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Art. V. On the Sacrifice of Human Beings as an Element of the Ancient Religion of India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2011

H. H. Wilson
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Extract

I Propose to offer to the Society some illustrations of the sacrifice of human beings as an element of the ancient religion of India.

In the first book of the Ramayana a curious legend is narrated of the son of the Rishi Richíka, named S'unahśephas, who was sold by his father for a hundred thousand cows to Ambarísha, the king of Ayodhyá, to supply the place of a sacrificial animal or victim intended for a sacrifice, but stolen by Indra. S'unahśephas is accordingly conveyed to the place of sacrifice, and being dressed in red garments and decorated with garlands of red flowers, is bound to the stake. By the advice of Viśwámitra he prays to Indra and Agni with two sacred verses (gáthás, according to Schlegel's edition; richas, in Gorresio's) communicated to him by the Rishi, and Indra bestows upon him long life, whilst at the same time the king is not disappointed of his reward. This version of the legend leaves it doubtful whether an actual sacrifice of the victim, or one only typical, is intended.

Type
Original Communications
Information
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society , Volume 13 , January 1852 , pp. 96 - 107
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1852

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References

page 96 note 1 Schlegel's reading is yajna-pas'u, which he renders simply by victima. Gorresio's text is more explicit: in the first place the victim is carried off from the post whilst the king is engaged, nara-medhena, “intanto ch'egli offriva un sacrifizio umano;” and in the next, it is said, in a rather questionable hemistich, however, that the theft was a man endowed with all lucky marks, appointed to be a victim, naram lakshańa-sampúrńam pasutwe niyojitam. Schlegel's edition also has a passage to the same purport, that the stolen victim is to be recovered, or a man substituted in its place, and virtually, therefore, the two editions agree, although not exactly in words.

page 99 note 1 Prapathi. The commentary says, “in going to tírthas,” &c.

page 100 note 1 Or sword, “asim nis'ánáyeyáya.”

page 100 note 2 Or, “as if I were not a man;“ for according to the Veda, in the case of a man, after circumambulating, they let him go, and substitute a goat.

page 100 note 3 We have twenty-three in the text; the last is to be omitted, as not addressed to Agni.

page 100 note 4 It is said, “in his mind;” perhaps meaning that he purposed to give it to him.

page 101 note 1 This is obscure, being little else than the text; but it relates to a particular ceremony called the “Anjas Sava,” (Sava Abhishava rijju-márgena,) “the rightway oblation.”

page 101 note 2 Theodotus, Deodatus.

page 101 note 3 S'ása-hastam sarve api adris'uh. S'ása is explained [by vis'asana-hetuh, the cause or implement of immolating, or khadga, a sword.]

page 105 note 1 Manu, b. ix. v. 8.

page 105 note 2 See Bryant's, Chapter on Anthropothusia and Teknothusia, vol. vi. p. 294.Google Scholar