For freeing Sakra from her, do thou take a fourth portion of
that sin.'
"Agni said, 'How shall I be rescued from her, O Brahman? O puissant Lord,
do thou appoint the way. I desire to know the means (of my own rescue) in
detail, O adored of all the worlds!'
"Brahman said, 'Unto that man who, overwhelmed by the quality of Tamas,
will abstain from offering thee as an oblation, when he beholds thee in
thy blazing form, seeds, herbs, and juices, that portion of Brahmanicide
which thou wilt take upon thyself shall immediately enter, and leaving
thee shall dwell in him. O carrier off oblations, let the fever of thy
heart be dispelled.'
"Bhishma said, 'Thus addressed by the Grandsire the eater of oblations
and sacrificial offerings accepted his command. A fourth of that sin then
entered his person, O king! The Grandsire then summoned the trees, the
herbs, and all kinds of grass to him, and solicited them to take upon
themselves a fourth of that sin. Addressed by him, the trees and herbs
and grasses became as much agitated as Agni had been at the request, and
they replied unto Grandsire, saying, 'How shall we, O Grandsire of all
the worlds, be ourselves rescued from this sin? It behoveth thee not to
afflict us that have already been afflicted by the fates. O god, we have
always to endure heat and cold and the showers (of the clouds) driven by
the winds, in addition to the cutting and the tearing (that we have to
suffer at the hands of men). We are willing, O Lord of the three worlds,
to take at thy command (a portion of) this sin of Brahmanicide.
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