large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb_92
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb
English
12430
] Even from the first, however, the rite of sacrifice occupies a very high place, and allusions to it are exceedingly frequent. EVEN FROM THE FIRST HOWEVER THE RIGHT OF SACRIFICE OCCUPIES A VERY HIGH PLACE AND ALLEGIANCE TO IT ARE EXCEEDINGLY FREQUENT
e remainder was drunk by the officiating priests. The offerings were understood to nourish and gratify the gods as corporeal beings. [Sidenote: Animal victims.] Animal victims are also offered up. We hear of sheep, goats, bulls, cows, and buffaloes being sacrificed, and sometimes in large numbers. But the great offering was the Asvamedha, or sacrifice of the horse. The body of the horse was hacked to pieces; the fragments were dressed--part was boiled, part roasted; some of the flesh was then eaten by the persons present, and the rest was offered to the gods. Tremendous was the potency--at least as stated in later times--of a hundred such sacrifices; it rendered the offerer equal or superior to the gods; even the mighty Indra trembled for his sovereignty and strove to hinder the consummation of the awful rite. [Sidenote: Human sacrifice.] Human sacrifice was not unknown, though there are very few allusions to it in the earlier hymns. [Sidenote: Sacrifice deemed of very high importance. WN ON THE FLOOR AND ON WHICH THE GODS AND FATHERS WERE INVITED TO COME AND SEAT THEMSELVES THAT THEY MIGHT ENJOY THE CHEERING BILAGE THE REMAINDER WAS DRUNK BY THE OFFICIATING PRIEST THE OFFERINGS WERE UNDERSTOOD TO NOURISH AND GRATIFY THE GODS AS CORPOREAL BEINGS ANIMAL VICTIMS ARE ALSO OFFERED UP WE HEAR OF SHEEP GOATS BULLS COWS AND BUFFALOES BEING SACRIFICED AND SOMETIMES IN LARGE NUMBERS BUT THE GREAT OFFERING WAS THE ASPOMEA OR SACRIFICE OF THE HORSE THE BODY OF THE HORSE WAS HAGGED TO PIECES THE FRAGMENTS WERE DRESSED PART WAS BOILED PART ROASTED SOME OF THE FLESH WAS THEN EATEN BY THE PERSONS PRESENT AND THE REST WAS OFFERED TO THE GODS TREMENDOUS WAS THE POTENCY AT LEAST AS STATED IN LATER TIMES OF A HUNDRED SUCH SACRIFICES IT RENDERED THE OFFERER EQUAL OR SUPERIOR TO THE GODS EVEN THE MIGHTY INDRA TREMBLED FOR HIS SOVEREIGNTY AND STROVE TO HINDER THE CONSUMMATION OF THE AWFUL RIGHT HUMAN SACRIFICE WAS NOT UNKNOWN THOUGH THERE ARE VERY FEW ALLEGIANCE TO IT IN THE EARLIER HYMNS
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb.flac