ক্রোড়পত্র । ( খি ।) ( অশ্বমেধ ও নরমেধ সম্বন্ধে একটা সমীচীন মত ) The Aswamcdha and Purushamedha celebrated in the manner directed in this Veda, are not really sacrifices of horses and men. In the first-mentioned ceremony six hundred and nine animals of various prescribed kinds, domestic and wild, including birds fish and reptiles, are made fast,-the tame ones, to twentyone posts, and the wild, in the intervals between the pillars; and after certain prayers have been recited, the victims are let loose without injury. In the other, a hundred and eighty five men of various specified tribes, characters and professions, are bound to eleven posts; and after the hymn concerning the allegorical immolation of Narayan has been recited, these human victims are liberated unhurt; and oblations of butter are made on the sacrificial fire. This mode of performing the Aswamedha and Purushamedha, as emblematie ceremonies, not as real sacrifices, is taught in this Veda; and the interpretation is fully confirmed by the rituals, and by conmentators on the Sanhita and Brahmana; one of whom assigns as the reason, 'because the flesh of victims which have been actually sacrificed at a Yajna must he eaten by the persons who offer the sacrifice: but a man can not be allowed, much less required to eat human flesh.” It may hence be inferred or conjeetured at least, that human sacrifices were not authorised by the
