Always thinking of relief from the sinful reaction for killing a brāhmaṇa, Indra, invisible to everyone, lived for one thousand years in the subtle fibers of the stem of a lotus without food, since the messenger of Agni could not deliver his share of sacrifice in the water. He lived unseen in the fibers of the lotus stem. He did not get any food, because the messenger of Agni did not deliver his share of the sacrifices, since he could not enter the water. It is not difficult for Agni to enter water, since he delivers to Varuṇa, who is situated in the water, his share. However, this water was difficult to enter because the followers of Śiva were guarding it. And thus, the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa, which followed him everywhere, could also not enter the water. He remained invisible to all people for a thousand years.