14. Ashvamedha commenced as preamble to putrakameshti ritual
Introduction
The Horse Ritual of Emperor Dasharatha is started on the banks of Sarayu River. The details of the arrangements for the participants, and visitors along with some aspects of the Vedic Ritual are narrated.
अथ संवत्सरे पूर्णे तस्मिन् प्राप्ते तुरंगमे |
सरय्वाः च उत्तरे तीरे राज्ञो यज्ञो अभ्यवर्तत || १-१४-१
सरय्वाः च उत्तरे तीरे राज्ञो यज्ञो अभ्यवर्तत || १-१४-१
1. atha samvatsare puurNe = then, one year, on completing; tasmin praapte turangame = that, on regaining, ritual horse; sarayvaH uttare tiire = Sarayu river's, on northern banks; raaj~naH yaj~naH abhyavartata = emperor, ritual, commenced.
Then after completion of one year and on regaining the ritual horse, the Emperor Dasharatha commenced his Vedic Ritual on the northern banks of River Sarayu. [1-14-1]
In aswametha yaga , a well-decorated horse will be let out with an insignia on its forehead challenging any king to capture it and face the wrath of releasing king. If any one captures the horse, he shall be strong enough to incite a war. Otherwise, the valour and invincibility of releasing king are well established and he may proceed with the ritual proper. Now that the ritual horse released during last year by King Dasharatha has come back without being captured by anyone, thus establishing the invincibility of King Dasharatha, as such he can commence the ritual proper.
ऋष्यशृंगम् पुरस्कृत्य कर्म चक्रुः द्विजर्षभाः |
अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे राज्ञोऽस्य सुमहात्मनः || १-१४-२
अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे राज्ञोऽस्य सुमहात्मनः || १-१४-२
2. su maha atmanaH = of that well, noble-souled king; ashwamethe mahaa yaj~ne raajnaH asya = in Horse ritual, great ritual, of king;R^iSyasR^ingam puraskR^itya = Rishyasringa, keeping at helm of affairs; karma chakruH dvijarshabhaaH = works, commenced, Brahmans, eminent ones.
Keeping Rishyasringa at the helm of affairs those eminent Brahmans commenced, ashva medha , the Horse-ritual of that noble-souled Dasharatha. [1-14-2]
कर्म कुर्वंति विधिवत् याजका वेदपारगाः |
यथा विधि यथा न्यायं परिक्रामन्ति शास्त्रतः || १-१४-३
यथा विधि यथा न्यायं परिक्रामन्ति शास्त्रतः || १-१४-३
3. yaajakaaH veda paaragaaH = ritual conductors, in Vedas, well versed ones; karma kurvanti vidhivat = works, performed, customarily; yathaa vidhi yathaa nyaayam = as per canon, as per rules; parikraamanti shaashtrataH = conducted, as per scriptures.
Those well-versed conductors of Vedic rituals called ritviks , have started to perform works relating to ritual as per canon and rules, and conducted them scripturally and customarily. [1-14-3]
प्रवर्ग्यम् शास्त्रतः कृत्वा तथा एव उपसदम् द्विजाः |
चक्रुः च विधिवत् सर्वम् अधिकम् कर्म शास्त्रतः || १-१४-४
चक्रुः च विधिवत् सर्वम् अधिकम् कर्म शास्त्रतः || १-१४-४
4. dvijaaH = Brahmans; pravargyam shaastrataH kR^itvaa = pravargya ritual, as per scriptures, on performing; tathaa eva upasadam = like that, upasada ritual; cha vidhivat = also, customarily on performing; adhikam sarvam karma shaastrataH = many more, all, rituals too, as per scriptures;chakruH = they performed.
On performing pravargya ritual as per scriptures, like that upasada ritual too, those Brahmans have customarily performed all of those other rituals incidental to the main one scripturally. [1-14-4]
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