Aryans seemed to have specialised in performing sacrifices, involving thousands of animals. A horse sacrifice (Asva mEtha) is believed to cleanse sins of Kings. After killing the sacrificial horse, its fat is thrown into the ceremonial fire, resultant vapors-smoke is smelt.
1-14-33 Sanskrit Verse
Bala Kanda
Sarga 14
Kausalyaa tam hayam
tatra paricarya samantataha
krupaan`aihi vis`as`aasaheenam
tribhihi paramayaa mudaa.
CONTEXT
Dasaratha was performing a horse sacrifice to cleanse his sins, before commencing Putra Kamesht`hi sacrifice to beget children. As a part of the sacrifice, Dasaratha's first queen Kausalya, stabbed the sacrificial horse three times with a golden knife.
ENGLISH GIST
Kausalya circumambulated the horse and stabbed it with a knife three times, with great pleasure (parama mudam).
BLOGGER'S VIEWS
*Why stab with 'great pleasure'?
*Why circumambulate?
*Why ask a woman to do such a dirty ritual?
*Dasaratha could have done it!
Added on Dec. 7, 2015. Reply to Shri Jolly.
Even if the queens have pierced the sacrificed horse (according to Shri Jolly it is already dead), still what a shameful thing it will be both for the King, priests, and the Queens!!! (To be continued. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది).
