The Sacrifices of Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha (study)
by Aparna Dhar | 2016 | 61,606 words
This page relates ‘Summary of the Purushamedha sacrifice’ 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.
Summary of the Puruṣamedha sacrifice
[Full title: A Brief note on the sacrifices of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (13): Puruṣamedha]
The Puruṣamedha or the human sacrifice is also a slightly different form of soma sacrifice like Aśvamedha which is described in the Brāhmaṇas of the Yajurveda. It consists of five days, therefore, it is neither Ekāha nor satra type of sacrifice. Hence it comes under the category of Ahina sacrifice.
The performance of this sacrifice consists of various rituals like Soma sacrifice. As the very name ‘Puruṣamedha’ signifies that the human beings are offered as oblations, but this offering is only symbolical and not actual. The men were bound to the sacrificial posts, but it does not mean that the men were actually killed. After the Paryagnikaraṇa performance i.e. after the fire has been carried round them, all of them are set free. Besides human beings, goats are also offered as victims. After (sanctification) Paryagnikaraṇa human victims are regarded as holy souls that have attained union with godhead. The famous Puruṣa Sûkta of the Ṛgveda is recited when the victims are regarded as the supreme God.