Bhagvatam: Indra saw personified sinful reaction chasing him, appearing like a chandäla woman, a woman of the lowest class. Because she was afflicted with tuberculosis, her body and garments were covered with vomits of blood. Breathing an unbearable fishy odor that polluted the entire street, she chased Indra to afflict him.
TRANSLATION
Sri Sukadeva Gosvämi said: Encouraged by the words of the sages, Indra killed Vrträsura, and when he was killed the sinful reaction for killing a brähmana [brahma-hatyä] certainly took shelter of Indra.
PURPORT
After killing Vrträsura, Indra could not surpass the brahma-hatyä, the sinful reactions for killing a brähmana.
Formerly he had killed one brähmana, Vishvarüpa, out of circumstantial anger, but this time, following the advice of the sages, he killed another brähmana purposely.
Therefore the sinful reaction was greater than before.
Indra could not be relieved from the reaction simply by performing sacrifices for atonement.
He had to undergo a severe series of sinful reactions, and when he was freed by such suffering, the brähmanas allowed him to perform the horse sacrifice.
The planned execution of sinful deeds on the strength of chanting the holy name of the Lord or undergoing präyashchitta, atonement, cannot give relief to anyone, even to Indra or Nahusha.
Nahusha was officiating for Indra while Indra, absent from heaven, was going here and there to gain release from his sinful reactions.
TRANSLATION
Following the advice of the demigods, Indra killed Vrträsura, and he suffered because of this sinful killing. Although the other demigods were happy, he could not derive happiness from the killing of Vrträsura. Indra's other good qualities, such as tolerance and opulence, could not help him in his grief.
PURPORT
One cannot be happy by committing sinful acts, even if one is endowed with material opulence. Indra found this to be true. People began to blaspheme him, saying, "This person has killed a brähmana for the sake of enjoying heavenly material happiness." Therefore in spite of being King of heaven and enjoying material opulence, Indra was always unhappy because of the accusations of the populace.
TRANSLATION
Indra saw personified sinful reaction chasing him, appearing like a chandäla woman, a woman of the lowest class. She seemed very old, and all the limbs of her body trembled. Because she was afflicted with tuberculosis, her body and garments were covered with blood. Breathing an unbearable fishy odor that polluted the entire street, she called to Indra, "Wait! Wait!"
PURPORT
When a person is afflicted with tuberculosis, he often vomits blood, which makes his garments bloody.
TRANSLATION
O King, Indra first fled to the sky, but there also he saw the woman of personified sin chasing him. This witch followed him wherever he went. At last he very quickly went to the northeast and entered the Mänasa-sarovara Lake.
TRANSLATION
Always thinking of how he could be relieved from the sinful reaction for killing a brähmana, King Indra, invisible to everyone, lived in the lake for one thousand years in the subtle fibers of the stem of a lotus. The fire-god used to bring him his share of all yajnas, but because the fire-god was afraid to enter the water, Indra was practically starving.
