Details of the Rājasūya Sacrifice

The Rājasūya sacrifice is one of the principal ceremonies of royal inauguration. It consists of some animal sacrifices and also a number of various iṣṭis. It begins on the first day of phālguna (February-march, the spring time of India) and spread over a period of more than two years. The word ‘Rājasūya’ is derived as, the Rājan Soma is pressed in it; therefore, it is known as ‘Rājasūya’^[1] or the sacrifice of the king is called ‘Rājasūya’^[2]. Those who performed this sacrifice attained the pre-eminence sovereignty and supremacy over all the dominions. According to the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, one becomes king by offering the Rājasūya^[3]. Thus in most of the Vedic texts, the Rājasūya sacrifice are highly praised, as by the performance of it all the kings become subdued.

The Rājasūya or the royal inauguration ceremony is divided in to three distinct parts:

1) a series of preliminary sacrifices.
2) the Abhiṣecanīya or sprinkling or anointing ceremony and 
3) a number of post anointing ceremonies.

At first, a purificatory ceremony called the Pavitra takes place and the four seasonal offerings (Cāturmāsya) follow for the next one year. After finishing the Cāturmāsyas, some more iṣṭis and homas are performed among which the eleven offerings known as ‘Ratnināṃ haviṃsi’ take place. The king makers are known as ‘Ratnins’ i.e. the keeper of jewel. The king is regarded as the jewel and the king’s ministers or counsellors are termed as ‘Ratnins’. A king can ascend to the throne or can become a king if his Ratnins allow him so. But if they do not accept his sanction or disallow him, the king cannot be declared as a king. In this ceremony king goes to the house of each Ratnins or king makers and make an oblation in their houses in honour of a particular deity.

List of Ratnins or kingmaker:

The list of the king makers slightly differ according to the different Brāhmaṇa texts. According to the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa^[4] there are eleven Ratnins or king makers.

The lists of the Ratnins are presented below according to their social strata:—

1. Senānī or Commander-in-Chief.
2. Purahita or family priest.
3. Yajamāna (the kṣatra, the ruling power i.e. king).
4. Chief Queen or consecrated queen known as Mahisī.
5. Suta i.e. Chronicler or court-minstrel.
6. Grāmanī or headman of the village.
7. Kṣattṛ or Chamberlain.
8. Saṃgrahītṛ or Treasurer.
9. Bhāgadugha or tax collector.
10. The keeper of the dice and Govikartana or huntsman.
11. Pālāgala or Courier.

For the performance of Ratnināṃ-haviṃsi offerings the sacrificer required eleven days. On the twelfth day, the sacrificer goes to the house of the discarded wife known as Parivṛtti and offers an oblation to the goddess Nirṛti. But, in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa this offering is not included in the Ratnināṃhaviṃsi offerings.

According to the Maitrāyanī Saṃhitā^[5], the king makers are regarded as the limbs of the king, because, who’s Ratnins are vigorous his kingdoms also become vigorous. From the above mentioned list of Ratnins the king goes to the houses of each Ratnins excepting Kṣatra and Akṣāvāpa and Govikartana together, for whom offerings are made at the royal palace. The offerings are made to the Gods-Agni, Bṛhaspati, Indra, Aditi, Varuṇa, Maruts, Sāvitṛ, Aśvins, and so on. These offerings are made by the king to his Ratnins is very significant. As a matter of fact, this ritual was performed with the intension to win the favours of the Ratnins. The offerings create a feeling of attachment and loyalty in the Ratnins mind for the new king and they (Ratnins) became his (kings) faithful follower.

Consecration Ceremony:

The second part of the Rājasūya sacrifice is known as Abhiṣeka or Mahābhiṣeka is regarded as the main part of the Rājasūya sacrifice as it mainly consists in sprinkling the king with holy waters collected from various sources. This consecration ceremony consists of five days viz. one Diksā (initiation ceremony), three upaṣad and one sutyā or soma-day. In the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa^[6], we get the detail description of the rites and rituals connected with this ceremony. On the first day, offerings are made to the eight Gods—viz. Savitā, Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Indra, Rudra, Mitra and Varuṇa. These offerings to the Gods are known as ‘Devāṣu offerings’ or ‘Divine Quickening’^[7]. Before offerings each of these gods is addressed with an epithet.

The lists of these epithets are being presented below:

• Savitā is prayed as ‘satyaprasava’ for true inspiration and righteous power of the king.
• Agni as Gṛhapati for mastery of the house hold activity.
• Soma as Vanaṣpati for protection of the forests and Agriculture.
• Bṛhaspati Vāk for power of speech.
• Indra as Jyeṣṭha for supremacy or predominance in matters of administration.
• Rudra as Paśupati for protection of cattle.
• Mitra as Satya for truth.
• And lastly, offering to Varuṇa, the moral governor as Dharmapati for upholding of Dharma or law^[8].

The significance of these epithets is that the king designated onward as king is expected to follow all these royal duties and functions. These epithets also symbolize the various character and qualities of a king.

After that the sprinkling ceremony is performed. The king is sprinkled by the priests with various waters collected from different sources.

The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa^[9] mentions a list of seventeen (17) types of waters are as follows:

1. The water of the river Saraswati.
2. The water of that wave which rises up behind him (priest).
3. The flowing water.
4. The water that flows against the stream.
5. The water that flows of the main current.
6. The water from the lord of river i.e. sea water.
7. The water from a whirlpool.
8. The flowing water in a sunny area (in below the standing pool).
9. The waters of the rains while the sun shines.
10. The water from a pond.
11. The water from a well.
12. The waters from drew drops.
13. The honey.
14. The embryonic waters of a calving cow.
15. The milk.
16. The clarified butter.
17. The moist sun-motes in the hollow of his (priests) hand.

Each type of water mixed together in vessel made of the wood of udumvara vessel. The sprinkling is done by the three upper classes i.e. by a Brāhmaṇa, a Kṣatriya and by a Vaiśya. From the Udumvara vessel the mixed water is again distributed in to the four smaller vessels made of the wood of Palāsa, Udumvara, Nyagrodha and Aśvattha trees respectively. The Brāhmaṇa sprinkles the king from the Palāsa bowl; a relative of the king sprinkles from Udumvara pot, a friend or Mitra of the king sprinkles from the Nyāgradha vessel and the Vaiśya sprinkles from the Aśvattha pot^[10]. Each type of water actually represents some power and quality of the king. It is expected that the king should possess such qualities in him, such as-the flowing river stands for vigor or power of the king, the floods stand for abundance, sea for dominion and supremacy, the water of the pool or tanks stands for loyalty or attachment of the people with the king, which is harmful like the waters of a stagnant pool and so on.

This anointing or consecration ceremony is very significant, as before the consecration the sacrificer is uttered as ‘he’. But just after the sprinkling or anointing ceremony is over ‘he’ is called as ‘king’ (Rājan). That means, after the completion of the consecration ceremony the sacrificer is empowered with the royal office, before that he is considered just as an ordinary citizen^[11].

This consecration ceremony is regarded as a new birth of the king. As after the consecration, the king has to wear some new garments such as-Tārpya (an under garment), Pāṇḍvā (a garment made of undyed wool), a mantle or Cloak (Adhivāṣa) and a head band (uṣṇisa). Actually these garments represent different parts of an embryo.

The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa^[12] describe the significance of various garments put on to the Kings by the Adhvaryu are as follows:

1. Tārpya is identified with inner cauls of embryo.
2. Pāṇḍvā with uterus or (jarāyu).
3. Adhivāṣa with womb (yoni)
4. Uṣnisa or head band with navel or umbilicus.

These garments are intended to symbolically represent the various segment of the embryo and the stages of birth. Therefore, the Adhvaryu put on the garments to the king thinking that he sprinkles the king when he is born. Hence, the consecration ceremony is regarded as a new birth of the king. After that the Adhvaryu makes the king to ascend the east, south, west, north and upper regions. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa gives the reason as to why the Adhvaryu makes the king to ascend the quarter is that-“all the quarters are the forms of a season. It is the season, the year that he there by makes him ascends, and having ascended the seasons, the year, he (the king) is high, high above everything here and everything here is below him”^[13]. Then the Adhvaryu provides the king a bow with three arrows. The bow is a symbol of strength. As the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa says–“the bow is a symbol of the king’s strength or military power and I shall consecrate him after he attains strength”^[14].

Thereafter follows the oath taking ceremony. The Adhvaryu Priests who sprinkle the king with holy waters addressed him thus: “If you do me harm, in that case all the merits acquired by you from the night of your birth to the night of your death, your pious deeds, longevity and publicity will be stolen by me”^[15]. Similarly the king also takes the oath–“If I betray you or pay you false, may I lose the merit of all my pious deeds, religious rites, my position, life and even my progeny”^[16]. Then the king makes step upon the tiger’s skin^[17]. A small gold plate is thrown below the king’s foot with the intention to protect him from death. As gold is the symbol of immortal life. Therefore the Adhvaryu encloses him on both sides with immortal life^[18]. A throne made of khādirā wood is installed on the tiger’s skin for the king. Tiger is the king of all beasts; hence the tiger skin is spread bellow the throne as a mark of kingship^[19]. The throne is symbol of royal dignity and power. It is a symbol of dominion^[20].After the anointment the king makes three steps on the tiger’s skin representing the Viṣnu’s three steps on the earth, heaven and the upper regions^[21].

The Rājasūya sacrifice or royal coronation has some popular rites associated with it, such as–the mimic cow raid, the game of dice and others which are briefly presented below:

Cow raid:

In the north of the Āhavaniya, the sacrificer (the king) places a hundred or more than a hundred cows of his relative^[22].The cattle is an object of respect. As, when Varuṇa was consecrated, his energy, his vigor departed from him and Varuṇa found it in a cattle. As, Varuṇa found it in a cattle, therefore; the cattle is regarded as an object of respect. The Rājasūya sacrifice is regarded as a Varuṇa’s consecration^[23]. Therefore it is also an object of honour or respect. In the cow raid the king climbs on a chariot paired with four horses and drives the car to a place among the hundred cows of his relative and touches a cow with the end of his bow. This indicates the achievement of the right of the cattle to the king. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa gives the reason as to why the king stops his chariot in between his relatives is thus–“whatever is tending away from a man, be it either fame or anything else, that passes over to his relative foremost of all: -that energy or vigor, he now takes again from his relative to himself: that is why he stops amidst the cows of his relative”^[24]

After that the king looks down to the mother earth and says-‘O, mother Earth, injure me not, nor I thee’. The Earth also afraid to the king thinking that something great surely has he become now that he has been consecrated: I fear lest he may rend me asunder. The king also afraid to the mother earth thinking, ‘I fear lest she may shake me off’. Hence, by that formula he entered in to friendly relation with her; for a mother does not injure son, nor does a son injure his mother^[25]. Then he steps down from the chariot with muttering the verse -“The swan dwelling in the light, the Vasu dwelling in the air, the priest seated on the altar, the guest dwelling in the retreat (house), the man-dwelling, the space dwelling, the law dwelling, the sphere dwelling, the water born, the cow-born, law born, rock born”. For that atichandas (or excessive metre) comprises of all the metres: thus evil does not descend along with him^[26]. And finally the king touches the udumvara branch to obtain strength. As, udumvara is regarded as the bestower of strength (sustenance)^[27].

Game of dice:

The game of dice is a compulsory part of the Rājasūya ceremony. In which the game is played with five dice^[28]. The four dice is known as kṛta and the fifth is termed as kāli. If all the dice when thrown fall uniformly i.e. the dotted sides either upwards or downwards the thrower wins. This symbolizes the conquest of the elected king to over all castes and all regions.

Striking the king with sticks:

The priests take up a stick and silently strike the king with that stick on his back side. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa says that–“by striking him with sticks they take him beyond the pole of judicial punishment; hence the king is exempt from or beyond the reach of judicial punishment”^[29]. But from this one cannot make any wrong statement that the king could do any wrong work or can take any wrong decisions as he was above punishment. In the Vedic age the king’s duty was to protect the people and work for their welfare. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa gives record of the kings named as Duṣṭaritu Paumsāyana, who was expelled from his kingdom for misconduct and maltreatment with his subjects^[30].

The handing over of the sacrificial Sword:

The Brāhmaṇa hands over the sacrificial sword to the king. The sacrificial sword is regarded as thunderbolt. Brāhmaṇa by means of that thunderbolt makes the king to be weaker than a Brāhmaṇa but strong than his enemies. Thus the king hands over the sacrificial sword to his brother. Thereby the king makes his brother to be weaker than himself. In this way the king’s brother hands it over to the Suta. Then Suta or the Governor hands it to the Grāmanī and then Grāmanī hands it to a tribes man. In this way the king make him stronger than other^[31].

As a matter of fact, all these rites associated with the consecration ceremony simply signify the unrivalled greatness which every king should possess.

In the third part of the Rājasūya sacrifice, the performance of the Daśapeya comes first. It is so called as during this ceremony hundred persons including the king drink ten cups of soma juice with a group of ten people^[32]. Thus ‘Daśa’ means (ten) and ‘Peya’ means (drink, beverage). It is actually a modification of the Agniṣṭoma. After the tenth day of the Abhiṣeka ceremony the Daśapeya ceremony is accomplished. This ceremony has genealogical importance as Sāyanācārya gives its literal meaning as-during its performance the sacrificer has to call out the name of his grandfather and the grandfather of that one and so on^[33]. After one year the keśavapāniya begins. It is a period of abstinence. In this period the sacrificer does not shave his hair. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa gives the reason behind this-“that collected essence of waters where with he is then sprinkled (anointed) is vigor, and it is the hair (of his) that reaches first when he is sprinkled, hence were he to shave his hair, he would cause that glory to fall off from him, and would sweep it away: therefore he does not shave his hair^[34]. After that the sacrificer performs the Sautrāmaṇī which is an expiation rite for any excess committed by the drink of soma-juice. Then the closing oblation known as Traidhātavi is performed, which marks the end of the Rājasūya sacrifice.

A brief description is presented below about the coronation ceremony of different periods:

Pṛthu’s Coronation:

Pṛthu the son of Vena is regarded as the first consecrated king of the Hindus. This statement is recorded in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa^[35]. His coronation oath is clearly mentioned in the Mahābhārata. The oath runs thus-“to follow the Vedic injunctions, to act according to the rules of Daṇḍapati, never to violate the rules of law, not to insult the Brāhmaṇas and to serve the people sincerely”^[36]. The oath administered to the king Vena is also found in the Mahābhārata. He took vow to rule righteously^[37]. The king being found by his coronation oath had to act according to the law established. The oath brought him under the law and did not offer him any scope of arbitrary. According to Manu there are some divine elements in the king. The king is verily a great divinity in the form of human being^[38]. He is the protector of the people.

Harsha’s Coronation:

Harsha or Harshavardhana was an Indian emperor who ruled North India from 606 to 647 A.D. He was the son of Prabhākaravardhana and the younger brother of Rājyavardhana. Rājyashree, the sister of Rājyavardhana and Prabhākaravardhana had been married to the Maukhari king Grahavarman. But after some year Grahavarman was killed by the king Devagupta of Malwa and Rājyashree had been cast in to the prison by the victor. Then Rājyavardhana marched against Devagupta and killed him. But while returned to his capital, Rājyavardhana was treacherously killed by Shashānka, the king of Gauda^[39]. When Harsha heard about the murder of his brother, he promised to take revenge against the assassinator of Rājyavardhana.

In the mean while Harsha’s coronation ceremony was performed by sprinkling holy waters contain in the golden and in the silver jars. He was seated on a throne covered by tiger’s skin and his whole body was beseamered with white sandal paste. Likewise his whole war weapons were also beseamered with white sandal paste. Then after the coronation ceremony Harsha came out for world conquest^[40].

Coronation rituals in the Agnipurāṇa:

The coronation ceremony as narrated in the Agnipurāṇa is almost similar with that of the Vedic literature. In the Agnipurāṇa, the coronation ceremony also includes in sprinkling the king with holy waters, putting the crown on his head, making him sit on a cushion made of the skin of animals (tiger), introduction of high officers and ministers to the newly crowned king, Various kinds of gifts to the priests, coronation procession and military parade through the main streets of the capital and return of the procession to the place and end of the ceremony after making gifts^[41]. According to the said Purāṇa only the Brāhmaṇas can anoint the king but this freedom extends to the four castes i.e. Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya and Sudra. Their support and loyalty to the king strengthens the position of the king elect. According to the Agnipurāṇa the formal coronation of the king is held within a year of his accession.

Coronation ceremony in the epic age:

The coronation ceremony is also performed in the epic age. The coronation of Rāma as a king of Ayodhyā took place when he returned to the capital city after fourteen years of exile^[42]. The Brahmins, Ministers, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas and others (including the members of guilds which include all castes) sprinkled the king Rāma with waters bought from the seas and rivers and put crown on his head^[43]. The royal coronation of king Yudhisthira is also performed in the same manner. The Mahābhārata records that the Brahmins, the owners of the land, the Kṣatriyas, the Vaiśyas and the representatives of other castes were also invited in this ceremony. The imperial assembly was attended by kings from different parts of the country.

Asoka’s Coronation:

The famous Mauryan king Ashoka was crowned after the four years of his accession. The uncrowned period of his accession was not accepted by Hindu law. Therefore the Purāṇas do not count the pre-coronation years of Ashoka’s reign but they included it in the total for the dynasty^[44]. This highlights that the king without royal consecration is not recognized as a legal sovereign.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Jaiminīya-brāhmaṇa -XIV/4/1-(Sabar Bhāsya) “Rājā tatra suyate tasmādrājasuyaḥ|”

[2]:

Ibid-XIV/4/1-“Rājño vā yajño rājasūyaḥ|”

[3]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa–V/1/1/12-“Rājā vai rājasūyeneṣṭvā bhavati|”

[4]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa-V/3/1/1-12-“Araṇyaragni samārohya| Senānyo gṛhānparetyā’gnaye’nikavate aṣṭakapāla puradāsaṃ……………Atha śvo bhute purohitasya gṛhān paretya……..Atha śvo bhute suyamānsya gṛha……Atha śvo bhute| Mahiṣai gṛhān paretya……. Atha śvo bhute | sūtasya gṛhān paretya……. Atha śvo bhute | grāmanya gṛhān paretya………. Atha śvo bhute| kṣatur gṛhān paretya……….. Atha śvo bhute | saṃgṛhītur gṛhān paretya………… Atha śvo bhute| Bhāgadugasya gṛhān paretya……….. Atha śvo bhute| akṣāvāpasya gṛhān paretya……….. Atha śvo bhute| pālāgalasya gṛhān paretya…….tāni vā etāni ekādas ratnāni||”.

[5]:

Mait.Saṃ-IV/3/8-“Kṣatraṣya vā etānyaṅgāni yasya vā etāni tejasvanti tadrāṣṭraṃ tejasvi bhavati|”

[6]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa -V/3, 5/4

[7]:

Ibid-V/3/3/13 “Etā ha vai devatā savasyeśate|Tasmāddevasvo nāma tadenamata eva devata suvate tābhi sūta sva sūyate||”

[8]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa-V/3/3/2-9.

[9]:

Ibid–V/3/4

[10]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa V/3/5/11-14—
“Palāsaṃ bhavati| Tena brāhmaṇa’bhisincati brahma vai palāso||”
“Udumvaraṃ bhavati| Tena svo’bhisincatyannaṃ vā……………puruṣasya svaṃ bhavati||”
“Nyagrodhapādaṃ bhavati| Tena mitro rājanyo’bhisiṅcati||”
“Āsvatthaṃ bhavati|Tena vaiśyo’bhisincati||”

[11]:

Chakraborty,H, Vedic India-Political and legal institute in the Vedic literature by, Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar, 1981, Page -171.

[12]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa V/3/5/20-24—
“Tattārpyamiti vāso bhavati tasmin sarvāni yajñarupāni nisyutāni bhavanti……………nayati”
“Athainaṃ pāṇḍvaṃ paridhāpayati |Kṣatraṣya jarāyavsīti tadydeva Kṣatraṣya
Jarāyu tat evainametajjanayati”
“Athā’dhivāsaṃ pratimuṅcati |Kṣatraṣya yonirsī’ti tadyiva Kṣatraṣya yonistasyā evainametajjanayati”
“Athosniṣḥ sahritya |Purastādavaguhati Kṣatraṣya ………………… nābhistāmeva’sminnnetaddadhāti”
“Taddhaike|Samantam parivestayanti nāvirvā………………..paridhāpayati ||”

[13]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa -V/4/1/7–“Ṛtunāmevainametadupamṛtunevaitatsamvatsara samārohayati sa ṛtun saṃvatsara samāruhya sarvamevametaduparyupari bhavatyarvāgeva’smādidiṃ sarvaṃ bhavati|”

[14]:

Ibid-V/3/5/30–“Viryam vā etad rājanyaṣya yaddhanurvīryavantamabhisincānīti|”

[15]:

Aitareya-brāhmaṇa–VIII/15-“Sa ha śraddhyayā yāṃ ca rātriṃjāye’hamyāṃ ca protāsmi tadubhyamantareṇeṣṭāpurtaṃ me lokaṃ sukṛtamāyuḥ prajāṃ bṛjīthā yadi te druhyeyamiti||”

[16]:

Ibid-VIII/15

[17]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa -V/4/1/11-“Athai na Śārdulacarmmā ārohoyati|”

[18]:

Ibid-V/4/1/14-“Amṛtaṃāyurhiraṇyaṃ tadamṛtenivainam……………….tasmād rukmā ubhayato bhavataḥ|”

[19]:

Aitareya-brāhmaṇa–VIII/8-“Kṣatraṃ vā etadāranyānāṃ paśunāṃ yad vyāghraḥ kṣatraṃ kṣatreṇaiva tat kṣatraṃ saṃdharyati||

[20]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa–XII/8/3/6–“Rāstraṃ vāsandi”

[21]:

Ibid-V/4/2/6-“Athainamantareva sārhula carmani viṣṇu kramān kramayati……..sarvaṃ bhavati|”

[22]:

Ibid-V/4/3/1-“Tasyo’sya svo bhavati| Tasya śataṃ vā paraṃ śata vā gā uttareṇāhavanīya saṃ sthāpayati||”

[23]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa -V/4/3/2-“Varuṇasava vā eṣa yadrājasūyamiti varuṇa’karotiti tveveiṣa etad karoti|”

[24]:

Ibid -V/4/3/11-“Tadyattsvasya goṣudyacchati| Yadvai puruṣātparāgbhavati yaso vā kincidvā……………….goṣudyacchati||”

[25]:

Ibid–V/4/3/20-21-“Pṛthivi mātarmā mā hi sīrmo ahamtvāmiti varuṇāddha………na putra mātaraṃ”| “Pṛthivyu hai tasmād vibheti mahad vā ayamabhud……………….na putra mātaraṃ||”

[26]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa -V/4/3/22-“So’vatiṣṭhati|Ha sa śuciṣadvasurantarikṣaddhotā vediṣadatithirhuronasat……. Pāpmā nā’nvatiṣṭhati”

[27]:

Ibid-V/4/3/26-“Athaudumbaīm sākhāmupaspṛśati| Urgasyurja mayi dehiti||”

[28]:

Ibid-V/4/4/6–“Athā’smai paṅcā’kṣānā pānā vāvapati…………..eva disa kalpayati|”

[29]:

Ibid -V/4/4/7-“Taṃ daṇḍairghanto daṇḍavadhamatinayanti tasmād rājā dandyo yadenaṃ dandavadhamatinayanti||”

[30]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa XII/9/3/1—
“Duṣṭaritu Pauṃsāyana |Dasapuruṣa rājjyādaparuddhāsa|
Revottarasamu ha patavancakraṃ sthapatiṃ Srñjaya aparurudhu||”

[31]:

Ibid V/4/4/15-19—
“Athā’smai Brāhmaṇa sfayaṃ prayacchati|Adhvaryurvā yo vā’sya purohito bhavati||”
“Taṃ rājā rajabhrāte prayacchati |”
“Taṃ rājabhrātā sutāya vā sthapataye vā prayacchati |”
“Taṃ suto vā sthapatirvā grāmaṇye prayacchati |”
“Taṃ grāmaṇī sajātāya prayacchati |”

[32]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa–V/4/5/3 -“Tasmmāddasapeyo’tho yaddasame………………. dsaikaikaṃ camasamnuprasṛptā bhavanti tasmmādeva dasapeya|”

[33]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa. Ed. By Maitre Deshpānde, New Bharatiya book Corporation, 2008, Page-849, foot note-2.

[34]:

Ibid–V/5/3/1-“Abhiṣecniyeneṣṭṭvā | kesanna vapatetadyadkeśānna vapate viryaṃ vā………………..tadmāt kesānnavapate||”

[35]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa V/3/5/4—
“Pṛthi ha vai vainnyo manuāyanāṃ prathamo abhiṣiṣice|”

[36]:

Mahābhārata, Shāntiparvan-LIX/112-120.

[37]:

Ibid-LVIII/115-116

[38]:

Manu Saṃ VII/7-8—
“Sa’gnirbhavati vāyuśca so’rka somaḥ sa dharmrāt|
Sa kuveraḥ sa varunḥ sa mahendraḥ prabhābataḥ||”
“Bālo’api nāvamantyabyo manuṣya iti bhumipaḥ|
Mahatidevatā hyeṣā nararupena tiṣṭati||”

[39]:

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/harsha_(Indian_emperor).aspx.

[40]:

Chaki, Jyotibhusana and Acharya, Abani, Harshacarita, vol-18 (Saptama Ucchvāsa), Nabapatra Prakasan, Kolkta, 1987.

[41]:

Agni Purāṇa, 218/31-35-“Dvipijaṃ siṃhajaṃ vyāgrajātancarma tadāsane Amātya sacivādinca pratihāraḥ pradarsayet………………praācya sarvān visarjayet.|”

[42]:

Rāmāyana, Yuddha kāṇḍa, chapter 131.

[43]:

Ibid, Yuddha kāṇḍa, Chapter 131, 60-61

[44]:

Matsya Purāṇa 272/ 22-26—
“Uddhriṣyati kautilyaḥ samairdādaśabhiḥ sutān|
Bhuktā mahiṃ varṣaśataṃ tato mauryāngamiṣyati||”
“Bhavitā śatadhanvā ca Tasya putrastu ṣat samāḥ|
Bṛhadraṭhastu varṣāṇi Tasya putraśca saptatiḥ||”
“Ṣaṭitraṃśattu samā rājā bhivitā śaka eva ca|
Saptānāṃ daśa varṣānī Tasya naptā bhaviṣyati||”
“Rājā daśaratho’ṣṭau tu Tasya putro bhaviṣyati|
Bhavitā nava varṣāṇi Tasya putraśca saptatiḥ”
“Ityete daśa mauryāstu ye mokṣyanti vasundharāṃ|
Saptatriṃśacchataṃ purnaṃ tebhyaḥ śungāngamiṣyati”