HINDU ENCYCLOPEDIA

सनातन धर्म भूमिका

Meaning of "Asvamedha"

Word

Asvamedha

Sanskrit

अश्वमेध

IAST

aśvamedhá

In General

Ashvamedha and Rajasuya are the princely sacrifices conducted only by Royal family members. There are many occasion in Puranas about conducting of Asvamedha yajna. It is believed that it was an occasion to establish the supremacy of a king over others by letting loose a horse to roam around the kingdoms he want to overpower. The horse is then scarified.

But this was criticized even in the ancient times as a cruelly and greediness of priests to earn wealth.

Yajna in true spirit of Veda is a Sequence of sacred action. It is a collaborative action by individual, society and cosmic powers for the benefit of whole world. Yajna is both internal and external. Outer Yajna involves fire alter and offering to it, but yagna is not confined to fire altar and sacrificial rites alone. Yajna and Vedic mantras can be performed mentally.

Veda

Horse is a symbol of force, especially vital force. Ashvamedha is the offering of the Life-Power with all its impulses, desires, enjoyments to the divine existence.

Purana

Emperor Bharata, son of Dushyanta had conducted hundreds of Ashvamedha Yajna. Sri Rama conducted Ashvamedha Yajna and his horse was held captive by Lava and Kusha and later released.

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Word Sanskrit IAST In General Veda Purana