The Sacrifices of Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha (study)
by Aparna Dhar | 2016 | 61,606 words
This page relates 鈥楧ichotomic interpretation of the Vajapeya 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.
Dichotomic interpretation of the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 Sacrifice
The 痴腻箩补辫别测补 sacrifice is said to be designed on the procedure of another sacrifice known as 艢辞岣嵞佱梗颈苍 and it is a form of the 闯测辞迟颈峁ａ弓辞尘补 sacrifice. The 痴腻箩补辫别测补 is one of the principal ceremonies of royal inauguration which bestows upon the sacrificer a superior kind of monarchy known as 厂腻尘谤腻箩测补. Unlike other somas acrifice, it has some striking features indicating political character. The 搁腻箩补蝉奴测补 confers upon the sacrificer 搁腻箩测补 and that of 痴腻箩补辫别测补 confers the 厂腻尘谤腻箩测补. It is the ceremony which partakes of both religious and royal character. Some important features of the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 sacrifice are as follows:
鈥� According to the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺[1], he who offers the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 wins food, since 鈥�痴腻箩补辫别测补鈥� is the same as 鈥�anna-peya鈥� (food and drink). In fact the numerous lines of the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 clearly suggest that the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 ceremony is a simple magical performance to obtain food and drink. Some references from the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 are quoted below which show the relation of the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 with foods are as follows:
鈥淚n the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 he, (the sacrificer) seizes a spotted sterile cow for the victorious Maruts; for the spotted sterile cow is this earth: whatever food, rooted or rooted or rootless is here established on her, thereby she is a spotted cow. Now he who offers the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 wins food, for 痴腻箩补辫别测补 doubtless means the same as annapeya (food and drink); and the Maruts are the peasants, and the peasants are food (for the nobles)鈥�[2].
鈥淗e takes out material for wild rice of seventeen plates for 叠峁沨补蝉辫补迟颈; for he who offers the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 wins food,-痴腻箩补辫别测补 being doubtless the same as anna-peya: thus whatever food he has thereby won, that he now prepares for him鈥�[3].
鈥淗e touches the wheat: wheat is food, and he who offers the 痴腻箩补辫别测补, wins food, for 痴腻箩补辫别测补 is the same as annapeya: thus whatever food he has thereby won, therewith now that he has gone to that supreme goal, he puts himself in contact and possesses himself of it,鈥攖herefore he touches the wheat鈥�[4]
But in the 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺[5] it is mentioned that 痴腻箩补辫别测补 is the ceremony through which the Gods wish to obtain strength (痴腻箩补峁�) and by drinking the 鈥榙rink of strength鈥� one becomes strong (痴腻箩颈苍). The 痴腻箩补辫别测补 is performed by both the 叠谤腻丑尘颈峁噑 and by the 碍峁迟谤颈测补蝉. It stands for the temporal power or lordship of the 碍峁迟谤颈测补蝉 and the spiritual lordship of the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺s.
鈥� In the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 ceremony we have come across the most popular rites known as Aji 诲丑腻惫补苍补 or Chariot race. The interesting feature of this race is that by performing this rite, the sacrificer is made victorious. In this race a post is fixed at the farthest limit with the measurement of seventeen arrows. Among the other competitors, the sacrificer has to reach first to the post. As a matter of fact, this race has some linkage with the ancient system of distribution is evident from the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 legend of the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 which runs thus鈥斺�淭he Gods went on making offering unto one another. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 gave himself up to them: thus the sacrifice became theirs; and indeed the sacrifice is the food of the Gods. They then spake, 鈥淭o which of us shall this belong?鈥� They did not agree together saying, 鈥楾o me! To me!鈥� Not being agreed, they said, 鈥楲et us run a race for it: whichever of us shall win, to him it shall belong!-鈥楽o be it!鈥�. So, they ran a race for it鈥�[6]. Thus in the Vedic period the chariot race was done for the selection of their kings, but in the later Vedic period this race is used just as a matter of formality, as we find that the king is deliberately made to win the race. According to Oldenberg, the purpose of the chariot race is to win the sacrificer by magic the swiftness of the victorious steeds as strength[7].
Besides this, the chariot race may be considered as a means of wealth. As in the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 it is recorded that the Adhvaryu takes down the chariot and utters the mantras saying鈥撯�淭hou art Indra鈥檚 thunderbolt, a winner of wealth, for chariot is indeed a winner of wealth;-may this one win wealth by thee! Wealth means food, may this one gain food by thee鈥�[8]. In this sacrifice, the number seventeen (17) is marked at various levels such as-17 days, 17 lauds, 17 cups of Soma, 17 pieces of cloth to envelope the sacrificial pole, use of 17 chariots and so on. In the Chariot race we have also noticed that at the time of the race 17 drums are beaten to make auspicious sound. As 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 is seventeen fold and by beating those drums the sacrificer wins 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈[9]. The sound of the drum is regarded as the highest kind of sounds and the sacrificer wins the highest of speech by beating those drums. So, it can be said that the Chariot race of the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 sacrifice has both political as well as ritualistic significance.
鈥� In the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 sacrifice the sacrificer with his wife climbs on a chariot wheel, which is the symbol of the sun and it is installed on the top of a long pole. This act is a magic device to secure the preferment of the sacrificer. While ascending to the pole the sacrificer addresses his wife鈥撯�榗ome wife ascend we the sky鈥�[10]. While ascending the post, the sacrificer says鈥撯�渨e have become 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈鈥檚 children, for he who offers the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 indeed becomes 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈鈥檚 child鈥�[11]. According to 厂补苍苍测腻蝉墨 骋测腻苍蝉丑谤耻迟颈, this is the couple鈥檚 symbolic walk to heaven[12]. Before descending from the post the priest of the people (four chief priests) and the 痴补颈艣测补蝉 touch the sacrificer with bags of salt earth in
础艣惫补迟迟丑补 leaves or in 础艣惫补迟迟丑补 boxes, clearly as a means of securing fertility[13]. In the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 it is recorded that-鈥渢hey throw up to him bags of salt, for salt means cattle and cattle is food; and he who offers the 痴腻箩补辫别测补 wins food, for 痴腻箩补辫别测补 is the same as anna-peya: thus whatever food he thereby has gained, there with now that he has gone to the supreme goal, he puts himself in contact, and makes it his own-therefore they throw bags of salt up to him鈥�[14].
Moreover, the same 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 also mentions that after descending from the post the sacrificer makes first steps upon a piece of Gold. As Gold is immortal life, he thus takes his stand on the immortal life[15]. Then the Adhvaryu brings a throne seat for him made of udumbara wood and spreads the goat-skin upon it and says-鈥淭his is thy kingship! Whereby, he (Adhvaryu) endows him (sacrificer) with royal power. He then makes him sit down, saying, thou art the ruler, the ruling lord! Whereby he makes him the ruler, ruling over those subjects of his-Thou art firm and stead fast! Whereby he makes him firm and stead fast in this world,-Thee for tilling-Thee for peaceful dwelling! -Thee for wealth-Thee for thrift! Whereby he means to say, (here I sit) thee for the welfare of the people.鈥�[16]
The 痴腻箩补辫别测补 is more explicit than the 搁腻箩补蝉奴测补 as it has direct references and relation with the king. The rituals are also in total conformity with its royal character. The denomination 鈥�痴腻箩补辫别测补鈥� itself records the aspiration for strength of the king. Peaceful dwelling, wealth and thrift connotes for ideal kingship.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-br膩hma峁嘺鈥揤/1/3/3 and V/1/5/25-鈥淎nnapeya峁� ha vai n膩maitad yad 惫腻箩补辫别测补峁�; 补苍苍补峁� v膩 e峁 ujjayati yo 惫腻箩补peyena yajate触鈥�
[2]:
滨产颈诲鈥揤/1/3/3-鈥�Atha marudbhya ujje峁bhya | 痴补艣腻峁� p峁泂nim膩labhata iya峁� vai vs膩 p峁浥沶iryadidama sy膩峁� 尘耻濒颈峁� 肠腻鈥�尘耻濒补峁� 肠腻鈥檔n膩dya峁� 辫谤补迟颈峁ａ弓颈迟补峁� teneya峁冣�︹�︹��...ca va艣膩syat触触鈥�
[3]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-br膩hma峁嘺 -V/1/4/12-鈥淎tha 产腻谤丑补蝉辫补迟测补峁� 肠补谤耻峁� naiv膩ra saptasa艣a艣ar膩va峁� nirvapati | Anna峁� v膩 e峁 ujjayati yo 惫腻箩补peyena yajate鈥檔napeya ha vai n膩maitad 惫腻箩补辫别测补峁� tadyadevaitadnnamudjai峁Ｄ玹ta诲别惫腻鈥檚m膩鈥檈tat karoti 触触鈥�
[4]:
[5]:
[6]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-br膩hma峁嘺鈥揤/1/1/2-3鈥撯�淎tha 诲别惫腻| Annyo鈥檔yasminneva juhvata艣ccerustebhya 辫谤补箩腻patir膩tm膩n膩峁� pradadau yaj帽o hai峁Ｄ乵膩sa yaj帽o hi 诲别惫腻n膩mnna峁兇ゴモ�� 鈥淭e hocu|Kasya na ida峁� bhavi峁ati te mama mametyeva na samp膩day膩n ca kruste h膩鈥檚amp膩dyocur膩jimev膩鈥檚minnaj膩mahai sa yo na ujjye峁ati tasya na ida峁� bhavi峁at墨ti tatheti tasminn膩鈥檍im膩janta触触鈥�
[8]:
[11]:
[12]:
[13]:
Chakraborty, Haripada, Vedic India-Political and Legal Institutions in Vedic Literature, Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar, Kolkata, 1981, Page-209.
[14]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-br膩hma峁嘺鈥揤/2/1/16-鈥淎thainamu峁putairnudasyanti|Pa艣avo v膩 u峁Ｄ� 补苍苍补峁� vai pa艣aso鈥檔na峁冣��..putairnudasyanti 触触鈥�
[15]:
Ibid鈥揤/2/1/20-鈥淎tha hira峁噛ambhyavarohati |Am峁泃am膩yurhira峁噛a峁� tada峁冡箾t 膩yu峁Ｄ� pratiti峁ａ弓ati||
[16]:
Ibid-V/2/1/25-鈥淪a 膩st峁涐箛膩ti | Iya峁� te r膩di鈥檛i r膩jjyamev膩鈥檚minnetad dadh膩thyathainam膩s膩dayati| Yant膩鈥檚i yamana.........................s膩dhave tvetye vaitad膩ha触触鈥�