Shloka 44
(तक्षापि स्वगृहं गत्वा नैव शंसति कस्यचित् | अथैनं नाभिजानन्ति वर्षमेक॑ तथागतम् ।। अथ संवत्सरे पूर्णे भूता: पशुपते: प्रभो । समाक्रोशन्त मघवान् नः प्रभुर्ब्रह्महा इति ।। तत इन्द्रो ब्रतं घोरमाचरत् पाकशासन: । तपसा च स संयुक्त: सह देवैर्मरुद्गणै: ।। समुद्रेषु पृथिव्यां च वनस्पतिषु स्त्रीषु च । विभज्य ब्रह्महत्यां च तान् वरैरप्पयपोजयत् ।। वरदस्तु वरं दत्त्वा पृथिव्यै सागराय च । वनस्पतिभ्य: स्त्रीभ्यश्न ब्रह्महत्यां नुनोद ताम् ।। ततस्तु शुद्धों भगवान् देवैलोंकैश्व पूजित: । इन्द्रस्थानमुपातिष्ठत् पूज्यमानो महर्षिभि: ।। ) उस बढ़ईने भी अपने घर जाकर किसीसे कुछ नहीं कहा। तदनन्तर इन्द्रने ऐसा काम किया है, यह एक वर्षतक किसीको मालूम नहीं हुआ। युधिष्ठिर! वर्ष पूर्ण होनेपर भगवान् पशुपतिके भूतगण यह हल्ला मचाने लगे कि हमारे स्वामी इन्द्र ब्रह्महत्यारे हैं। तब पाकशासन इन्द्रने ब्रह्महत्यासे मुक्ति पानेके लिये कठिन व्रतका आचरण किया। वे देवताओं तथा मरुद्गणोंके साथ तपस्यामें संलग्न हो गये। उन्होंने समुद्र, पृथ्वी, वृक्ष तथा स्त्रीसमुदायको अपनी ब्रह्महत्या बाँकर उन सबको अभीष्ट वरदान दिया। इस प्रकार वरदायक इन्द्रने पृथ्वी, समुद्र, वनस्पति तथा स्त्रियोंको वर देकर उस ब्रह्महत्याको दूर किया। तदनन्तर शुद्ध होकर भगवान् इन्द्र देवताओं, मनुष्यों तथा महर्षियोंसे पूजित होते हुए अपने इन्द्रपदपर आसीन हुए। मेने कृतार्थमात्मानं हत्वा शत्रुं सुरारिहा । त्वष्टा प्रजापति: श्रुत्वा शक्रेणाथ हतं सुतम्
takṣāpi svagṛhaṁ gatvā naiva śaṁsati kasyacit | athainaṁ nābhijānanti varṣam ekaṁ tathāgatam || atha saṁvatsare pūrṇe bhūtāḥ paśupateḥ prabho | samākrośanta maghavān naḥ prabhur brahmahā iti || tata indro vrataṁ ghoraṁ ācarat pākaśāsanaḥ | tapasā ca sa saṁyuktaḥ saha devair marudgaṇaiḥ || samudreṣu pṛthivyāṁ ca vanaspatiṣu strīṣu ca | vibhajya brahmahatyāṁ ca tān varair āpy apojayat || varadastu varaṁ dattvā pṛthivyai sāgarāya ca | vanaspatebhyaḥ strībhyaś ca brahmahatyāṁ nunoda tām || tatastu śuddho bhagavān devalokaiś ca pūjitaḥ | indrasthānam upātiṣṭhat pūjyamāno maharṣibhiḥ ||
Śalya said: “The carpenter too went back to his own house and told no one anything. For a full year, no one came to know that Indra had done this deed. When the year was completed, the Bhūta-hosts of Lord Paśupati raised a cry: ‘Maghavan—our lord—is a slayer of a brāhmaṇa!’ Then Indra, the chastiser of Pāka, undertook a severe vow to be freed from the sin of brahma-hatyā. Joined in austerity with the gods and the Marut hosts, he apportioned that brahma-hatyā among the ocean, the earth, the trees, and the community of women, and he satisfied them by granting desired boons. Thus, the boon-giving Indra, having given boons to the earth, the sea, the plants, and women, cast off that brahma-hatyā. Thereafter, purified, the blessed Indra—honored by the gods and revered by the great seers—resumed his station as Indra.”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the highest authority is not beyond moral law: grave wrongdoing (brahma-hatyā) brings public and cosmic censure, and restoration requires acknowledged expiation (vrata, tapas) and a rebalancing of harm through compensatory gifts/boons—highlighting accountability, purification, and the maintenance of dharma.
After Indra’s deed remains hidden for a year, Śiva’s attendant Bhūtas publicly denounce him as guilty of brahma-hatyā. Indra then performs severe austerities with the gods and Maruts, apportions the burden of the sin among the ocean, earth, plants, and women, grants them boons, and thereby becomes purified and resumes his position as Indra, honored by gods and seers.