Aśvamedha
Aśvamedha. A Hindu, Vedic, ritual of horse-sacrifice. It was performed by kings as a symbolic representation of their supreme power and authority, as well as, sometimes, for such boons as the birth of a son to ensure succession. For one year the chosen horse might wander as he pleased, unmolested and protected by an armed guard. Should he trespass into another kingdom, its ruler would have to give battle or submit. At the end of the year the horse was brought back to the capital with due ceremony, and sacrificed along with other animals. The fertility element of the ceremony is evident from the way in which, symbolically, the senior queen would lie beside the dead horse. Jaya Siṉha II of Jaipur was the last prince to perform this sacrifice, in the 18th cent.
More From encyclopedia.com
Hobby Horse , hobby horse •coarse, corse, course, divorce, endorse (US indorse), enforce, force, gorse, hoarse, horse, morse, Norse, perforce, reinforce, sauce, so… Draft Horse , draft horse (Brit. draught horse) • n. a large horse used for pulling heavy loads, esp. a cart or plow. Shire horse , shire horse •coarse, corse, course, divorce, endorse (US indorse), enforce, force, gorse, hoarse, horse, morse, Norse, perforce, reinforce, sauce, so… Vale Of The White Horse , Whitehorse •coarse, corse, course, divorce, endorse (US indorse), enforce, force, gorse, hoarse, horse, morse, Norse, perforce, reinforce, sauce, sou… Crazy Horse , Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse c. 1842-1877
Crazy Horse (a translation of his Lakotan name, Tasunke Witko) achieved notoriety while he was alive for his ski… Justin Morgan , Justin Morgan, 1792–1821, American horse, the foundation sire of the Justin Morgan breed of horses. Originally called "Figure," the stallion was rena…
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
Aśvamedha