కౌసల్య దశరధుడు చేసిన అశ్వమేధ యజ్ఞంలో ఒక రాత్రి గుర్రం పక్కన గడిపిందా?

చాలా కాలం నుంచీ హైందవేతరులు రామాయణంలో దశరధుడు చేసిన అశ్వమేధ యాగంలో కౌసల్య గుర్రం పక్కన పడుకున్నట్టు ఉందని ప్రచారం చేస్తున్నారు.ఇక్కడ నేను రామాయ్ణంలో ఆ పర్స్తావ్నకు సంబంధించిన శ్లోకాలు అన్నీ చూపిస్తున్నాను. అసలైన కొసమెరుపు చివర్లో చెప్తాను.మొదట శ్లోకాలని చూడండి!

Slokam 01:

अथ संवत्सरे पूर्णे तस्मिन् प्राप्ते तुरंगमे |

सरय्वाश्चोत्तरे तीरे राज्ञो यज्ञोऽभ्यवर्तत || १-१४-१

valmikiramayan.net:

atha samvatsare puurNe = then, on completion of one year; tasmin praapte turangame = that, on regaining, ritual horse; sarayvaaH uttare tiire = on northern banks of Sarayu river; raaj~naH yaj~naH abhyavartata = emperor commenced ritual.

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 ashwamedha-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.

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

अथ after that, संवत्सरे when one year's time, पूर्णे (सति) was completed, तस्मिन् when that, तुरङ्गमे sacrificial horse, प्राप्ते (सति) had returned, सरय्वा: of river Sarayu, उत्तरे तीरे on the northern bank, राज्ञ: यज्ञश्च sacrifice by the king, अभ्यवर्तत commenced.

After completion of one year when the sacrificial horse had returned, the sacrifice by the king (Dasaratha) commenced on the northern bank of river Sarayu

Slokam 02:

ऋष्यशृङ्गं पुरस्कृत्य कर्म चक्रुर्द्विजर्षभाः |

अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे राज्ञोऽस्य सुमहात्मनः || १-१४-२(1-14-2)

valmikiramayan.net:

sumahaatmanaH = of that well noble-souled king; ashwamedhe mahaayaj~ne raajnaH asya = in great Horse ritual of king; R^iSyashR^ingam puraskR^itya = keeping Rishyasringa at helm of affairs; karma chakruH dvijarSabhaaH = eminent Brahmans commenced works.

Keeping Rishyasringa at the helm of affairs those eminent Brahmans commenced, ashva-medha , the Horse-ritual of that noble-souled Dasharatha. [1-14-2]

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

सुमहात्मन: of the exceedingly magnanimous, अस्य राज्ञ: this king's, अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे Aswamedha sacrifice, द्विजर्षभा: best among brahmins, ऋष्यशृङ्गम् Rsyasringa, पुरस्कृत्य led by, कर्म चक्रु: performed the rituals.

The best of brahmins led by Rsyasringa performed the rituals of aswamedha organised by the exceedingly magnanimous king.

Slokam 03:

कर्म कुर्वन्ति विधिवद्याजका वेदपारगाः |

यथाविधि यथान्यायं परिक्रामन्ति शास्त्रतः || १-१४-३

valmikiramayan.net:

 yaajakaaH vedapaaragaaH = ritual conductors, well versed in Vedas; karma kurvanti vidhivat = works, performed, customarily; yathaavidhi yathaanyaayam = as per canon, as per rules; parikraamanti shaastrataH = 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]

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

वेदपारगा: scholars who mastered vedas fully, याजका: chief priests, विधिवत् in consonance with tradition and scriptures, कर्म tasks, कुर्वन्ति carried out, यथाविधि in conformity with duties laid down in vedas, यथान्यायम् according to law, शास्त्रत: as laid down in scriptures, परिक्रामन्ति move about (officiated).

The chief priests, masters of the Vedas, conducted the rituals in consonance with traditions and scriptures. They officiated in conformity with duties laid down in the Vedas and according to law.

Slokam 04:

प्रवर्ग्यं शास्त्रतः कृत्वा तथैवोपसदं द्विजाः |

चक्रुश्च विधिवत्सर्वमधिकं कर्म शास्त्रतः || १-१४-४

valmikiramayan.net:

dvijaaH = Brahmans; pravargyam shaastrataH kR^itvaa = on performing pravargya ritual as per scriptures; 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]

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

द्विजा: brahmins, प्रवर्ग्यम् Pravargya (a particular part of the sacrifice), शास्त्रत: according to scriptures, कृत्वा having done, तथैव and, उपसदम् Upasada (another part of the sacrifice), विधिवत् as per tradition, अधिकम् still other, सर्वं कर्म ceremonies, शास्त्रत: according to ordinance, चक्रु: performed.

Brahmins performed pravargya and upasada and other ceremonies as per the scriptures and traditions.

Slokam 05:

अभिपूज्य तदा हृष्टाः सर्वे चक्रुर्यथाविधि |

प्रातःसवनपूर्वाणि कर्माणि मुनिपुंगवाः || १-१४-५

valmikiramayan.net:

tadaa =                then; munipungavaaH = distinguished sages; sarve hR^iSTaaH = all of them, are contented with; abhipuujya = worshipping those and those gods; praataH savanapuurvaani karmaani = early morning, savana rituals and its ancillary; yathaavidhi chakruH = performed as enjoined.

Then all of those distinguished sages are contended with what they have performed by worshipping gods already summoned, they also conducted early morning savana ritual and its ancillaries as enjoined. [1-14-5]

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

तत: thereafter, मुनिपुङ्गवा: eminent ascetics, हृष्टा: rejoiced in their hearts, अभिपूज्य worshipping those celestial beings, प्रातस्सवनपूर्वाणि starting with Pratah savanadi (morning ablutions etc), कर्माणि rituals, यथाविधि as prescribed, चक्रु: performed.

Thereafter the eminent ascetics, rejoicing in their hearts performed the worship (of celestial beings) and conducted the prescribed rituals starting with morning ablutions etc.

Slokam 30:

नियुक्तास्तत्र पशवस्तत्तदुद्दिश्य दैवतम् |

उरगाः पक्षिणश्चैव यथाशास्त्रं प्रचोदिताः || १-१४-३०

valmikiramayan.net:

tatra = in that ritual; yathaashaastram prachoditaaH = as per the scriptural, directives; pashavaH uragaaH pakShiNaH cha eva = animals, serpents, birds, also, thus; tat tat daivatam uddishya = designated to that and that deity; niyuktaaH = are readied.

In that ritual animals, serpents and birds designated to such and such deities are readied according to the scriptural directives. [1-14-30]

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

पशूनां त्रिशतं तत्र यूपेषु नियतं तदा।

अश्वरत्नोत्तमं तस्य राज्ञो दशरथस्य च ।।1.14.30।।

तदा then, तत्र there, पशूनाम् of animals, त्रिशतम् three hundred, तस्य राज्ञ: that king's, अश्वरत्नोत्तमम् the excellent of the horses from the stables, यूपेषु to the sacrificial posts, नियतम् was bound.

Three hundred animals and the jewel of the horses (from the stables) belonging to king Dasaratha were bound to the sacrificial posts.

ఇక్కడ 1-14-30 అనే శ్లోకం రెండు రకాలుగా ఎందుకు కనబడుతున్నది?

Slokam 31:

शामित्रे तु हयस्तत्र तथा जलचराश्च ये |

ऋषिभिः सर्वमेवैतन्नियुक्तं शास्त्रतस्तदा || १-१४-३१

valmikiramayan.net:

shaamitre tu = in animal sacrifices, but; tatra = there; hayaH tathaa ye jalacharaaH = horse, like that, those, water animals [are to be there, them]; sarvam eva etat = all, of them; tadaa = then; R^iSibhiH niyuktam shaastrataH = arranged by sages, as per scriptures.

The sages have arranged those animals that are to be there in animal sacrifices, like horse and other aquatic animals, in that ritual according to scriptures. [1-14-31]

Many animals are sacrificed in Horse ritual. But they will be segregated as forest animals and village animals. In them many of the forest animals will be let off by taking them round the fire on to their right in salutation to fire, agnipradakShiNa-namaskaara. The animals pertaining to village will be sacrificed in ritual. Hence it is up to the priests to decide which is to be retained or let off.

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

कौसल्या तं हयं तत्र परिचर्य समन्तत:।

कृपाणैर्विशशासैनं त्रिभि: परमया मुदा ।।1.14.31।।

तत्र there, कौशल्या Kausalya, तम् that, हयम् horse, समन्तत: from all sides, परिचर्य having worshipped worship, परमया with immense, मुदा glee, त्रिभि: by three strokes of, कृपाणै: scimitar, एनम् this, विशशास severed.

Kausalya, with immense glee having gone round and worshipped that horse, severed it with three strokes of scimitar.

ఇక్కడ 1-14-31 అనే శ్లోకం రెండు రకాలుగా ఎందుకు కనబడుతున్నది?

Slokam 32:

पशूनां त्रिशतं तत्र यूपेषु नियतं तदा |

अश्वरत्नोत्तमं तस्य राज्ञो दशरथस्य च || १-१४-३२

valmikiramayan.net:

tadaa = then; tatra = in that ritual; trishatam pashuunaam = three hundred, animals; tasya raaj~naH ashwaratnottamam = that, king Dasharatha's, gemlike best horse; yuupeSu niyatam = arranged [tied] to wooden posts.

Three hundred animals are tied to the ritual posts, along with the gemlike best ritual horse of that King Dasharatha. [1-14-32]

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

पतत्रिणा तदा सार्धं सुस्थितेन च चेतसा।

अवसद्रजनीमेकां कौशल्या धर्मकाम्यया।।1.14.32।।

तदा then, कौशल्या Kausalya, सुस्थितेन चेतसा with a stable mind, धर्मकाम्यया with devotion to duty, पतत्रिणा सार्थम् near that horse, एकाम् one, रजनीम् night, अवसत् spent.

Kausalya, in her devotion to duty and with a happy state of mind, passed one night near that horse.

ఇక్కడ 1-14-32 శ్లోకం రెండు రకాలుగా ఎందుకు కనబడుతున్నది?

Slokam 33:

कौसल्या तं हयं तत्र परिचर्य समंततः |

कृपाणैर्विशशासैनं त्रिभिः परमया मुदा || १-१४-३३

valmikiramayan.net:

tatra = in that ritual; kausalyaa = Queen Kausalya; tam hayam = that, horse; samantataH paricharya = on making circumambulations all around; paramayaa mudaa = with great, delight; tribhiH kR^ipaaNaiH = with three, knives; vishashaasa enam = killed, that one - the horse.

With great delight coming on her Queen Kausalya reverently made circumambulations to the horse, and symbolically killed the horse with three knives. [1-14-33]

Here Kausalya did not butcher the horse as queens do not butcher animals in rituals, but the horse is already sacrificed. It is a symbolical act of queens to pierce with three golden knives like needles. The scripture says that all the eligible wives of the performer of ritual have to pierce that way. sauvarNiibhi suuciibhiH patnayaH ashvasya asipathaan kalayanti - shruti / scripture. So all the three queens have performed that symbolic act by piercing that horse, which is already dead, with golden needle-like knives. Govindaraja.

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

होताऽध्वर्युस्तथोद्गाता हस्तेन समयोजयन्।

महिष्या परिवृत्त्या च वावातां च तथापराम्।।1.14.33।।

होता Hota, अध्वर्यु: Adhvaryu, तथा and, उद्गाता Udgata, महिष्या with Mahishi (principal queen at the time of coronation), परिवृत्त्या च (overlooked wife) Parivritti, वावाताम् (a courtesan) Vavaata, अपराम् (attender on the king) other woman (known as Palakali), हस्तेन with hand, समयोजयन् touched.

Hota, Adhvaryu and Udgata arranged Mahishi, Parivritti, Vavaata and another woman known as Palakali to touch (keep the company of) the sacrificial horse.

ఇక్కడ 1-14-33 శ్లోకం రెండు రకాలుగా ఎందుకు కనబడుతున్నది?

Slokam 34:

पतत्रिणा तदा सार्धं सुस्थितेन च चेतसा |

अवसद्रजनीमेकां कौसल्या धर्मकाम्यया || १-१४-३४

valmikiramayan.net:

kausalyaa = Queen Kausalya; susthitena cha chetasaa = with composed heart - impassively; dharmakaamaayaa = dharma, desiring for achieving results; patatriNaa saardham = with horse, for results; [where patatri = also means a bird, one that swiftly flew away like a bird; the sacrificed ritual horse is equated with the Divine Eagle garuDa - that conducts the oblations;] ekaam rajaniim avasat = one, night, she resided with that horse that flew away.

Queen Kausalya desiring the results of ritual disconcertedly resided one night with that horse that flew away like a bird. [1-14-34]

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

पतत्रिणस्तस्य वपा मुद्धृत्य नियतेन्द्रिय:।

ऋत्विक्परमसम्पन्न: श्रपयामास शास्त्रत:।।1.14.34।।

नियतेन्द्रिय: a man of restrained senses, परमसम्पन्न: very rich in the knowledge of scriptures, ऋत्विक् official priest, तस्य that, पतत्रिण: horse's, वपाम् marrow, उद्धृत्य having removed, शास्त्रत: according to tradition, श्रपयामास cooked.

The official priest, highly knowledgeable in scriptures and having restrained senses, removed the marrow from the horse and cooked it according to tradition.

ఇక్కడ 1-14-34 శ్లోకం రెండు రకాలుగా ఎందుకు కనబడుతున్నది?

Slokam 35:

होताध्वर्युस्तथोद्गाता हस्तेन समयोजयन् |

महिष्या परिवृत्त्या च वावातामपरां तथा || १-१४-३५

valmikiramayan.net:

[tatha = then;] hotaadhvaryuH tathaa udgaataa = hotaa, adhwaryu, thus, udgaataa, [the three officiating priests of the ritual]; mahiSyaa parivR^ittyaa = crowned queen, neglected wife of king; vaavaataam cha = concubine of king, also; aparaam tathaa = next, thus; hastena samayojayan = took by hand.

Thus, the officiating priests of the ritual, namely hotaa adhwaryu and udgaataa have received in their hand the Crowned Queen, the neglected wife, and a concubine of the king, next as a symbolic donation in the ritual by the performer, the king. [1-14-35]

There will be four officiating priests for these Vedic rituals. 1. brahmaa , 2. hotaa , 3. adhvaryu , 4. udgaataa , to whom the king has to donate his inner core properties like wives, lands etc. By practice a king has to marry four wives. The four women of the king are 1. mahiSi = Queen, 2. parivR^itti = neglected women, 3. vaavaata = concubine, 4. paalaakali = goblet-maid. The order of donation is that the Queen to brahmaa , concubine to hotaa , neglected woman to udgaataa , and the goblet-maid to the adhwaryu . Here, though the brahma ritvik is not cited along with paalaakali, goblet-maid, they are implied. The donation is symbolic and later bartering with some valuable items that is redeemed. Govindaraja. There is another way of translating this. For the wording, hastena samayojayan the priests took these wives by hand to bring them in contact with the dead horse.

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

धूमगन्धं वपायास्तु जिघ्रति स्म नराधिप:।

यथाकालं यथान्यायं निर्णुदन्पापमात्मन:।।1.14.35।।

नराधिप: king Dasaratha, यथाकालम् in an appropriate time, यथान्यायम् in agreement with the scriptures, आत्मन: his own, पापम् sins, निर्णुदन् while getting rid of, वपाया: of the marrow, धूमगन्धम् good odour of the smoke, जिघ्रति स्म inhaled.

The king at appropriate time and in agreement with the scriptures inhaled the odour of the smoke (from the burnt marrow) and absolved himself of his sins.

ఇక్కడ 1-14-35 శ్లోకం రెండు రకాలుగా ఎందుకు కనబడుతున్నది?

అసలు "By practice a king has to marry four wives. The four women of the king are 1. mahiSi = Queen, 2. parivR^itti = neglected women, 3. vaavaata = concubine, 4. paalaakali = goblet-maid." అనేది ఎంత తెలివితక్కువ వాదన!concubine అంటే ఉంపుడు కత్తె లేక వేశ్య అని అర్ధం - అలాంటివాళ్ళని రాజు పెళ్ళి  చేసుకోవడమా?పెళ్ళి చేసుకోవడం ఇష్టం లేకనే ఉంపుడుకత్తె స్థానం ఇస్తారనేది కామన్ సెన్సుతో ఆలోచించినా తెలిసే అతి మామూలు విషయం!అలాంటి వాళ్ళతో హోతకీ అధ్వర్యుడికీ రాజు దానం ఇవ్వడమా?ఇది హిందూమతానికి ఒక ఆదర్శపురుషుణ్ణి పరిచయం చెయ్యాలని రామాయణ కావ్యాన్ని రాస్తున్న వాల్మీకి రాశాడంటే నమ్మాలా!

valmikiramayan.net:

हयस्य यानि चांगानि तानि सर्वाणि ब्राह्मणाः |

अग्नौ प्रास्यन्ति विधिवत् समस्ताः षोडशर्त्विजः || १-१४-३८

hayasya yaani angaani = which body-parts of horse are there; taani sarvaaNi = they, all of them; samastaaH braahmanaaH = all, Brahmans; ShodashartwijaH = sixteen priests; vidhivat agnou praasyanti = procedurally, oblated in fire.

Those remaining body parts that horse are there, the sixteen officiating priests have procedurally oblated all of them into fire. [1-14-38]

valmiki.iitk.ac.in:

हयस्य यानि चाङ्गानि तानि सर्वाणि ब्राह्मणा:।

अग्नौ प्रास्यन्ति विधिवत्समन्त्राष्षोडशर्त्विज:।।1.14.36।।

हयस्य horse's, यानि अङ्गानि those limbs, तानि सर्वाणि all of them, समन्त्रा: with prayers, षोडश ऋत्विज: sixteen officiating priests, ब्राह्मणा: brahmins, विधिवत् as per the customs, अग्नौ in the fire, प्रास्यन्ति offered.

The sixteen officiating priests (brahmins) offered all the horse's limbs with prayers as per the customs.

ఒక చోట 1.14.36 అయిన శ్లోకం ఒక చోట 1-14-38 అయినది - ఏమిటి దీని అర్ధం?ఉత్సాహం ఎక్కువైనవాళ్ళు మరింత సొంత పాండిత్యం చూపించారని తెలియడం లేదా!అదీ గాక, దశరధుడి అవసరం పిల్లలు పుట్టటం - దానికి చెయ్యాల్సింది పుత్రకామేష్ఠి!మరి ఇక్కడ అశ్వమేధం ఎందుకు చేయించారు?ప్రతి యజ్ఞానికీ ప్రయోజనం,విధివిధానం,ఉపాంగ విధానం, ఫలితం ఇచ్చే దేవత అన్నీ ప్రత్యేకం అయినప్పుడు ఓక్ దానికి మరొక దాన్ని చేయించటానికి దశరధుడి పురోహితులు Rothschilds అనుచరులా?దశరధుడు తనకు అవసరమైన పుత్రకామేష్ఠి తప్ప రాజసూయం గానీ అశ్వమేధం గానీ చెయ్యనే చెయ్యలేదు - అయ్యా, అదీ నా కొసమెరుపు!