Conclusion

Thus from the above discussion it is clear that the sacrifices like the Rājasūya, the Vājapeya and the Aśvamedha are considered as the Major sacrifices of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa with high political significance. As by the performance of these sacrifices one wins the Rājya, Sāmrājya or even the paramount sovereignty. Some important features of these sacrifices are presented below:

Rājasūya:

• As mentioned earlier in this chapter, the consecration ceremony of the Rājasūya sacrifice, seventeen kinds of liquids are collected from different sources and the accepted king is sprinkled with those liquids. Actually these different types of liquids represent the various power and quality of the king which a king should possess.

• In Ratnināṃ haviṃsi ceremony, the consecrated king makes offering to the houses of the Ratnins. The king made offerings to his Ratnins (kingmaker) with the intension to seek their support highlights the political significance of this ritual.

• In the Rājasūya ceremony, the king has to step on the tiger’s skin. The tiger is a symbolic of kingship, as tiger is the king of beasts. By stepping on the tiger’s skin the consecrated king gains the strength and preeminence of the tiger.

• Mimic cow raid in the Rājasūya ceremony is the imitation of the old practices. It is performed with the intention to test the physical strength and fitness of the king.

• The game of dice in the Rājasūya ceremony is compulsory part of it. The winning of this game by the sacrificer symbolizes his conquest over all castes and all regions.

Vājapeya:

• In the Vājapeya sacrifice, there is a race of seventeen chariots in which the sacrificer has to become victorious. The purpose of this rite is to secure the swiftness of the steed as strength.

• In the Vājapeya sacrifice, the sacrificer with his wife mounts on a chariot wheel, which is the symbol of the sun. This act is done with the intention to secure the exaltation of the sacrificer. After descent from the post the sacrificer is anointed and proclaimed as victor.

• The sacrificer steps on a piece of gold after descend from the post. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa declares the Gold as immortal life. Thus stepping on the gold it is expected that the sacrificer would gain the immortal life as gold.

• In the Vājapeya sacrifice the Adhvaryu spreads the he-goat skin. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa mentions that the goat skin is no other than Prajāpati. Therefore, the Adhvaryu by spreading the goat skin makes the sacrificer to be Prajāpati himself. He also spreads the goat skin with the intention to endow the sacrificer with royal power.

Aśvamedha:

• In the Aśvamedha sacrifice, the four queens of the king take active part in the sacrificial performance. They (queens) attend the sacrifice with their full retinue. Participation of each queen with their retinue actually highlights the constitutional status and dignity of the queen in the Vedic period.

• The sacrificial horse in the Aśvamedha sacrifice is guarded by hundred royal attendants. These attendants include the various classes of people. Involvement of the various people as royal attendants makes it clear that the social discrimination was infrequent under the ruling monarch.

• The Aśvamedha is a sacrifice performed for the attainment of paramount sovereignty. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa declares the Aśvamedha as a Kṣatriya yajña. That means if any weak ruler performs this sacrifice he will be defeated.