dressed by Indra's queen,
Nahusha was pleased. And Nahusha said, "Let it be so, O lady of lovely
hips, even as thou art telling me. Thou wilt come, after having
ascertained the news. I hope thou wilt remember thy plighted truth."
Dismissed by Nahusha, she of auspicious looks stepped out; and that
famous lady went to the abode of Vrihaspati. And, O best of kings, the
gods with Agni at their head, when they heard her words, deliberated,
intent upon what would promote the interests of Indra. And they then
joined the powerful Vishnu, the God of gods. And skilled in making
speeches, the uneasy gods spoke the following words to him, "Indra, the
lord of all the gods, hath been overpowered by the sin of Brahmanicide.
Thou, O lord of the gods, art the first-born, the ruler of the universe,
and our refuge. Thou hadst assumed the form of Vishnu for the protection
of all beings. When Vritra was killed through thy energy, Indra was
overwhelmed by the sin of Brahmanicide. O best of all the gods, prescribe
the means of setting him free." Having heard these words of the gods,
Vishnu said, "Let Indra offer sacrifice to me. Even I shall purify the
holder of the thunderbolt. The chastiser of Paka, having performed the
holy horse-sacrifice, will fearlessly regain his dignity as lord of the
gods. And the wicked-minded Nahusha will be led to destruction by his
evil deeds. For a certain period, ye gods, ye must be patient, being
vigilant at the same time." Having heard these words of Vishnu, words
that were true, and pleasant like ambrosia to their ears, the gods, with
their preceptor, and with the Rishis proceeded to that spot where Indra
was uneasy with fear. And there, O king, was performed a great
horse-sacrifice, capable of removing the sin of Brahmanicide, for the
purification of the high-minded and great Indra. And the lord of the
gods, O Yudhishthira, divided the sin of Brahmanicide among trees and
rivers and mountains and the earth and women. And having distributed it
thus among those beings and parted with it, Indra was free from fever.
And rid of his sin, he came to himself. And at that place, the slayer of
the Asura Vala, quaked when he looked at Nahusha, before whom all
animated beings felt cowed, and who was unapproachable by virtue of the
boon the Rishis had granted to him. And the divine husband of Sachi
vanished from sight once again. And invisible to all beings, he wandered
biding his time. And Indra having disappeared, Sachi