Details of the Puruṣamedha Sacrifice

The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa has dealt with various sacrifices. Among them some are considered as major sacrifices having dichotomic significance, such as–Rājasūya, Vājapeya, Aśvamedha and so on. Some other sacrifices which are generally considered as minor sacrifices having dichotomic traits-Puruṣamedha, Sarvamedha, Agnicayana, Cāturmāsya and Sautrāmaṇī are worth mention in the line. These sacrifices are deliberately categorized as ‘minor sacrifices’ under the context of this dissertation. These sacrifices although do not have much alliance with the royal or political concurrence but they are also not detached from that. Directly or indirectly they are related to the dichotomic process in the performance of the respective sacrifices either to human welfare or to the universal sovereignty of the king, the performer of the sacrifices. Now a discussion on each of them:—

The Puruṣamedha sacrifice is a slightly different form of soma sacrifice like Aśvamedha sacrifice. It is performed by a Brāhmaṇa or a Rājanya yajamāna, desirous of surpassing all the beings. It is neither Ekāha nor Satra type of sacrifice. It consists of five days; therefore, it comes under the pattern of Ahina type of sacrifice. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa gives the etymology of the word Puruṣamedha–“as to why it is called Puruṣamedha–The stronghold (pur) doubtless is these worlds, and the Puruṣa (spirit) is he that blows here (the wind), he bides (śi) in this strong hold (pur): hence he is the Puruṣa. And whatever food there is in these worlds that is it’s ‘medha’ its food; and inasmuch as this is it’s ‘medha’, it’s food, therefore (it is called) Puruṣamedha. And in as much as at this (sacrifice) he seizes men (puruṣa) meet for sacrifice (medhya), therefore also it is called Puruṣamedha”^[1]. There are twenty three (23) dikṣās, twelve (12) upaṣads and five (5) sutyās (soma days) in the Puruṣamedha sacrifice^[2].On the Upavasatha (day) eleven (11) victims are to Agni and Soma^[3]. On the Sutyā days there are savaniya victims set of eleven^[4]. The first of the Sutyā days is an Agniṣṭoma, then follows an Ukathya; then and Atirātra; then an Ukathya and then again an Agniṣṭoma^[5].

The term ‘Puruṣamedha’ connotes the meaning as–in this sacrifice instead of animals human beings (puruṣa) are offered as oblations. Therefore, it is known as Puruṣamedha. But these offerings are regarded as only symbolical and not real. In the Puruṣa Sūkta of the Ṛgveda we find that this Puruṣa had thousand heads and thousand eyes and he is surrounded in the whole earth^[6]. According to Sāyanācārya the term ‘Sahasra’ is symbolical. It signifies innumerable heads. That means the ‘Puruṣa’ is endowed with countless heads; so also the ‘Puruṣa’ is endowed with endless number of eyes, feet and so on. Compare:‘Sahasra sabdasyopalakshaṇatvāt anantaiḥ sirobhirukta ityarthaḥ|’^[7]

On the central day, the victim Puruṣas (men) are seized^[8] and bound to the sacrificial posts, but they are not actually slaughtered. After the Paryagnikaraṇa performance (i.e. after the fire has been carried round them) all of them are set free^[9]. Then after the Udayaniya offering (concluding oblation) eleven barren cows are offered to Mitra-Varuṇa, the Viśve-devāh and Bṛhaspati^[10]. After that the Traidhātavi, the final offering is offered^[11].

Origin of the Puruṣamedha:

The origin of the Puruṣamedha is attributed to Puruṣa Nārāyaṇa himself who surpassed all beings by performing this rite. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa gives the origin of the Puruṣamedha as follows: “Puruṣa Nārāyaṇa desired, would that I over passed all beings! Would that I alone were everything here (this universe)! He hold this five days sacrificial performance of the Puruṣamedha, and took it, and performed offering there with, and having performed offering therewith, he over passed all beings, and became everything here. And verily, he who knowing this performs the Puruṣamedha, or who even knows this, overpasses all beings and becomes everything here”^[12].

Ritual procedure of the Puruṣamedha sacrifice:

In the Puruṣamedha sacrifice a Brāhmiṇ or a Kṣatriya is bought at the price of a thousand cows and a hundred horses. Like the horse in the Aśvamedha sacrifice, he (the puruṣa) is allowed to roam for a year. In that year of roaming (he) the Puruṣa can do anything as he wishes, but he has to remain chaste. After returning back he (the Puruṣa) is killed and the chief queen called Mahisī lies beside him as in the Aśvamedha sacrifice. But this performance is only symbolical and not actual. In the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, there is a clear statement that the slaughtering of human being should be avoided–“When Nārāyaṇa was sacrificing, at that time of the slaughtering of the Puruṣas a voice said to him, ‘Puruṣa’, do not consummate these victims. If thou wert to consummate them, man would eat man. Then the fire had been carried round them and the human victims are set free”^[13]. This passage is very important as it clearly indicates the tendency to avoid human slaughtering and also gives the reason for it. Hence, it can be said that due to this tendency, the human sacrifice has become symbolical in the Brāhmaṇa texts.

The human victims are always set free after some purificatory rite. It is also evident from the Śuṇaḥśepa story of the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa^[14], where we noticed that Śunasepa was to be sacrificed to Varuṇa, but was released due to the favour of various deities. For clear idea, the story of Śuṇaḥśepa is discussed here under:

King Hariśchandra, the son of Vedhas, of the Ikshāvaku race had no son. The king had hundred wives, but they did not give birth to a son^[15]. In Hariśchandra’s house there lived the two Ṛṣis–Parvata and Nārada by name. Once Nārada told the king-“go and beg of Varuṇa the king, that he might favour you with the birth of a son (promising him at the same time) to sacrifice to him this son when born”^[16]. So, the king went to Varuṇa and makes his prayer. Then by the grace of Varuṇa a son by name ‘Rohita’ was born to the king Hariśchandra. After the birth of the child, the Varuṇa repeatedly insists the king to sacrifice his son to him. But the king in under different circumstances always contempt his promise. And finally when the king agreed to sacrifice his son to Varuṇa, he called him (Rohita) and said-“Well, my dear I will gave thee to him, who gave thee unto me, I will sacrifice thee now”^[17]. But the son (Rohita) was not agreed to that and absconded to the wilderness roaming for a six year.

As Hariśchandra was not able to keep his promise, he was seized by Varuṇa and his belly swelled i.e. he was attacked by dropsy. Rohita, while wondering in the forest met with the Ṛṣi Ajīgarta, the son of Suyavasa. The sage Ajīgarta had three sons-the elder son is Śuṇaḥpuccha, the middle son is Śuṇaḥśepa and the younger son is Sunolangūla by name. Rohita told Ajīgarta to give him one son in exchange of hundred cows, as he want to ransom himself (from being sacrificed) with one of his son. The sage Ajīgarta agreed with Rohita and gave his middle son ‘Śuṇaḥśepa’ to Rohita with the exchange of hundred cows.

After that Rohita left the forest and approach to his father with Śuṇaḥśepa and says–“O my dear father! By this boy I will ransom myself from being sacrificed”^[18]. Then the king approached to Varuṇa and said to him that he will sacrifice ‘Śuṇaḥśepa to him in lieu of his son. And Varuṇa also agreed to that. When the preliminary offerings were started for sacrifice, Śuṇaḥśepa got aware that he will be butcher like that of an animal. So, he (Śuṇaḥśepa) makes prayer to the Gods to release him from the fearful death. He utter one after another verse to various deities and pleased them. Finally, the Gods release Śuṇaḥśepa and Hariśchandra also restored to his health again.

Thus, this story corroborates the view of the Brāhmaṇa text that the human slaughtering was avoided. The human victims are set free and the Performance is only symbolical.

According to the erudite Vedic scholar Cinna Swāmi Sāstrī -“actual slaughtering of human being in the Puruṣamedha is never heard in any recension of the Veda or Śrauta Sūtra”^[19]. Instead of human beings goats are offered as victims according to the rites of Paśu Yāga. The reason behind is that if human beings are actually slaughtered, the Priests and the Yajamānas have to eat human flesh. Thus the human slaughtering is avoided and it is performed only in symbolical.

The dakṣinās of the Puruṣamedha sacrifice as described in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa are very novel. It runs thus: “What there is towards the middle of the kingdom other than the land and the property of the Brāhmaṇa, but including the men of that the eastern quarter belongs to Hotṛ, the southern to the Brāhmaṇ, the western to the Adhvaryu, and the northern to the Udgātṛ, and the Hotṛkas share this along with them”^[20]. This is in the case of a Kṣatriya Yajamāna, but if the Yajamāna is a Brāhmaṇa then he should bestow all his property as dakṣinā in order to obtain and secure everything, for Brāhmaṇa is everything and all one’s property is everything, and the Puruṣamedha is everything^[21].

In The Aśvamedha sacrifice, we also find reference of the Jumbaka offering at the end of the Avabhṛtha bath. This offering is offered on the head of a white spotted, bald-headed man with protruding teeth and reddish brown eyes^[22]. This offering is made for one self to free from Varuṇa’s noose. The texts available to us do not describe this offering as a killing of man. Actually the Brāhmaṇ texts tried to remove the killing of man and make it only symbolical.

In the Agnicayana ceremony also we notice that the heads of Animals are to be put^[23]. Among these animals Puruṣa is killed first, for the Puruṣa is the first of all animals^[24]. The Yajamāna, who desirous to perform this sacrifice, offers five animals–a man, a horse, a bull, a ram and a he goat. Instead of killing these animals golden or clay heads of these may be used^[25].

Therefore, from the above discussion it is clear that though in the Brāhmaṇa text we find the reference of killing of human victims, but as a matter of fact, they wanted to avoid it. Hence, they have described the human sacrifice to be performed symbolically. This is a sign of changing mentality. The Brāhmaṇa texts represent some sophisticated mentality which does not allow human slaughtering. Thus the origin of Ahiṃsā is thus seen here and a step from ritualism to spiritualism is also observed.

Hence, from the above discussion it is clear that most of the ritual procedure of the Puruṣamedha sacrifice is alike as that of Aśvamedha sacrifice.

Some political or monarchial character of the Puruṣamedha sacrifice:

The Puruṣamedha sacrifice is generally performed by a King or by a Kṣatriya Yajamāna or by a Brāhmaṇa. We have already discussed that by performing this sacrifice, the sacrificers surpass all being and attain supremacy. It is also performed for the attainment of over powering strength. According to Keith the offering is to be performed by a Brāhmaṇa or by a Kṣatriya Yajamāna who is not successful^[26]. The dakṣinās of the Puruṣamedha sacrifice has great significance. Its significance can be interpreted in two ways:

A king by performing the Puruṣamedha sacrifice, surpass all being and become everything as he bestows all his property (other than the land and property of the Brāhmaṇa) as dakṣinā in order to obtain and securing everything. As one’s property is everything and by bestowing everything in the Puruṣamedha sacrifice, the sacrificer attains everything and surpass all being.

On the other hand, we can make our own statement that by performing the Puruṣamedha sacrifice, a general welfare is expected by a king for his subjects. As on this occasion a king gives his all property as dakṣinā and enters in to a life of mendicant. The sacrificer gives up his all wealth to the priests and retires to the forest with the intension to spread the spirit of self resignation in man. Moreover, by giving up his all ‘property’ or ‘wealth’ a general welfare is also expected by the king for his subjects.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa-XIII/6/2/1-“Atha yasmāt puruṣamedha nāma| Ime vai lokā pūrayameva puruṣo yo’yampavate so’syāmpuri śete tasmāt purūṣastasya yadeṣu………….tasmādeva puruṣamedha||”

[2]:

Ibid-XIII/6/1/2-“Tasya trayoviṃśatirdikṣā| Dvādasoupasada pañca sūtyā sa eṣa catvāriṃsadrātra sadikṣopasatktaś ccatvāriṃśadkṣarā virāt tadvirājambhi saṃpadyate tato virādajāyata virājo’dhi puruṣa’ityeṣā vai sā virādetasyā evaitadvirājo yajñampuruṣanjanayati||”

[3]:

Ibid-XIII /6/1/4-“Ekādasāgnīṣomīyā paśava upavasathe|”

[4]:

Ibid-XIII /6/1/5-“Ekādaśinā sutyāsu paśavo bhavanti|”

[5]:

Ibid-XIII /6/1/8-“Tasyāgniṣṭoma prathamaṃhavharvati | Athokathyo’thātirātro’thokathyo’thāgniṣṭoma||”

[6]:

R.V-X/90/1-“Sahasra sīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākshaḥ sahasrapāt| Sa bhumiṃ viśvato bṛhātyātiṣṭadaśāngulaṃ||”

[7]:

Ṛgveda-X/90/1 (Sāyaṇa Bhāṣya)

[8]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa -XIII /6/2/2-“Tānvai madhyame’hannālabhate|”

[9]:

Ibid-XIII /6/2/13-“Puruṣa mā saṇṭhiṣṭipo yadi samsthāpayiṣyasi…………………..kāmai|”

[10]:

Ibid-XIII /6/2/16-“Udayanīyāyāṃ saṃsthitāyāṃ| Ekādasā vasā anubandhyā ālabhate maitrāvarunīrvaiśvadevī bārhaspatyā||”

[11]:

Ibid-XIII /6/2/17-“Traidhātavyudavasānīyāsāveva vandhu|”

[12]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa–XIII /6/1/1-“Puruṣo ha nārāyaṇo’kāmayata |Atitiṣṭṭheyam sarvāṇi bhutānya hamevedaṃ sarvaṃ syāmiti sa……………………..yajate yo vaitadevaṃ veda||”

[13]:

Ibid -XIII /6/2/12-13

[14]:

Aitareya-brāhmaṇa -VII/13

[15]:

Aitareya-brāhmaṇa–VII/13-“Hariśchandro ha vaidhasa aikshāvāko rājā’putra āsa|Tasya ha sataṃ jāyā babhuvuḥ: tāsu putraṃ na leve|”

[16]:

Ibid-VII/14-“Athainamuvāca varuṇaṃ rājānamupadhāva putra me jāyatāṃ tena tvā yajā iti tatheti|”

[17]:

Ibid-VII/14-“Sa hamsannāhaṃ prāpattaṃ hovāca sannāhannu prāpnodyajasa māne neti sa tathetyuktvā………………….yajā|”

[18]:

Aitareya-brāhmaṇa–VII/15-“Sapitarametyovāca tata hatānha manenātmānaṃ niṣkrīnā iti|”

[19]:

Shastri, Cinnaswami and Shastri, P.P.N.Bhattabhiram Yajña tattva prakāsa,, Motilal Banarsidass, 1992, Page-122.

[20]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa -XIII /6/2/18-“Madhyamprati rāstrasya yadannyadbhumesścca brāhmaṇasya va vittā tsapuruṣamprāci…………………………….hotṛkā anvābhaktā|”

[21]:

Ibid-XIII /6/2/19-“Atha yadi Brāmaṇo yayet| Sarvavedasandadyāt sarvaṃ vai brāhmaṇa sarvaṃ sarvavedasaṃ sarvapuruṣamedha sarvasyāptayai sarvasyāvaruddhyai|”

[22]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa-XIII/3/6/5-“Śuklasya khaletirvi klidhasya piṃgākṣasya mūrdhani juhotyetadvai varuṇasya rupa rupenaiva varuṇaṃ vayajate|”

[23]:

Ibid-VII/5/2/1-“Paśuśirṣānyupadadhāti|Pasava vai paśuśīrṣāṇī||”

[24]:

Ibid–VI/2/1/18-“Purusaṃ prathamamālabhate| Puruṣa hi prathamaṃ paśunāṃ||”

[25]:

Mehra, B.S, Śrauta sacrifice in the Atharvaveda, Sanjay Prakashan, Delhi,1994, Page-186.

[26]:

Keith. A.B, Religion and philosophy of the Veda and Upanisads, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1989. Page-347.