THE PURUSHAMRIGA IN THE ASHVAMEDHA
The ashvamedha or Vedic horse-sacrifice is a solar ritual from the
Yajur Veda which conveys astronomical and cosmological symbolism
through its ritual performance. There is convincing
evidence that in its original form and purpose it was intended as primarily
symbolic. It was a ritual only kings could perform. And kings
from the Vedic age were expected to perform this ritual at least once
during their reign.
It was important milestone for their sovereignty and a yardstick for
their ability to rule.
At the beginning a specially chosen horse was dedicated in ritual
and set free to roam the land. The king’s warriors would follow and conquer
whichever lands the horse would pass through. Finally the horse
was returned to its place of origin, where elaborate rituals were performed for
several consecutive days. These rituals concluded and completed the
year-long ritual.
On one of these concluding days a certain number of specific domestic
and wild animals were dedicated to designated deities. In this ceremony
the purushamriga was dedicated to Chandramas, the deity of the Moon.
Two versions of this ceremony exist, as there are two branches of the Yajur Veda.
The Sukla or White Yajur Veda, intended for performance of ritual during
the waxing half of the lunar month. And the Krishna or Black Yajur Veda,
intended for the performance of rituals during the waning half of the lunar month.
The list of animals in the Shukla Yajur Veda is much longer,
and also different from the list in the Krishna yajur Veda.
And the list in the Krishna Yajur Veda is in essence an inversion of the list is the
Shukla Yajur Veda. Both branches include the verse dedicating the purushamriga,
but the Shukla Yajur Veda version and the Krishna Yajur Veda version are different in the
second half of the verse.
This is the verse from the Krishna Yajur Veda, in the
Taittiriya Samhita recension, 5.5.15.1.
The translations is from A.B.Keith (1914) is as follows:
“Purusamrigascandramase godhakalakadarvaghatah te vanaspatiname
‘tyahne krsnoratrye pikaha ksvidkanila sirsni te ‘ryamne dhatuh karkatah”
Translated it is
“The human beast to the Moon; the lizard, the Kalaka, the woodpecker,
these are for the trees; the dappled (deer) to day; the black (antelope)
to night; the cuckoo, the Ksvinka, the black headed, these are (to be offered)
to Aryaman; the crab for Dhatr.”
It is this verse that is used to accompany the offer of the purushamriga lamp
in the lamp rituals of southern Indian temples.
In the Shukla Yajur Veda the purushamriga finds a place in rig 35
of chapter 24. The verse is as follows.
"Purusamrigascandramaso godha kalaka darvaghataste vanaspatinam krkavakuh
savitro hamso vatasya nakro makarah kulipayaste ‘kuparasya hniyai salaykah".
This translates as
"The sphinx-purushamriga belongs to the Moon;
iguana, Kalaka, woodpecker, these belong to the Vanaspatis;
the cock belongs to Savitar; the swan is Vata’s: crocodile, dolphin,
Kulipaya, these belong to the Sea; the porcupine to modesty."
