### SB 6.9.7

> भूमिस्तुरीयं जग्राह खातपूरवरेण वै\
> ईरिणं ब्रह्महत्याया रूपं भूमौ प्रदृश्यते ॥७॥

> bhūmis turīyaṁ jagrāha\
> khāta-pūra-vareṇa vai\
> īriṇaṁ brahma-hatyāyā\
> rūpaṁ bhūmau pradṛśyate

*bhūmiḥ*—the earth; *turīyam*—one fourth; *jagrāha*—accepted; *khāta-pūra*—of the filling of holes; *vareṇa*—because of the benediction; *vai*—indeed; *īriṇam*—the deserts; *brahma-hatyāyāḥ*—of the reaction for killing a *brāhmaṇa*; *rūpam*—form; *bhūmau*—on the earth; *pradṛśyate*—is visible.

**In return for King Indra's benediction that ditches in the earth would be filled automatically, the land accepted one fourth of the sinful reactions for killing a brāhmaṇa. Because of those sinful reactions, we find many deserts on the surface of the earth.**

Because deserts are manifestations of the earth's diseased condition, no auspicious ritualistic ceremony can be performed in a desert. Persons destined to live in deserts are understood to be sharing the reactions for the sin of *brahma-hatyā,* the killing of a *brāhmaṇa.*