Understanding the views of those great Rishis, that foremost of rivers
caused her body, O bull among men, to assume a new shape called Aruna.
Bathing in that new river (a branch of the Sarasvati) the Rakshasas cast
off their bodies and went to heaven. Ascertaining all this, the chief of
the celestials, (Indra of a hundred sacrifices), bathed in that foremost
of tirthas and became cleansed of a grievous sin."
Janamejaya said, "For what reason was Indra tainted with the sin of
Brahmanicide? How also did he become cleansed by bathing in that tirtha?"
Vaishampayana said, "Listen to that history, O ruler of men! Hear of
those occurrences as they happened! Hear how Vasava, in days of yore,
broke his treaty with Namuchi! The Asura Namuchi, from fear of Vasava,
had entered a ray of the Sun. Indra then made friends with Namuchi and
entered into a covenant with him, saying, 'O foremost of Asuras, I shall
not slay thee, O friend, with anything that is wet or with anything that
is dry! I shall not slay thee in the night or in the day! I swear this to
thee by truth. Having made this covenant, the lord Indra one day beheld a
fog. He then, O king, cut off Namuchi's head, using the foam of water (as
his weapon). The severed head of Namuchi thereupon pursued Indra from
behind, saying unto him from a near point these words, 'O slayer of a
friend, O wretch!' Urged on incessantly by that head, Indra repaired to
the Grandsire and informed him, in grief, of what had occurred.
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