(A 19th century painting, depicting the preparation of army to follow the sacrificial horse.)
Horse sacrifice to absolve a king of all sins. A horse is marked with a victory card and allowed to roam about freely. If anyone stops the horse, the king should go and defeat him in battle and bring back the horse. (Glossary for the Vahinis)
In ancient times they used to perform Ashvamedha Yaga (Horse Sacrifice). What does the ‘Horse Sacrifice’ mean? By Aswam (horse) is meant that which is restless. The horse cannot remain steady even for a moment. It will be always shaking one part or the other of its body. The horse is an animal which represents the unsteady mind. The word Medha in Ashvamedha literally means the mind. Thus to perform the Horse Sacrifice really means to offer the restless mind to God.
Meaning of horse sacrifice
The horse is not only restless but it also runs fast while riding thereon. So also, man’s mind is both restless and very fast-moving. That is why Arjuna complained to Krishna (during the Gita dialogue) that the mind is restless, strong, obstinate and dangerous. Such a highly fickle mind which is comparable to the horse (an animal) should be surrendered to God as a sacrificial offering. This indeed is the real meaning behind the Horse sacrifice. But nowadays everyone is misguided by the outer meaning only, and nobody takes the trouble of knowing the inner meaning.
Some may try to argue that in olden days animals were sacrificed during Yajnas and Yagas (sacrificial rites). But they are not correct. Only a few ignorant Pandits (scholars) and misguided elders used to indulge in animal sacrifice. But those who recognised the inner meaning of this ritual used to give prime importance to the sacrifice of the beastly qualities in man while performing such religious ceremonies. The sum and substance of the various religions observances is to destroy the animality in man. (SSS Vol.25, p. 82)
Dasharatha first embarked on an Ashvamedha (Horse) sacrifice. For this sacrifice, a horse that has certain specific characteristics is required. It should bear all the prescribed insignia. In the season of Vasantha (Spring) the search for a suitable horse was started. It was only by the return of the next Spring season that it could be found. Another year went by before the horse could be appropriately prepared for the yaga. Then, the horse was released to go round the realm. It returned from this sacred mission in the next Spring season. This means that the preparations for the yajna were spread over three years. (SSS Vol.23, p. 21)
Whenever a religious rite is performed, or the Gods or Goddesses propitiated by some ritual, the wife must sit by the side of the husband or else the rite or ritual is ineffectual. This is the status given to the wedded woman in the Indian religious scriptures. No charitable gift can be valid until the wife indicated her agreement by sanctifying the gift at time it is made. Of course, she has no authority to perform rites by herself, and so she is called Abala (one without power). The power implied here is ‘spiritual power over rites’. Unfortunately, the use of this word has become so widespread that women themselves have come to believe that they are fundamentally weak and powerless in all fields. This is a big mistake; women are not weak, only authorization to perform rituals is denied. When Rama decided on performing Ashvamedha sacrifice, the objection was raised that Sita was away in exile in the forest, and so without his spouse he was not entitled to perform Ashvamedha. Some sages thought that a golden idol of the absent wife could be had by the side of the principal officiator, and so a golden idol of Sita was made and placed in position by the side of Rama before the Yajna began. Abala does not mean lack of physical and mental strength. The wife can veritably make the home of her husband a temple, a school, a council-chamber or a hermitage. (SSS Vol. 10, p. 176)
Horse sacrifice to absolve a king of all sins. A horse is marked with a victory card and allowed to roam about freely. If anyone stops the horse, the king should go and defeat him in battle and bring back the horse. (Glossary for the Vahinis)
In ancient times they used to perform Ashvamedha Yaga (Horse Sacrifice). What does the ‘Horse Sacrifice’ mean? By Aswam (horse) is meant that which is restless. The horse cannot remain steady even for a moment. It will be always shaking one part or the other of its body. The horse is an animal which represents the unsteady mind. The word Medha in Ashvamedha literally means the mind. Thus to perform the Horse Sacrifice really means to offer the restless mind to God.
Meaning of horse sacrifice
The horse is not only restless but it also runs fast while riding thereon. So also, man’s mind is both restless and very fast-moving. That is why Arjuna complained to Krishna (during the Gita dialogue) that the mind is restless, strong, obstinate and dangerous. Such a highly fickle mind which is comparable to the horse (an animal) should be surrendered to God as a sacrificial offering. This indeed is the real meaning behind the Horse sacrifice. But nowadays everyone is misguided by the outer meaning only, and nobody takes the trouble of knowing the inner meaning.
Some may try to argue that in olden days animals were sacrificed during Yajnas and Yagas (sacrificial rites). But they are not correct. Only a few ignorant Pandits (scholars) and misguided elders used to indulge in animal sacrifice. But those who recognised the inner meaning of this ritual used to give prime importance to the sacrifice of the beastly qualities in man while performing such religious ceremonies. The sum and substance of the various religions observances is to destroy the animality in man. (SSS Vol.25, p. 82)
Dasharatha first embarked on an Ashvamedha (Horse) sacrifice. For this sacrifice, a horse that has certain specific characteristics is required. It should bear all the prescribed insignia. In the season of Vasantha (Spring) the search for a suitable horse was started. It was only by the return of the next Spring season that it could be found. Another year went by before the horse could be appropriately prepared for the yaga. Then, the horse was released to go round the realm. It returned from this sacred mission in the next Spring season. This means that the preparations for the yajna were spread over three years. (SSS Vol.23, p. 21)
Whenever a religious rite is performed, or the Gods or Goddesses propitiated by some ritual, the wife must sit by the side of the husband or else the rite or ritual is ineffectual. This is the status given to the wedded woman in the Indian religious scriptures. No charitable gift can be valid until the wife indicated her agreement by sanctifying the gift at time it is made. Of course, she has no authority to perform rites by herself, and so she is called Abala (one without power). The power implied here is ‘spiritual power over rites’. Unfortunately, the use of this word has become so widespread that women themselves have come to believe that they are fundamentally weak and powerless in all fields. This is a big mistake; women are not weak, only authorization to perform rituals is denied. When Rama decided on performing Ashvamedha sacrifice, the objection was raised that Sita was away in exile in the forest, and so without his spouse he was not entitled to perform Ashvamedha. Some sages thought that a golden idol of the absent wife could be had by the side of the principal officiator, and so a golden idol of Sita was made and placed in position by the side of Rama before the Yajna began. Abala does not mean lack of physical and mental strength. The wife can veritably make the home of her husband a temple, a school, a council-chamber or a hermitage. (SSS Vol. 10, p. 176)