An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s6.160

c5.s6.160

[Indrota-Pārikṣitīya(m)] (“the narrative of Indrota and Janamejaya Pārikshit”). § 652b (Āpaddh.): Bhīshma said: There was, in days of yore, a king Pārikshit (! so B.; C. °rī°) Janamejaya; from want of judgment he became guilty of killing a brahman; then all the brahmans, with his priests, abandoned him; burning day and night with regret, the king retired into the woods; deserted by his subjects also, and consumed by repentance, he underwent the most rigid austerities. In order to purify himself of the sin of brahmanicide he interrogated maoy brahmans, and wandered from country to country over the whole earth. One day he met Indrota Çaunaka, who rebuked him for his brahmanicide and reminded him of the messengers of Yama in the abode of Yama (XII, 150). Janamejaya meekly listened to the reproof, saying that he was much afraid of Yama; he knew that, according to the Vedas, wretches like himself had forfeited all claim to the respect of the world, and had after death to dwell in hell like Pulindas and Çabaras (so C. and B.; PCR. Khasas), aud he sought instruction from Indrota, who told him to repent and, knowing the Vedas, etc., act in such a way that the brahmans might not be angry with him; Çaunaka said that his kinsmen and friends would call him sinful because he instructed Janamejaya. Janamejaya swore never again to injure the brahmans (XII, 151). Indrota discoursed to the repentant king on the means of cleansing himself, quoting a verse sung by Yayāti ahout the sacredness of Kurukshetra, etc. (a), and recommending him to go to Mahāsaras, etc. (β), queting alsn a saying of Manu and a verse of Satyavat. Mahāsaras, etc. (γ), are so sacred that one guilty of fœticide becomes cleansed at even 100 yojanas from them. Manu has said that by diving in water after thrice reciting the Agha-marshana [mantras] (v. the note of PCR., p. 498), one reaps the fruits of the final bath in a horse-sacrifice. The gods and Asuras in days of yore were instructed by M.-r. Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of the gods, how one should cleanse himself from ein. Indrota then assisted Janamejaya, cleansed of his sins, in the horse-sacrifice (XII, 152).