायमानेन मरीचिमिश्रै: । इष्ट्वाधियज्ञं पुरुषं पुराण- मिन्द्रो महानास विधूतपाप: ॥ २१ ॥

sa vājimedhena yathoditena vitāyamānena marīci-miśraiḥ iṣṭvādhiyajñaṁ puruṣaṁ purāṇam indro mahān āsa vidhūta-pāpaḥ

Von Marīci und den anderen großen Weisen begünstigt, wurde das Vājimedha (Aśvamedha) genau nach den Vorschriften vollzogen und dabei der Adhiyajña verehrt, der uralte Purusha, die höchste Seele. So, von Sünde gereinigt, gewann Indra seine erhabene Stellung zurück und wurde erneut von allen geehrt.

सःhe (Indra)
सः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
वाजिमेधेनby the horse-sacrifice
वाजिमेधेन:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootवाजि-मेध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः: वाजि (अश्व) + मेध (तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन
यथोदितेनas prescribed/said
यथोदितेन:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootयथा-उदित (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः: यथा + उदित (अव्ययीभाव; ‘as stated’); क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP) from उद्-इ/वद्? here ‘udita’ as ‘said’; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘वाजिमेधेन’)
वितायमानेनwhile being arranged/spread
वितायमानेन:
Karana (करण)
TypeVerb
Rootवि-तन् (धातु)
Formवर्तमान-कृदन्त (present passive participle/शानच्), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘while being spread/extended’
मरीचिमिश्रैःby (priests) headed by Marīci
मरीचिमिश्रैः:
Kartr-sahakari (सहकर्ता/associates)
TypeNoun
Rootमरीचि-मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः: मरीचि + मिश्र (तत्पुरुष; ‘with Marīci’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
इष्ट्वाhaving worshipped
इष्ट्वा:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootयज् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) from इष्‍ट (यज्); ‘having worshipped/sacrificed’
अधियज्ञम्the Lord presiding over sacrifice
अधियज्ञम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअधियज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः: अधि + यज्ञ (तत्पुरुष; ‘presiding over sacrifice’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
पुरुषम्the Person (Supreme)
पुरुषम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
पुराणम्ancient, primeval
पुराणम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘पुरुषम्’)
इन्द्रःIndra
इन्द्रः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootइन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
महान्great
महान्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘इन्द्रः’)
आसbecame/was
आस:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
विधूतपापःwith sins shaken off; purified
विधूतपापः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवि-धूत-पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः: विधूत (PPP from वि-धू ‘shaken off’) + पाप (तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘इन्द्रः’)
I
Indra
M
Marīci
A
Adhiyajña (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

This verse states that when Indra performed the prescribed aśvamedha under saintly guidance and worshiped Adhiyajña—the Supreme Lord—his sins were completely eradicated.

Indra was burdened by severe sinful reaction; by executing the duly enjoined sacrifice with sages like Marīci and focusing it on the Supreme Lord, he became purified and restored in spiritual and moral standing.

Offer one’s duties and worship to the Supreme Lord as the real enjoyer of sacrifice—turning work, charity, and discipline into God-centered service that purifies the heart.