Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 20
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
Затем, когда брахмавади совершили для Махендры ашвамедха-ягью и он в ней поклонялся Верховному Пуруше — Атману, вмещающему всех богов, — реакции на все его грехи были устранены. О царь, даже тяжкий грех убийства сына Тваштары тотчас обратился в ничто, как туман исчезает при восходе солнца.
FAQs
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.