The Sacrifices of Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha (study)
by Aparna Dhar | 2016 | 61,606 words
This page relates ‘Summary of the Sautramani sacrifice’ 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.
Summary of the Sautrāmaṇī sacrifice
[Full title: A Brief note on the sacrifices of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (12): Sautrāmaṇī]
The Sautrāmaṇī sacrifice is an expiatory rite executed for any excess committed by the drink of soma. It is not a soma sacrifice. But it comes under the seven haviryajña and it is specially related to the animal sacrifice. The word ‘Sautrāmaṇī’ is derived from ‘Sutrāmaṇ’ means a good protector, an epithet of Indra[1]. In the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa it is mentioned that the word ‘Sautrāmaṇī’ is derived as one who was well saved by Aśvins[2].
The major offering used in this sacrifice is surā, but now a day the substitute is used as milk. This sacrifice is divided in to two forms-one is independent named as Kaukilī Sautrāmaṇī and the other is performed at the end of the Rājasūya sacrifice known as Caraka Sautrāmaṇī. Surā is prepared from numerous types of plants in a special and in a very interesting way. Three animals are offered as victim in this sacrifice viz. a grey coloured goat to Aśvin, a ram to goddess Saraswati and another ram are offered to the Moon God. The numbers of animals offered as victims are vary from that Caraka Sautrāmaṇī to the Kaukilī Sautrāmaṇī. Though the Sautrāmaṇī is praised as bestowing prosperity, cattle and food; but its principal significance seems to be seen in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa as “curing”.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa-V/5/4/12-“Te devā avruvan| Sutrā tvaṃ vaitanaṃatrā’āsatāmiti tasmād sautrāmaṇī nāma||”