, still, if it pleaseth thee,
O king, perform expiatory rites (for washing thyself free of thy
so-called sin). It is heard, O Partha, that the gods and the Asuras
fought against each other. The Asuras were the elder, and the gods the
younger brothers. Covetous of prosperity, fierce was the battle fought
between them. The fight lasted for two and thirty thousand years. Making
the earth one vast expanse of blood, the gods slew the Daityas and gained
possession of heaven. Having obtained possession of the earth, a (large)
number of Brahmanas, conversant with the Vedas, armed themselves,
stupefied with pride, with the Danavas for giving them help in the fight.
They were known by the name of Salavrika and numbered eight and eighty
thousand. All of them, however, were slain by the gods. Those
wicked-souled persons who desire the extinction of virtue and who set
sinfulness agoing deserve to be slain even as the furious Daityas were
slain by the gods. If by slaying a single individual a family may be
saved, or, if by slaying a single family the whole kingdom may be saved,
such an act of slaughter will not be a transgression. Sin, O king,
sometimes assumes the form of virtue, and virtue sometimes assumes the
form of sin. They, however, that are learned, know which is which.
Therefore, console thyself, O son of Pandu, for thou art well versed in
the scriptures. Thou hast, O Bharata, only followed the path formerly
trodden by the very gods. Men like yourselves never go to hell, O bull of
Pandu's race! Comfort these thy brothers and all thy friends, O scorcher
of foes! He who deliberately engages himself in sinful acts, and
committing sinful acts feels no shame but continues the same as before,
is called (in the scripture) a great sinner. There is no expiation for
him and his sins know no diminution. Thou art born in noble race. Forced
by the faults of others, thou hast most unwillingly done this, and having
done this thou repentest of it. The Horse-sacrifice, that grand rite, has
been indicated as an expiation for thee. Make preparations for that
sacrifice, O monarch, and thou shalt be freed from thy sins. The divine
chastiser of Paka, having vanquished his foes with the assistance of the
Maruts, gradually performed a hundred sacrifices and became
Satakratu.[110] Freed from sin, possessed of heaven, and having obtained
many regions of bliss and great happiness and prosperity, Sakra,
surrounded by the Maruts, is shining in beauty, an