The Horse Sacrifice

[kshatriya_108]

In the Ramayana and Mahabharata there is a horse sacrifice. Why did they kill an animal?

 

Also i read somewhere they ate the meat. From direct translations. Can someone explain this to me.

[Guest guest]

There are many mentionings of horse sacrifices in the Srimad-Bhagavatam also. Here is the reason.

At that time, long ago in previous ages, there were experienced enough individuals who could chant mantras which would liberate the souls from the animal bodies. Sri Chaitanya and others have specifically stated that for a mere human in this current age to do such a practice is completely false.

There were many souls trapped in animal bodies, and there were sacrifices held for that reason too.

Srila Prabhupada mentioned that the horse is one of the most beautiful animals. I am thinking that it makes sense that they might be humans in their next birth.

 

Ksatriyas sometimes did eat meat which they hunted. Srila Prabhupada tried to make everyone a Brahmin and then a Vaisnava, which never eat meat. So, there are no contradictions in the teachings.

 

 

[kshatriya_108]

thanks for the reply.

[Nicolas_Bhai]

there is a nice mention in the sastras about the horse sacrifice as it is said when arjuna is being depicted in his kshatriya chariot exactly as if he´s the soul know now that Krsna is the Auriga of the planny horses. thats my interpretation in the case when there is some sacrifice in there involved on the sastra is in that order mentioned that for doing this or that ekadasi vrat one gain as if sacrificing a horse, a horse sacrifice is meant i think though for the mind encourage. like the horse became your mind or something, when u mind u ride yah horse even if you are seatted confortably behind the auriga.