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54
Ganesh Thite
veril, becomes king by performing the Rajasuya (raja val rajasiyenes Kharan," Sometimes it is said, "He, verily, kills Vrira ("Opposition" persunilied) who gets consecrated by means of the Rajasaj (vrtram vā eṣa hanti tu ralasiyenabhisicate' MS IV 31,4, cp TMB XVIII 11 1) The sacrificer, on the other hand, makes so.ne of the important personalities holding the political, official posts favourable to hun Thus there are the Ratnahavirist (jewel-oflering,ju" which are offered in the houses of the Commander of the army, Purohita, Headman of the village etc By offering these offering the sacrilicer raakes them his own, and non-violating (lam In anapairangam kurute) (SB V31.1 )
After the Devasu offerings are offered, the Adhvaryu touches the right orm of the sacrificer and says, "Quicken him O gode to be unrivalled (amah asabatnara susadhram" VS IX 40) While explaining this formula, the SB V3312 says, "Quicken him, "O gods, to be unrivalled", he thereby, Quicken him, "O gods, to be without an enemy' 'For chiefdom, for great lordship, in this there is nothing obscure-for manrule' for the ruling of men' be thereby says (Imam devah asapatnam suva dham, imam deva abhratryyam sunadhyam ityevaitadaha, mahate hştraya mahale jyaisthyaya ili natra tirohitomivasti, mahate janarajyaya iti mahate jannām rajyayelyevastadaha") Thus here a prayer is made to gods to make the king devaid of enemies for the sake of great kingdom Similarly the Adhvaryu further says to the people in general-"This man O ye (people), 15 your king Soms is the king of us Brahmanas" (SB V 3 3 12) Thus the R1jasuya sacrifice, it seems, was to be performed for the sake of asserting and declaring the kingship
Before performing the Rajasüya, the king used to conquer many other kings, The Prayujam havimą! (for the description of which see Katya XV9 11 ) seem to be ritually symbolizing the kingly expedition for victory While giving the significance SB V521 says that the sacrificer by means of these offerings yokes the seasons as it were and then these seasons, having been yoked, carry the sacrificer Further, SB V 523, it is said, "yetha alire yuktva prañca apravṛşam yüyüḥ/ turn yunkte ta enam tedrtavo yuktah prancah aprāvṛṇaṁ sahontijsadvar Dopravukian apavisam anucaranii" Thus to offer the first six out of the
11 box Ritmahavim STS I 86 TB I 73, MS II 65-6, IV 3 8-9 KS XV 4, ŚR J If Bailass II 4 Apas XVIII 10 12 ff Satayks XIII 4 4 1f Katya \ 9 10
12 tam ter example the king Bhagiratha got victory over many kings He performed the Pajavuva fut eight times But he tells to Brahma that lus obtainment of heaven not due to that died -Mbh XIII 106 13 Vuutya nrpathe sarvan makhalristva tubo ajusüjehhyo nu cu tenahamagatall
