The Sacrifices of Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha (study)
by Aparna Dhar | 2016 | 61,606 words
This page relates 鈥楽ource of the Sacrifice鈥� of the study dealing with the Sacrifices such as Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha including their ritualistic and monarchial strata with reference to the Shatapatha-Brahmana. These Brahmanas represent a category of ancient Sanskrit texts dealing with ancient Vedic rituals and ceremonies based on the Vedas.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Source of the Sacrifice
After describing the political significance of the sacrifice, it is also necessary to discuss the source of the sacrifice. As the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 texts refer to us the old practices and the new practices and supply us various instances regarding the changes of sacrifice.
The sacrifice is the prime factor of attaining worldly prosperity as well as heavenly bliss. The 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 is also no exception to this. It is already discussed that the creation of the world lies in the sacrifice. In the 峁欢惫别诲补[1] also we read of the cosmic sacrifice, which is performed even before the dawn of creation and in which the one great God, the primal being known as 笔耻谤耻峁 offered himself as havis or oblation. This 鈥榩rimal being鈥� later known to us in the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 texts as 鈥�笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈鈥�. According to 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺鈥撯赌渢丑别 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 is the source of all creation and he created the universe after practicing austere penance[2]. In the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 there is a statement that鈥撯�渁ll beings are born of sacrifice鈥�[3]. According to most of the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 texts, the important source of the sacrifice is 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈[4]. It is said that 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 has discovered the sacrifice, which is three fold and with its seven threads having twenty one forms[5] viz. the seven soma sacrifices, the seven 辫腻办补-测补箩帽补蝉 and seven 丑补惫颈谤测补箩帽补蝉 i.e. there are twenty one forms. The 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 then performed that sacrifice. He visualized many particular sacrifices also. Therefore, the origin of the Agnihotra offering is narrated in the following manner. In the beginning the 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 was alone. He wanted to create beings. He practiced penance and created fire. But at that time there was no food for the fire. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 became frightened and thought that fire would burn him. Hence, he rubbed his hands and produced ghee and milk. Then he (笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈) offered the offering in to the Agni but Agni was not satisfied. Then 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 again rubbed his hands and produced the same (ghee and milk). But he hesitated whether to offer or not. Then his own 尘补丑颈尘腻 (greatness) told him to offer. As his own (sva) greatness told him to offer, so he (笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈) offered with the accentuation 鈥�蝉惫腻丑腻鈥�. This is the origin of the Agnihotra offerings. The elements used in the Agnihotra offerings and the use of the sacred utterance viz. 鈥�蝉惫腻丑腻鈥� will be uttered at the time of the other offerings also[6].
At different times 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 had various desires and for the fulfillment of those desires, he performed various sacrifices. As for example, when 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 desired to become many, to create beings then he visualized the sacrifice named as 础驳苍颈峁ａ弓辞尘补 and by performing it he (笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈) created beings[7]. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 also desired to acquire 痴腻箩补 (food, vigor and others) and then he went to the heaven. There he saw the 痴腻箩补peya and performed it[8]. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 then created the beings. But the beings after being created did not worship 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 wished that all the beings should worship him. Then he saw the sacrifice named as Apaciti and by performing it, the 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 obtained the desired worship from the beings[9]. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 also saw some other details of the sacrifice. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 not only saw the sacrifice or sacrifices and performed them, but he also gave the sacrifice to the Gods[10]. In the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 a story is mentioned about the struggling of the Gods and the 础艣耻谤补蝉. In this story it is mentioned that the 础艣耻谤补蝉 were proud of themselves and offered the oblations in their own mouth. But the Gods offered in the mouth of each other. Then 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 gave himself to them (to God). From that the body of the 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 itself is considered as sacrifice.
The 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 also describes the sacrifice as 笔耻谤耻峁 and says that鈥撯�渋ts head is 丑补惫颈谤诲丑腻苍补尘; its mouth is 腻丑补惫补苍颈测补. The sacrificial stake is no other than his crest lock; and the agnidhriya and 尘腻谤箩补濒颈测补 is his two arms. The sadas (tents for the priests) is no other than his belly and the two fires which are behind it are his feet鈥�[11]. Sacrifice is also identified with 测补箩补尘腻苍补[12] i.e. the person who executes the sacrifice. Further, the sacrifice is also identified with 痴颈峁耻[13], the supreme deity who pervades the universe. Hence, with this identification the sacrifice gets the most honoured position in this universe.
There is a story in the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺[14] that once the Gods and the Asuras were passing upwards the heaven; the Asuras covered them in the darkness. The Gods entered upon a sacrificial session of a hundred 础驳苍颈峁ａ弓辞尘补 and try to destroy the darkness as far as possible. But the whole darkness was not destroyed. Then the Gods went to 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 and requested him to teach the method of dispelling the Asuras and the darkness too, to get the world of heaven. The 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 then taught the Gods the sacrificial session and corrected their mistakes of hundred 础迟颈谤腻迟谤补蝉. Then the Gods could repel the darkness and the Asuras and find the world of heaven.
In another part of the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺[15] we get the reference that the Gods and the Asuras were born from the same father viz. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈. Both of them were struggling for obtaining the sacrifice. Then the Gods practiced austerities and practiced the 础驳苍颈峁ａ弓辞尘补 feast. By means of it the Gods could remove all the Asuras and obtain the entire sacrifice.
Sometimes it is mentioned that the 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 gave all the sacrifices to the Gods but reserved some sacrifice for himself, such as the 础艣惫补尘别诲丑补. Though the 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 first preserved the 础艣惫补尘别诲丑补 sacrifice for himself, but he finally gave the same share to the Gods.
In the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 text we do not find any definite position of the argument as to whether the sacrifice was 鈥榮een鈥� or 鈥榗reated鈥�. Sometimes it is described as 鈥榮een鈥� and sometimes as 鈥榗reated鈥�. In the above discussion it is mentioned that 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 or Gods have seen it. Now we will give some references where the sacrifice is described as 鈥榗reated. In the Ta峁囜笉ya 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 it is mentioned that the 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 has created sacrifice from the 驰补箩帽补测补箩帽颈测补 蝉腻尘补苍[16]. The 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺[17] says that the 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, after giving himself to the Gods has created his counterpart (辫谤补迟颈尘腻), viz. the sacrifice. According to the Aitareya 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺[18], the 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 has created the sacrifice in general.
How the Gods have created various sacrificial details are briefly presented below:
鈥� From out of faith the Gods composed the consecration.
鈥� From Aditi, the opening offering.
鈥� From 痴颈峁耻 the guest offering.
鈥� From the Sun the Pravargya
鈥� From the 厂惫补诲丑腻 the 鲍辫补峁诲蝉.
鈥� From Agni and Soma the day of fasting.
鈥� From this world the opening 础迟颈谤腻迟谤补.
鈥� From the year they composed the 颁补迟耻谤惫颈峁僺补 day.
鈥� From the Priesthood the Abhiplava-峁岣峚丑补.
鈥� From nobility, the 笔峁涐梗峁环测补-峁岣峚丑补.
鈥� From Agni, the Abhijit.
鈥� From waters the Svaras蝉腻尘补苍 days.
鈥� From Sun the 痴颈峁惫补迟.
鈥� From Indra the 痴颈艣惫补箩颈迟.
鈥� From Mitra and 痴补谤耻峁嘺 Go and 膧测耻蝉.
鈥� From 痴颈艣惫别诲别惫腻丑, the 顿补艣补谤腻迟谤补.
鈥� From the regions the 笔峁涐梗峁环测补 峁岣峚丑补 of the 顿补蝉补谤腻迟谤补.
鈥� From these worlds the Chandamoya-days.
鈥� From the year they composed the tenth day.
鈥� From 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, the 惭补丑腻产谤补迟补 and
鈥� From the world of heaven the Udayaniya 础迟颈谤腻迟谤补[19].
The origin of the sacrifice or the sacrificial details are described here in the form of creation.
Sometimes it becomes very difficult to say that the origin of the sacrificial rite is 鈥榮een鈥� or 鈥榗reated鈥�. Some sacrificial rites have their origin in some past incident. Once there was a dispute between the 鈥�Mind鈥� and the 鈥�Speech鈥�. Each of them wanted to become superior. Mind said, 鈥淚 am better than you, for you do not speak anything that is not understood by me. Thus you are a follower of me鈥�. Speech said, 鈥淚 am better than you, for what you know, I make you understand; I communicate鈥�. Then they (Mind and Speech) went to 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 for decision. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 then decided in the favour of mind and said to speech, 鈥淢ind is better than you. For you are imitators, a follower of mind. Inferior is he who imitates鈥�. Then speech become angry by the decision of 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 and said, 鈥淚 shall never be your oblation bearer鈥�. Hence from that incident, whatever is performed to 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, it is performed in a law voice[20].
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 滨滨/2/4/1,鈥�
鈥�笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈rha v膩 idamagra eka ev膩sa | Sa aik峁t 办补迟丑补峁� nu 辫谤补箩腻yeyeti..............haiva bhavati 触触鈥�
Ibid II/5/1/1鈥�
鈥�笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈rha v膩 idamagra eka ev膩sa | Sa aik峁t 办补迟丑补峁� nu 辫谤补箩腻yeyeti.............dip膩do bay膩峁僺i 触触鈥�
[3]:
滨产颈诲-滨/9/2/5-鈥�Yaj帽膩d vai 辫谤补箩腻岣� 辫谤补箩腻yante|鈥�
[5]:
[6]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 滨滨/2/4/6鈥�
鈥�S膩 hainambhir膩dhy膩ncak膩ra|鈥︹�︹�︹�︹��..Svo 尘补丑颈尘腻鈥檅hyuv膩da juhudhiti sa 辫谤补箩腻patirvid膩ncak膩ra鈥︹�︹�︹�ar膩m pary膩vavartta||鈥�
罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 滨滨/1/2/1-3鈥�
鈥�笔谤补箩补辫补迟颈谤驳苍颈尘蝉峁沯补迟触迟补尘 辫谤补箩腻 anvas峁沯yanta鈥︹�︹��..sya 辫谤补箩腻patiriti||鈥�
鈥�Taddh峁泃amabhavat|Tasm膩dyasya dak峁nata岣� kes膩 unm峁泂t膩鈥︹��.cikitsati||鈥�
鈥�Vas墨o eva cetayate|Tam v膩gbhyavadjjuhudh墨ti鈥︹��..蝉惫腻丑腻k膩re峁嘺 juhati||鈥�
[8]:
Ibid-XVIII/7/1.
[9]:
Jaimin墨ya-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺-II/100
[10]:
罢腻峁囜笉测补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 -VII/2/1
[11]:
[12]:
滨产颈诲-滨齿/5/2/16-鈥�Kim nu lokya峁僰imlokyam膩tm膩 vai 测补箩帽补sya yajam膩no|鈥�
[13]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 -I/1/2/13 -鈥測aj帽o vai vi峁ａ箛u岣鈥�
[14]:
Ibid-XI/5/5/1-鈥淒ev膩nv膩 uddhv膩rnta sarga loka峁儁at| Asur膩stamas膩ntardadhuste鈥︹�︹�︹��..satram膩s膩mah膩 iti触触鈥�
[15]:
Ibid鈥揑V/2/4/11-鈥淒ev膩sca v膩 asur膩sca|Ubhaye 辫谤补箩腻paty膩 pasp峁沝hira触触鈥�
[16]:
罢腻峁囜笉测补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 -VIII/6/3.
[17]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺-XI/1/8/3-鈥淪a devebhya 膩tm膩namprad膩ya| Athai tam膩tm膩na 辫谤补迟颈尘腻ms峁沯at yad测补箩帽补ntasm膩d膩hu鈥︹��.. 辫谤补迟颈尘腻ms峁沯at触触鈥�
[18]:
Ait.Bra-VII/19-鈥湵拾孤崮灞璨钩倬� 测补箩帽补ms峁沯at|鈥�
[19]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 X滨滨/1/2/1-3鈥�
鈥�Sraddh膩ya vai 诲别惫腻岣�|diksanniramimat膩ditayi pr膩ya峁嚹珁a鈥︹�︹�atir膩tra峁億|鈥�
鈥�Sa峁僢atsar膩caturvi峁僺amaha| Brahma峁噊鈥檅hilava鈥︹�︹�︹�︹�︹��..chandom膩n||鈥�
鈥�Sa峁僢atsar膩dasammaha| Praj膩patermah膩brata峁冣�︹�︹�︹��..诲别惫腻napyeti||鈥�
[20]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 滨/4/5/8-12鈥�
鈥�础迟丑腻鈥檛ha manasscaiva v膩cascca| Ahambhadra 耻诲颈迟补峁� manasca ha vai鈥�.奴d膩te||鈥�
鈥�Taddha mana ub膩ca | Ahameva tvaccheyo鈥檚mi na vai 尘补测腻 ta峁� ki峁� ca鈥︹�︹��.asmiti||鈥�
鈥�Atha ha v膩gub膩ca| Ahameva tvaccheyasyasmi yadvai tva峁� 鈥︹�︹�︹�︹�︹�︹�a峁僩apay膩m墨ti||鈥�
鈥�Te 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈峁� pratiprasnameyatu| Sa 辫谤补箩腻patirmanasa ev膩nuv膩ca鈥︹�︹��.bhavat墨ti||鈥�
鈥�S膩 ha v膩k parokt膩 visi峁ye | Tasyai garbha pap膩ta s膩 ha v膩k 辫谤补箩腻patimuv膩c膩鈥︹�� 鈥�.Praj膩pataya 膩s墨t||鈥�