The Sacrifices of Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha (study)
by Aparna Dhar | 2016 | 61,606 words
This page relates ‘Sacrificial Fees’ of the study dealing with the Sacrifices such as Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha including their ritualistic and monarchial strata with reference to the Shatapatha-Brahmana. These Brahmanas represent a category of ancient Sanskrit texts dealing with ancient Vedic rituals and ceremonies based on the Vedas.
Sacrificial Fees
In this context, it is necessary to say a few words regarding the sacrificial fees of the priests since it is said that without giving sacrificial fees, a sacrifice remains incomplete—
In the Vedic sacrifice, the Yajamāna is the sacrificer and the enjoyer of the fruit of the sacrifice. On behalf of the sacrificer, the priests perform the sacrifice, and after giving the sacrificial fees at the end, the ritual is completed. The ancient seers learned in the Vedic lores; do not consider the sacrificial fees as the salary of the priests for their services rendered in a sacrifice. They consider the sacrificial fees as a part of the sacrifice. The sacrificial fee is regarded as an auspicious thing which causes the well-being of the sacrifice. Offering sacrificial fee is considered as a religious duty on the part of the sacrificer. Thus without the sacrificial fee the sacrifice is like a cart without the bullocks. Hence, just as a cart without the bullocks harms the driver and is useless, like wise a sacrifice without the fee harms the sacrifices. Without adequate sacrificial fees the sacrifice remains incomplete and for which the sacrificer incurs sin. The Gods known as Āptyas curse the sacrificer if he makes offering without dakṣinā[2].
The sacrificial fee is the fore-runner of the sacrifice to the world of haven. Hence it is said in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa that if the priests are satisfied with the adequate fees, the sacrificer obtains eternal peace in the other world[3]. Therefore, the bestowing sacrificial fee to the priests is one of the obligatory duties of the sacrificer. But he should not be compelled to pay sacrificial fee beyond his capacity.
It is clearly mentioned in the Brāhmaṇa texts, a sacrificer has to pay sacrificial fee as much as his ability since without sacrificial fee sacrifice remains incomplete.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa-III/5/1/18
[2]:
Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa -I/2/3/4-“Tasmānnādakṣineṇa haviṣā yajetā āptyeṣu ha yajño mṛṣṭo āptyā………..yajate|”
[3]:
Ibid-IV/3/4/4-“Āhutibhireva devān prīnāti dakṣinābhirmanuṣyadevān …………….svargolokambhivahanti||” Ibid-IV/3/4/6-“Yo yajate soasyaiṣa yajño devolokamevā’bhipraiti|”
[4]:
Ibid-XI/1/4/4