Chapter 92 - Description of the Ashvamedha Sacrifice

Having arranged everything in detail with dispatch, the elder brother of Bharata loosed the horse marked with black spots, adorned with his own insignia. Placing Lakshmana, assisted by the priests, in charge of the steed, he himself went to the Naimisha Wood with his army.

That long-armed prince, beholding the vast and beautiful sacrificial spot, was greatly delighted and exclaimed, “How wonderful!” During his sojourn in the Naimisha Wood, the kings brought all their gifts to Rama and he, in his turn, provided for them abundantly with food, drink and provisions of every kind. Bharata and Shatrughna were in the service of the king; the magnanimous monkeys, who accompanied Sugriva, attended on the priests with humility; Bibishana with his innumerable titans became the most diligent servitors of those Rishis of rigid penance. Sumptuous pavilions set up for the powerful monarchs and their retinues were under the orders of that most valiant prince. Such were the excellent arrangements devised for the Ashvamedha Sacrifice.

Meantime Lakshmana carefully watched over the comings and goings of the horse. Thus did that magnanimous Lion among monarchs proceed with the utmost punctiliousness in this foremost of sacrifices, during which nothing was heard but ‘Give lavishly of all that is sought,’ and, in the Ashvamedha Sacrifice, that liberal Prince furnished all that everyone required till they were fully satisfied. Sweet dishes of every kind, confections, till they were no longer in demand, were distributed by monkeys and titans, and no-one was seen in rags or afflicted or hungry, but, in that splendid royal feast, only those who were happy and satisfied could be observed. Amongst the venerable Sages present, the oldest could not remember a sacrifice where such prodigious liberality had taken place.

Those who desired gold received gold, those who preferred possessions received them, those who coveted jewels had jewels bestowed upon them; and one beheld silver, gold, gems and raiment being distributed continually in great quantities.

‘Neither Shakra, nor Soma, nor Yama, nor Varuna have ever achieved anything of such magnitude’ proclaimed the ascetics; and, on every side, monkeys and titans stood distributing raiment, silver and rice in profusion to those who sought them.

This sacrifice of that foremost of monarchs was carried out in accord with every tradition and, at the end of a whole year, it still had not come to a close, nor was the treasury exhausted.