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advaitin, Dr Perisepalli Venkata Sesha Sai

<aswamedhayaagam wrote:

> Affly Yours HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

 

 

ShrIgurubhyo namaH

 

Namaste Sir,

 

This is a question of purely academic value, at least in the present

day. I have heard that certain yagas like the Ashwamedha and the

RaajasUya are to be performed by a Kshatriya (especially when he is

the King) alone. In the Ramayana we learn that Sri Rama performed

this Ashwamedha Yaga. In the Mahabharata, King Yudhishthira

performed the RaajasUya yaga. But are there instances of Brahmanas

performing these yagas as yajamaana-s? These are yagas not meant

for other castes like Brahmana. A Brahmana, however, can be a

purohita, priest, in such yagas. He cannot be a yajamaana in such

yagas. Is this view correct? Someone has even told me that there

are specific mantras to this effect in the Yajurveda. Will you pl.

confirm ? Any others on this List may reply. Let me reiterate that

this question has no more than an academic value in the present day

context.

 

There is a mantra chanted during DeepArAdhana: in that mantra occurs

a sentence: yo'shwamedhena yajate....and ends with: ya u chainam

evam veda'. This last portion means: even a person who 'knows' the

method of the ritual of the ashwamedha yaga (even if he has not

performed it), gets the phalam, fruit, of performing the yaga.

 

With warm regards,

subbu

Om Tat Sat

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advaitin, "subrahmanian_v"

<subrahmanian_v wrote:

>

> advaitin, Dr Perisepalli Venkata Sesha Sai

> <aswamedhayaagam@> wrote:

> > Affly Yours HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

>

>

> ShrIgurubhyo namaH

>

> Namaste Sir,

>

> This is a question of purely academic value, at least in the

present

> day. I have heard that certain yagas like the Ashwamedha and the

> RaajasUya are to be performed by a Kshatriya (especially when he

is

> the King) alone. In the Ramayana we learn that Sri Rama performed

> this Ashwamedha Yaga. In the Mahabharata, King Yudhishthira

> performed the RaajasUya yaga. But are there instances of

Brahmanas

> performing these yagas as yajamaana-s? These are yagas not meant

> for other castes like Brahmana. A Brahmana, however, can be a

> purohita, priest, in such yagas. He cannot be a yajamaana in such

> yagas. Is this view correct? Someone has even told me that there

> are specific mantras to this effect in the Yajurveda. Will you

pl.

> confirm ? Any others on this List may reply. Let me reiterate

that

> this question has no more than an academic value in the present

day

> context.

>,

> subbu

> Om Tat Sat

>

 

Namaste, Subbu-ji

 

I have heard from Swami Paramarthananda that the ashva-upAsanA (the

first BrAhmanaM of Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad) done by a brahmin, is

equivalent to the performance of ashvamedha yajna performed by a

kshatriya.

 

The ashva-upAsanA itself is a meditation of the ashva as VirAT as

described in the BrAhmaNaM.

 

PraNAms to all advaitins

profvk

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Dear Chiranjeevi Subrahmanian

God bless you with all that you richly desire and deserve. I appreciate the interest you have shown on this subject. For your information the first of the yaagam was performed by Dev Guru Brihaspati. Later it was performed by several others in different time periods. Perhaps this may be the first ever one performed according to the systematic order in the recent times. With the blessings of several sages and sacred people supported by Jagadgurus of several branches of Hindu system, this yagna was completed successfully. You may have some more information in the www.ashwamedhayaagam.org website.

Above all we have even risked our lives for this and we strongly believed that this will help the society to establish peace. We are satisfied on the results and we owe to Lord for having granted many of us in the team this opportunity.

In the Mahaasankalpa - kanya daan is given seeking aswamedhayaaga phal; in Rudra Chamakam - this was sounded too.

I may have to mention here that today we face an unfortunate situation, even Vratams like Satyanarayana Vratam - each pundit differ on the system adopted leading to utter confusion and thereupon leading the Hindu community to a great danger. It is not known why the Jagadgurus come on a common platform and decide on simple matters like drafting a PANCHANG or Judging which are actually the Jyothirlingaas and Sakti Peethas - on the other side most people in different temples claim that their is the Sakti Peeth or Jyothirlinga.

Let us all appreciate if a RITUAL IS PERFORMED FOR THE COMMON CAUSE AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SOCIETY. Let us strive hard to bring uniformity. Please go through my mails and if you can notice my anxiety on this, let us march ahead together. My mind is always open for corrections.

Yours affly HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

hmanian_v <subrahmanian_v > wrote:

advaitin, Dr Perisepalli Venkata Sesha Sai

<aswamedhayaagam wrote:

> Affly Yours HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

 

ShrIgurubhyo namaH

 

Namaste Sir,

 

This is a question of purely academic value, at least in the present

day. I have heard that certain yagas like the Ashwamedha and the

RaajasUya are to be performed by a Kshatriya (especially when he is

the King) alone. In the Ramayana we learn that Sri Rama performed

this Ashwamedha Yaga. In the Mahabharata, King Yudhishthira

performed the RaajasUya yaga. But are there instances of Brahmanas

performing these yagas as yajamaana-s? These are yagas not meant

for other castes like Brahmana. A Brahmana, however, can be a

purohita, priest, in such yagas. He cannot be a yajamaana in such

yagas. Is this view correct? Someone has even told me that there

are specific mantras to this effect in the Yajurveda. Will you pl.

confirm ? Any others on this List may reply. Let me reiterate that

this question has no more than an academic value in the present day

context.

 

There is a mantra chanted during DeepArAdhana: in that mantra occurs

a sentence: yo'shwamedhena yajate....and ends with: ya u chainam

evam veda'. This last portion means: even a person who 'knows' the

method of the ritual of the ashwamedha yaga (even if he has not

performed it), gets the phalam, fruit, of performing the yaga.

 

With warm regards,

subbu

Om Tat Sat

 

 

 

 

 

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HariOm Sri Subbu,

 

 

I am sure by this time you must have read the answer given by Dr.

Sesha Sai.

 

I would like to submit my thoughts on this subject:

 

First of all, your made a very important and valid point that there

are no puranic instances where a Brahmin has performed "Ashwamedha

Yaaga". This is very much true!

 

 

Now let us understand that all four Varnas are based on the mix of

Gunas "Satva, Rajas and Tamas". Brahmins are Satvic predominant.

Kshatriyas are Rajasic Predominant and with a bit if Satva.

 

The nature of "Rajoguna" (of a Kshatriya) is responsible for two

important problems "Kaama and Krodha". This is stated by Bhagawan

when Arjuna Questioned him "O descendant of Vrsni, by what is one

impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force? "

 

 

Bhagawan Replied:

kama esa krodha esa, rajo-guna-samudbhavah

mahasano maha-papma , viddhy enam iha vairinam || KarmaYoga Ch3.37

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna,

which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later

transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy

of this world.

 

Now we know that Rajoguna is responsible for Desire. Desire of

posessions!

 

In desiring to live happily "tomorrow" they (kshatriyas"

hord "Today" they do battles.

 

And imagine those who do not think of "Tomorrow". kal kyaa hogaa

kon jaane aaj jo bhagawaan ne diyaa so nihaal. - That is satvic

thinking which will lead to Moksha - emacipation.

 

 

The word "Ashwa" gives the following meaning:

 

Sva = Tomorrow

A = No

 

aShwa = there is no tomorrow (so do not really land up in desire

which is cause of bondage)

medha = mindset / intelligence / brillance / sacrifice

 

 

A mindset that doesn't desire about what would happen tomorrow,

is "Aswamedha". Such a mindset would become saatvic. So a Khatriya

by performing Aswamedha becomes purified and gets ready to attain

Moksha or Urdhva lokas such as Indra Loka.

 

 

Now if you notice, the ritual itself surrounds around this concept

of elevation. A king is responsible (kshatriya dharma) to keep his

subjects (citizens of the kingdom) out of peril. If the king - with

the satvic state of mind - renounces the desire the fight then the

enemys might invade. So as a precautionary measure King is

declaring that he is going to be in saativic state of mind and those

who have a desire to invade his kingdom may challange him now! He

does this by sending his horse around the places. Those who oppose

will fight and finally the horse returns back. i.e. The kingdom is

completly secured.

 

 

After winning over all the kings, the king who performed the

Aswamedha doesn't hord the things that he won in the battle. He

donates them away.

 

 

Aswamedha is rather designed to help a Kshatriya who is Rajasic

predominant to enter in to Satvic (Brahminic) state of mind.

 

Same is the idea behind "Raajasuya Yaaga" - Suya means Jelous.

 

 

Love & Light,

Madhava

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

advaitin, "subrahmanian_v"

<subrahmanian_v wrote:

>

> advaitin, Dr Perisepalli Venkata Sesha Sai

> <aswamedhayaagam@> wrote:

> > Affly Yours HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

>

>

> ShrIgurubhyo namaH

>

> Namaste Sir,

>

> This is a question of purely academic value, at least in the

present

> day. I have heard that certain yagas like the Ashwamedha and the

> RaajasUya are to be performed by a Kshatriya (especially when he

is

> the King) alone. In the Ramayana we learn that Sri Rama performed

> this Ashwamedha Yaga. In the Mahabharata, King Yudhishthira

> performed the RaajasUya yaga. But are there instances of

Brahmanas

> performing these yagas as yajamaana-s? These are yagas not meant

> for other castes like Brahmana. A Brahmana, however, can be a

> purohita, priest, in such yagas. He cannot be a yajamaana in such

> yagas. Is this view correct? Someone has even told me that there

> are specific mantras to this effect in the Yajurveda. Will you

pl.

> confirm ? Any others on this List may reply. Let me reiterate

that

> this question has no more than an academic value in the present

day

> context.

>

> There is a mantra chanted during DeepArAdhana: in that mantra

occurs

> a sentence: yo'shwamedhena yajate....and ends with: ya u chainam

> evam veda'. This last portion means: even a person who 'knows' the

> method of the ritual of the ashwamedha yaga (even if he has not

> performed it), gets the phalam, fruit, of performing the yaga.

>

> With warm regards,

> subbu

> Om Tat Sat

>

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Sri Madhava mad things a bit more clearer as regards to Aswamedha

yaaga. As Brahmins are supposed to be sattvic by their birth, I

presume they need not perform any Aswamedha Yaaga to be sstvic!

Pakirareddy

 

 

 

 

In advaitin, "Madhava Turumella" <madhava wrote:

>

> HariOm Sri Subbu,

>

>

> I am sure by this time you must have read the answer given by Dr.

> Sesha Sai.

>

> I would like to submit my thoughts on this subject:

>

> First of all, your made a very important and valid point that there

> are no puranic instances where a Brahmin has performed "Ashwamedha

> Yaaga". This is very much true!

>

>

> Now let us understand that all four Varnas are based on the mix of

> Gunas "Satva, Rajas and Tamas". Brahmins are Satvic predominant.

> Kshatriyas are Rajasic Predominant and with a bit if Satva.

>

> The nature of "Rajoguna" (of a Kshatriya) is responsible for two

> important problems "Kaama and Krodha". This is stated by Bhagawan

> when Arjuna Questioned him "O descendant of Vrsni, by what is one

> impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force? "

>

>

> Bhagawan Replied:

> kama esa krodha esa, rajo-guna-samudbhavah

> mahasano maha-papma , viddhy enam iha vairinam || KarmaYoga Ch3.37

>

> The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna,

> which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and

later

> transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy

> of this world.

>

> Now we know that Rajoguna is responsible for Desire. Desire of

> posessions!

>

> In desiring to live happily "tomorrow" they (kshatriyas"

> hord "Today" they do battles.

>

> And imagine those who do not think of "Tomorrow". kal kyaa hogaa

> kon jaane aaj jo bhagawaan ne diyaa so nihaal. - That is satvic

> thinking which will lead to Moksha - emacipation.

>

>

> The word "Ashwa" gives the following meaning:

>

> Sva = Tomorrow

> A = No

>

> aShwa = there is no tomorrow (so do not really land up in desire

> which is cause of bondage)

> medha = mindset / intelligence / brillance / sacrifice

>

>

> A mindset that doesn't desire about what would happen tomorrow,

> is "Aswamedha". Such a mindset would become saatvic. So a

Khatriya

> by performing Aswamedha becomes purified and gets ready to attain

> Moksha or Urdhva lokas such as Indra Loka.

>

>

> Now if you notice, the ritual itself surrounds around this concept

> of elevation. A king is responsible (kshatriya dharma) to keep his

> subjects (citizens of the kingdom) out of peril. If the king -

with

> the satvic state of mind - renounces the desire the fight then the

> enemys might invade. So as a precautionary measure King is

> declaring that he is going to be in saativic state of mind and

those

> who have a desire to invade his kingdom may challange him now! He

> does this by sending his horse around the places. Those who oppose

> will fight and finally the horse returns back. i.e. The kingdom

is

> completly secured.

>

>

> After winning over all the kings, the king who performed the

> Aswamedha doesn't hord the things that he won in the battle. He

> donates them away.

>

>

> Aswamedha is rather designed to help a Kshatriya who is Rajasic

> predominant to enter in to Satvic (Brahminic) state of mind.

>

> Same is the idea behind "Raajasuya Yaaga" - Suya means Jelous.

>

>

> Love & Light,

> Madhava

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> advaitin, "subrahmanian_v"

> <subrahmanian_v@> wrote:

> >

> > advaitin, Dr Perisepalli Venkata Sesha Sai

> > <aswamedhayaagam@> wrote:

> > > Affly Yours HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI

ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

> >

> >

> > ShrIgurubhyo namaH

> >

> > Namaste Sir,

> >

> > This is a question of purely academic value, at least in the

> present

> > day. I have heard that certain yagas like the Ashwamedha and the

> > RaajasUya are to be performed by a Kshatriya (especially when he

> is

> > the King) alone. In the Ramayana we learn that Sri Rama performed

> > this Ashwamedha Yaga. In the Mahabharata, King Yudhishthira

> > performed the RaajasUya yaga. But are there instances of

> Brahmanas

> > performing these yagas as yajamaana-s? These are yagas not

meant

> > for other castes like Brahmana. A Brahmana, however, can be a

> > purohita, priest, in such yagas. He cannot be a yajamaana in

such

> > yagas. Is this view correct? Someone has even told me that

there

> > are specific mantras to this effect in the Yajurveda. Will you

> pl.

> > confirm ? Any others on this List may reply. Let me reiterate

> that

> > this question has no more than an academic value in the present

> day

> > context.

> >

> > There is a mantra chanted during DeepArAdhana: in that mantra

> occurs

> > a sentence: yo'shwamedhena yajate....and ends with: ya u chainam

> > evam veda'. This last portion means: even a person who 'knows'

the

> > method of the ritual of the ashwamedha yaga (even if he has not

> > performed it), gets the phalam, fruit, of performing the yaga.

> >

> > With warm regards,

> > subbu

> > Om Tat Sat

> >

>

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advaitin, "Madhava Turumella" <madhava

wrote:

>

> HariOm Sri Subbu,

>

> > aShwa = there is no tomorrow (so do not really land up in desire

> which is cause of bondage)

> medha = mindset / intelligence / brillance / sacrifice

>

>

> Same is the idea behind "Raajasuya Yaaga" - Suya means Jelous.

>

>

> Love & Light,

> Madhava

>

 

 

ShrIgurubhyo namaH

 

Namaste Madhava ji,

 

Thanks for that truly nice post. What you have said about a King is

quite true. There is a saying:

 

asantuShTo dwijo naShTaH, santuShTaH pArthivas-tathA

 

A brahmin who is not contented meets perdition; a contented king too

meets the same fate.

 

While what you have said is largely appreciable, i have one

observation to make regarding the word meaning of 'ashwa-medha'

and 'rAjasUya':

 

In the context, ashwa means a horse only and medha is 'sacrifice'.

The word 'medhaa' (deergham) is what constitutes intelligence.

Likewise, only asUyaa (also deergham) means jealousy. 'RAjasUyaH'is

also known as 'RAjasUyam'. There is a Shatapatha-brAhmaNa

sentence: 'RAjA vai rAjasUyeneShTvA bhavati'.

 

As the word 'sUya' is not listed in the Apte dictionary, i request

someone to throw light on its meaning.

 

Thanks once again for the nice Gita-thoughts.

I thank Sri Shesha Sai gaaru and Sri Pakira reddy for their

responses.

 

Warm regards,

subbu

Om Tat Sat

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advaitin, "subrahmanian_v" <subrahmanian_v

wrote:

>

>

> As the word 'sUya' is not listed in the Apte dictionary, i request

> someone to throw light on its meaning.

 

 

 

http://webapps.uni-koeln.de/tamil/

 

Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon: Search Results

 

1 sUya n. extraction of the Soma-juice , libation , sacrifice (cf. %

{rAja-s-}) MBh.

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advaitin, "V. Krishnamurthy" <profvk wrote:

> Namaste, Subbu-ji

>

> I have heard from Swami Paramarthananda that the ashva-upAsanA (the

> first BrAhmanaM of Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad) done by a brahmin, is

> equivalent to the performance of ashvamedha yajna performed by a

> kshatriya.

>

> The ashva-upAsanA itself is a meditation of the ashva as VirAT as

> described in the BrAhmaNaM.

>

> PraNAms to all advaitins

> profvk

>

 

ShrIgurubhyo namaH

 

Namaste Prof ji,

 

Thank you for that information Sir. The portion you have referred to

in that Upanishad is condensed in this manner by Sw.Maheshaananda Giri:

 

//The ashvamedha is the ultimate karma to attain both, individual and

cosmic fullness. To demonstrate that even that sacrifice is

insufficient to deliver liberation, namely direct vision of the

Divine, the Br.Upanishad starts with a meditation of the Ashvamedha,

which produces the same fruit as the complicated ritual. As is the

case elsewhere in the Upanishads, meditation alone is the substitute

for the karma for introverts. This meditation is grand cosmic

idolization. The different organs of a horse are identified with

natural time, space, vegetation, etc. Shankara points out, that as to

view an idol of ViSNu is to make the idol into ViShNu, so to view the

horse as time, space and divinities, is to convert it into Prajapati.

According to Anandagiri, even a sacrificer can meditate upon the

sacrificial horse to get better results. Whoever is unable to perform

the actual sacrifice should think of his own body etc. as the horse ad

identify time etc. with his own organs, making his own body the horse

and identifiying his own self as Prajapati, and reap the highest

fruit. Many later meditations are based on this foundation. The body

should be identified with the Divine body, the mind with the Divine

mind and the ego with the Deity's ego. //

 

Thanks to the Moderators for providing the meaning of the word 'sUyaH'.

 

With humble pranams,

subbu

Om Tat Sat

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namastE!

 

Understood your points and quite enjoyed your post! :-)

 

I still stand for my words that etimological roots (nirukta) point

to Brain as in Medhas and also as Essence. Agni is called

as "PriyamEdha" because he is thought by the brain as the essence of

the devine. The famous vedic statement "Kasmai devaaya havishaa

vidhema" is the origin to the word "PriyamEdha".

 

Incidentally, I came to know about the etimological meaning behind

the Aswamedha (should be AASwa as a deergha) from my teacher

brahmalina HH Swamini Saradapriyananda.

 

I do know some scholars dismiss nirukta but peronally it gives rise

to a good understanding.

 

================

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kambojas_of_Yaska

 

Yaska Acharya was a celebrated Sanskrit scholar and grammarian of

the seventh century BCE. He wrote a well-known etymological work on

important ancient Sanskrit words, which is popularly known as

Nirukta [1].

 

Incidentally, in the Nirukta, Acharya Yaska referenced the Kambojas

and gave information on the language, ethnicity, dress mode and the

luxurious living of these ancient people, which can also be usefully

applied to make an estimation on the geographical location of the

ancient Kamboja country.

 

===========================

 

http://www.sub.uni-

goettingen.de/ebene_1/fiindolo/gretil/1_sanskr/1_veda/5_vedang/3_prat

is/niruktau.htm

 

14,6:

rasât.úonitam,.úonitât.mâṃsam,.mâṃsât.medas,.medasaḥ.snâvâ,.snâvan5.a

sthîny.asthibhyo.majjâ,.majjâtas.retas1/

 

3,17: ``priyamedhavad.atrivat.jâtavedo.virûpavat/

3,17: aṅgirasvat.mahivrata.praskanvasya.úrudhî.havam/''.[314]

3,17:

priyamedhaḥ.priyâ.asya.medhâ.yathâ.eteṣâm.ṛsînâm.evam.praskanvasya.úṛ

ṇu.hvânam/[314]

 

3,19: arcati.karmâṇa.uttare.dhâtu1p.catuúcatvâriṃúat/[318]

3,19: medhâvi.nâmâny.uttarâni.caturviṃúatih/[318]

3,19: medhâvî.kasmât,.medhayâ.tad.vân.bhavati,.medhâ.mati7.dhîyate/

[318]

 

Love & Light,

Madhava

 

 

 

advaitin, "subrahmanian_v"

<subrahmanian_v wrote:

>

> advaitin, "Madhava Turumella" <madhava@>

> wrote:

> >

> > HariOm Sri Subbu,

> >

> > > aShwa = there is no tomorrow (so do not really land up in

desire

> > which is cause of bondage)

> > medha = mindset / intelligence / brillance / sacrifice

> >

> >

> > Same is the idea behind "Raajasuya Yaaga" - Suya means Jelous.

> >

> >

> > Love & Light,

> > Madhava

> >

>

>

> ShrIgurubhyo namaH

>

> Namaste Madhava ji,

>

> Thanks for that truly nice post. What you have said about a King

is

> quite true. There is a saying:

>

> asantuShTo dwijo naShTaH, santuShTaH pArthivas-tathA

>

> A brahmin who is not contented meets perdition; a contented king

too

> meets the same fate.

>

> While what you have said is largely appreciable, i have one

> observation to make regarding the word meaning of 'ashwa-medha'

> and 'rAjasUya':

>

> In the context, ashwa means a horse only and medha

is 'sacrifice'.

> The word 'medhaa' (deergham) is what constitutes intelligence.

> Likewise, only asUyaa (also deergham) means

jealousy. 'RAjasUyaH'is

> also known as 'RAjasUyam'. There is a Shatapatha-brAhmaNa

> sentence: 'RAjA vai rAjasUyeneShTvA bhavati'.

>

> As the word 'sUya' is not listed in the Apte dictionary, i request

> someone to throw light on its meaning.

>

> Thanks once again for the nice Gita-thoughts.

> I thank Sri Shesha Sai gaaru and Sri Pakira reddy for their

> responses.

>

> Warm regards,

> subbu

> Om Tat Sat

>

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advaitin, "Madhava Turumella" <madhava

wrote:

>

> namastE!

>

> Understood your points and quite enjoyed your post! :-)

>

> I still stand for my words that etimological roots (nirukta) point

> to Brain as in Medhas and also as Essence. Agni is called

> as "PriyamEdha" because he is thought by the brain as the essence

of

> the devine. > 3,19: medhâvi.nâmâny.uttarâni.caturviṃúatih/

[318]

> 3,19: medhâvî.kasmât,.medhayâ.tad.vân.bhavati,.medhâ.mati7.dhîyate/

> [318]

>

> Love & Light,

> Madhava

>

 

 

ShrIgurubhyo namaH

 

Namaste Madhava ji,

 

Thanks for your above post. Here is the amarakoSha reference to the

word 'medhA':

 

buddhiH, manIShA, dhiShaNA, dhIH, ......medhA...etc. Line nos. 278,

279, 280, etc. But 'ashwamedhaH' is not deergha. Medhaa word will

become hrasva (medhaH) only in a bahuvrIhi samaasa (compound word),

where it would connote a person with a particular type of medhA.

 

The last lines quoted by you above clearly show that the word is a

feminine gender 'medhA'. But what we have in the word 'ashwamedha'

is not a feminine gender. The Apte dictionary gives the meaning for

medhaH as a sacrifice or an animal meant for a sacrifice. Medas is

different, it means marrow in the bone region of the body.

 

Familiar 'medhaa' mantra is: medhAvI bhUyAsam, tejasvI bhUyAsam....

mayi medhAm, mayi prajAm...etc. chanted by a brahmachari during agni

kaarya ritual. There is the medhAsUktam. MedhA-dakshiNaamurti is

another popular word. All these words mean buddhi. But in

ashwamedha this sense does not occur, in my humble opinion.

 

The only possible way to bring the sense of buddhi in ashwamedha

would be, in my opinion, making the word a bahuvrIhi samaasa to

mean: ashwaH medhA yasya saH ashwamedhaH = He for whom a horse is

intellect, is known as ashwamedhaH. This would refer to a person.

But it would be absurd. It would then not refer to a yaaga.

 

With warm regards,

subbu

Om Tat Sat

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  • 2 weeks later...

advaitin, "subrahmanian_v"

<subrahmanian_v wrote:

>

> advaitin, Dr Perisepalli Venkata Sesha Sai

> <aswamedhayaagam@> wrote:

> > Affly Yours HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

>

>

> ShrIgurubhyo namaH

>

> Namaste Sir,

>

> This is a question of purely academic value, at least in the

present

> day. I have heard that certain yagas like the Ashwamedha and the

> RaajasUya are to be performed by a Kshatriya (especially when he

is

> the King) alone. In the Ramayana we learn that Sri Rama performed

> this Ashwamedha Yaga. In the Mahabharata, King Yudhishthira

> performed the RaajasUya yaga. But are there instances of

Brahmanas

> performing these yagas as yajamaana-s? These are yagas not meant

> for other castes like Brahmana.

 

Namaste,

 

While going through the 'BhAmatI' gloss for some other purpose, i

chanced to find these lines that throw light on a question i had

raised recently on the above subject. I shall give the meaning of

those lines:

 

//Therefore just as in the RaajasUya (sacrifice) that is prescribed

for those who identify themselves with the rAja-jAti (kshatriya

caste), those who identify themselves with the vipra (BrAhmaNa)and

vaishya castes do not get eligibility...even so...

 

Further, even if a person is endowed with the capacity to perform a

vaidik (scripturally ordained) karma, if he is not eligible

scripturally to perform it, he does not get the fruit of performing

that karma. Just as in the case of the sacrifice called 'vaishya-

stoma' where brahmanas and kshatriyas are not eligible. In all

karmas that give 'seen' effects, let he who is capable engage, for

the fruit is available here. But in those karmas where the fruit

is 'unseen', adRiShTa, (being enjoined scriputrally) to be got in

the 'hereafter', the fruit will not accrue for those who are not

scripturally eligible to engage in them. //

 

The relevant portion can be seen in Sanskrit on page 32 of the book

on Brahmasutra bhashyam containing the three vyaakhyaanams

Ratnaprabha, BhaamatI and NyAyanirNaya published by Motilal

Banarsidas.

 

With pranams,

subbu

Om Tat Sat

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