RAMAYANA FOR CHILDREN, CHAPTER NUMBER 12, THE HORSE SACRIFICE RESOLVED UPON

                                                               RAMAYANA FOR CHILDREN

                                                                  CHAPTER NUMBER 12

                                                    THE HORSE-SACRIFICE RESOLVED UPON

Spring came on. Dasaratha wished to perform the sacrifice. The Horse Sacrifice was a necessary preliminary and purificatory rite. During the preparatory Sangrahani Dasaratha prayed Rishyasringa to accept the office of Brahma. “Be it so,” replied the sage. He further said, “Make the necessary arrangements and let the horse go round over the earth.”

Dasaratha turned to Sumantra and said, “Reverently invite to the holy rite Suyajna, Vamadeva, Jabali, Kasyapa, Vasishtha, our royal chaplain and other Brahmanas skilled in the mysteries of the sacrifices and convey them here on the suitable vehicle.”

When they all arrived the king honoured them and said, “Reverent Sirs! My spirit is down. For at my old age do not have children to climb up my knees. I shall perform a horse-sacrifice to expiate my sin, conscious or otherwise that frustrates my wishes.”

Vasishtha and others applauded this resolve of the king. They said, “Your heart is righteously inclined towards this right. You will surely be blessed with four sons. So, lose no time in making the arrangement for the sacrifice.”

Dasaratha turned to the ministers and said, “See that the directions of my teacher are carried out to the letter. Let everything be in readiness to begin the rite. And lose the sacrificial horse to go his round. Let skilled priests and an army accompany it. Lay out the sacrificial ground on the northern bank of the Sarayu river. If this sacrifice is conducted without any mishap, every king would gladly lay claim to the honour. But, cunning Brahma-rakshsas are ever on the watch to detect any slight flaw in these rites. And it is not easy to baffle them. I pray you to help me conduct this sacrifice without any hitch.

They replied, “Let it be on our heads and eyes.”

The Sangrahani was over. The horse was let loose. And the assembled Brahmins were loud in their praises of the good king. The king’s heart was ever set on Dharma. They then took leave of Dasaratha. After reiterating his orders to his ministers, Dasaratha retired to his apartments.