Ashvamedhika Parva (The Book of the Horse Sacrifice)
The royal sacrifice, the Anugita, and the conquest of the world.
Summary
The Ashvamedhika Parva describes the great Ashvamedha Yagna (Horse Sacrifice) performed by Yudhishthira on the advice of Vyasa and Krishna to atone for the sins incurred during the Kurukshetra War. Before the sacrifice, Lord Krishna revives the stillborn child of Uttara (Parikshit), who had been killed in the womb by Ashwatthama's Brahmastra.
Arjuna is tasked with guarding the sacrificial horse as it roams across different kingdoms. He engages in battles with various rulers who challenge Yudhishthira's sovereignty, including his own son Babruvahana in Manipura. This parva also contains the **Anugita**, a spiritual dialogue where Arjuna asks Krishna to repeat the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, as he had forgotten them. Krishna imparts the knowledge again in a different form. The book concludes with the successful completion of the sacrifice and a story about a golden mongoose that questions the true value of the sacrifice compared to selfless charity.
Key Events
- Yudhishthira's decision to perform the Ashvamedha Yagna.
- Krishna saving the life of the stillborn Parikshit.
- The Anugita: Krishna's philosophical discourse to Arjuna.
- Arjuna following the sacrificial horse and conquering kingdoms.
- Arjuna's battle with his son Babruvahana and his temporary death/revival.
- The grand performance of the Ashvamedha Yagna.
- The story of the Golden Mongoose who belittled the sacrifice.
Key Verse
"न सक्तः पचते यस्तु न सक्तोऽनुतप्यते |
न सक्तो हन्ति भूतानि स वै मुक्तो महीपते ||"
(Anugita - Ashvamedhika Parva)
Translation: He who cooks (acts) without attachment, who does not regret without attachment, and who does not kill beings without attachment, he is indeed liberated, O King.