Query from Ramayana

[Guest guest]

pranams

 

I too have read the same about kiiling a horse as

follows

"Understanding that King Janaka would be the future

father-in-law of his sons, Maharaja Dasaratha sent him

the first invitation. Likewise, other subordinate

kings were requested to attend the sacrifice. After

one full year, the challenge horse returned to

Ayodhya, having wandered over the earth under the

protection of 400 princes. Only then could the

sacrifice begin.

 

After the preliminary rites had been performed

Maharaja Dasaratha's eldest queen, Kausalya,

circumambulated the challenge horse, which was tied to

one of the sacrificial stakes. Then, with three

strokes of a sword, she severed the horse's head, as

prescribed by scriptural injunction.

 

Thereafter, Rsyasrnga offered the fat of the dead

horse into the sacrificial fire. Maharaja Dasaratha

was directed to inhale the fumes, to free him from all

sins. Then, the assisting priests offered the limbs of

the horse into the sacrificial fire, bringing the

three day sacrifice to an end. Maharaja Dasaratha then

gave away the four directions of the earth in charity

to the four chief priests. The brahmanas returned the

gifts, however, saying, ''O king, we are devoted to

Vedic study and the performance of austerities, and

have no interest in ruling over a kingdom. Therefore,

please give us other gifts like cows and gold.''"

 

I suppose since kousalya was the eldest wife among

others she was to chop as a customtry act.

However i searched and couldnt get any valid pramana

for the same .

Dasan

Rajagopal Jayaraman

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

achintya, "Bhakti Vikasa Swami"

<Bhakti.Vikasa.Swami@p...> wrote:

> in Bal Kand when Maharaj Dashrat done the

> ashwameg yagna why did koshalia devi cut the head of the horse?

because she

> was the mother of lord ram what was the reason?

 

I don't remember reading this so I just now checked it out on the

online version. The exact verse is located here

http://www.valmikiramayan.net/bala/sarga14/bala_14_frame.htm in the

14th sarga, 35th shloka. The translation offered is as follows:

 

With great delight coming on her Queen Kausalya reverently made

circumambulations to the horse, and symbolically killed the horse

with three knives. [1-14-33]

 

There is a commentary here by one Govindaraja which is translated as

follows:

 

Here Kausalya did not butcher the horse as queens do not butcher

animals in rituals, but the horse is already sacrificed. It is a

symbolical act of queens to pierce with three golden knives like

needles. The scripture says that all the eligible wives of the

performer of ritual have to pierce that way. sauvarNIbhi sUchIbhiH

patnayoH ashvasya asipathAn kalayanti - shruti / scripture. So all

the three queens have performed that symbolic act by piercing that

horse, which is already dead, with golden needle-like knives.

Govindaraja.

 

This would seem to indicate that Kaushalya did not in fact sacrifice

the horse.