Indra’s Brahma-hatyā, Flight from Sin, and Purification by Aśvamedha
अथेज्यमाने पुरुषे सर्वदेवमयात्मनि । अश्वमेधे महेन्द्रेण वितते ब्रह्मवादिभि: ॥ १९ ॥ स वै त्वाष्ट्रवधो भूयानपि पापचयो नृप । नीतस्तेनैव शून्याय नीहार इव भानुना ॥ २० ॥
athejyamāne puruṣe sarva-devamayātmani aśvamedhe mahendreṇa vitate brahma-vādibhiḥ
Depois, quando os brahmavādīs celebraram o aśvamedha realizado por Mahendra, por ele adorar ali o Purusha Supremo, a Alma que contém todos os deuses, cessaram as reações de todos os seus pecados. Ó rei, até o grave pecado de matar o filho de Tvaṣṭā foi anulado de imediato, como a névoa é dissipada pelo nascer do sol.
This verse says that even a great burden of sin—like that from killing Vṛtrāsura—can be nullified by the proper sacrificial act, compared to fog vanishing in sunlight.
He is called tvāṣṭra because he was born from Tvaṣṭā (Viśvarūpa’s father), and thus his slaying is described as 'tvāṣṭra-vadha.'
Sincere, dharmic corrective action—done with proper intent and guidance—can gradually clear heavy guilt and wrongdoing, just as light naturally removes darkness.