chief of the celestials found no peace, and felt as if scorched by
the effulgent appearance of the dead; for though slain, he had a blazing
and effulgent appearance and looked like one alive. And, strange to say,
though lifeless, his heads seemed to be alive as they were beheld lying
low on the field. And exceedingly afraid of that lustre, Indra remained
plunged in thought. And at that time, O great king, bearing an axe on his
shoulder, a carpenter came to the forest and approached the spot where
lay that being. And Indra, the lord of Sachi, who was afraid, saw the
carpenter come there by chance. And the chastiser of Paka said unto him
immediately, "Do this my behest. Quickly cut off this one's heads." The
carpenter thereupon said, "His shoulders are broad: this axe will not be
able to cut them off. Nor shall I be able to do what is condemned by
righteous persons." And Indra said, "Do not fear, quickly do what I say.
At my command thy axe shall equal the thunderbolt." The carpenter said,
"Whom am I to take thee to be who hast done this frightful deed today?
This I wish to learn, tell me the exact truth." And Indra said, "O
carpenter, I am Indra, the chief of the gods. Let this be known to thee.
Do thou act just as I have told thee. Do not hesitate, O carpenter!" The
carpenter said, "O Indra, how is it that thou art not ashamed of this thy
inhuman act? How it is that thou hast no dread of the sin of slaying a
Brahmana, after having slain this son of a saint?" Indra said, "I shall
afterwards perform some religious ceremony of a rigorous kind to purify
myself from this taint. This was a powerful enemy of mine whom I have
killed with my thunderbolt. Even now I am uneasy, O carpenter; I, indeed,
dread him even now. Do thou quickly cut off his heads, I shall bestow my
favour upon thee. In sacrifices, men will give thee the head of the
sacrificial beast as thy share. This is the favour I confer on thee. Do
thou quickly perform what I desire."'

"Salya said, 'Hearing this, the carpenter, at the request of the great
Indra, immediately severed the heads of the three-headed one with his
axe. And when the heads were cut off, out flew therefrom a number of
birds, viz., partridges, quails and sparrows. And from the mouth
wherewith he used to recite the Vedas and to drink the Soma-juice, came
out partridges in quick succession. And, O king, O son of Pandu, from the
mouth with which he used to look at the cardinal points as if absorbing