THE SACRIFICE MADE BY THE GODS

Purusha is said to be a manifestation of Paramapurusha. Purusha is the formless, unborn, without mind, without breath, soul of all beings. He is Shiv himself or a manifestation of Shiv ( Parameshwara). 

 Splendid and without a bodily form is this Purusa, without and within, unborn, without life breath and without mind, higher than the supreme element. From him are born life breath and mind. He is the soul of all beings.

—Munduka Upanishad

Purusha is the being which has manifested as Brahma Vishnu Rudra and all other beings, both mortal and immortal. He was sacrificed by the Gods to start creation. Its like , Purusha was sacrificed to himself, he then created seeds or cosmic prototype of the creation.  

"He created 

    the seeds of life "

The most commonly used portion of the Sukta contains 24 mantras or stanzas. The first 18 mantras are designated as the Purvanarayana, and the rest as the Uttaranarayana. Sometimes 6 more mantras are added. This part is called the Vaishnavanuvaka since it has been taken from another well known hymn called the Vishnusukta.

Shiv Shakthi ( Purusha and Prakriti
Union, Paramthman manifested as two beings
inorder to start creation, the two beings.)

The Rig Veda specifies ten important requirements for the sacrificial Purusha.

1. Should be without a blemish (Nishikalanga Purusha) 

 water and fire were to be used for the purification of the animals, since blameless (defect less) animals are not available in this world.

2. The Purusha has to be separated from others 

While sacrificing the horse, the sacrificial horse is always separated from other horses. A bush of thorns is usually placed on the head of the horse to inform the people that this horse is separated from the sacrifice. Also the head of the horse is considered to represent the Purusha

3. The Purusha has to be rejected by his own people 

 the sacrificial animal should be rejected by its father, mother, brother, sister and friends (2.16).

4. The Yagna Purusha has to suffer silently 

 "Like a horse I have yoked myself, well knowing to the pole. I seek neither release nor turning back".

5. The Purusha has to be tied to a post

 In Satapata Brahmana it is written, never do they immolate an animal without tying it to a pole. It is important to tie the animal to a sacrificial pillar before it is sacrificed. This pillar is called "Yupastampa (sacrificial pillar)", which has now become a flag mast.

6. The blood of the sacrificial man should be shed 

Bruhad Aranyaka Upanishad (3.9.28.2) says , As the sap comes out of the cut tree, blood comes out of the Purusha who is cut.

7. The sacrificed animal's bones should not be broken

 In Itareya Brahmana 2.6 it is stated that the sacrificer separates the twenty-six ribs of the animal without breaking them

8. The sacrificed Purusha should return to life 

The Bruhad Aranyaka Upanishad says, if the tree is cut, it will grow again from its root. But after the man (martyah) was cut off by death, from which root does he come forth? Do not say that has is from the ratas (seed or semen) because ratas comes from the one who lives. Remember this man is dead. But this man (Purusha) comes alive, on his own.

9. The flesh of the Purusha should be eaten by his saints 

In Satpata Brahmana, we find that Prajapati gave Himself up to them, thus the sacrifice became theirs, and indeed the sacrifice is the food of the gods (saints).

10. The sacrifice is for all Verse 8 in Purusha Sukta explains

From that sacrifice, Purusha offered everything that he had, including the Rig, Sama, Yazur Vedas and the Chandas (sacred writings). 

The first yajna ( Sacrifice ) done by GODS

The initial sacrifice was that of the divine being PURUSHA sacrificing himself to become the universe. The ancient vedic hymn Purusha Sukta tells of the transformation of the eternal, infinite being into the finite cognizable material world, initiating the eternal cycle of creation. So the spirit of sacrifice came to be recognized as the source of creation, the heart of all creative forces.

This yajna was called sarvahut, the offering of all. The Purusha was the object of worship. The creative aspect of the Purusha, performed it. The priests were the devas, the Purusha's senses. Purusha was the beast of the sacrifice. The altar was all of Prakriti . The fire was the Purusha's heart. The Purusha himself was sacrificed to bring forth all of creation. This is a message of love, that the Purusha would consume himself in the fire of sacrifice, to create all the worlds. From his mind emerged the moon, the sun from his eyes, Indra and Agni from his mouth, and the cosmic breath, Vayu emerged from his breath (prana). Atmosphere emerged from his navel, the sphere of light (divyaloka) from his head, the earth from his feet, the directions from his ears. The devas created all the spheres (lokas) from his cosmic body. Thus the gods worshipped the god of gods through sacrifice. The original sacrifice, the original yajna, became the law of life.

In simple words :

The person who does the Yagya is Purusha. His offerings are also Purusha, the fire into which he offers his offerings is also purusha and to whom does him offer ? To purusha himself. SHIVOHAM

Shivoham

We say that God is pleased if humanity is served. Social workers proclaim " Service to man is service to GOD". service to society is service to God. Similarly, serving the divinities who are amongst God's creations by Yajna earns God's grace. 

Lord Krishna has referred to this in Gita 

When Brahma Prajapathi created the world, he also created the Yajnas for performance of men. " Continue to perform the yajnas. Live well as a result of the benefits that would follow. Regard this Yajna as Kaamadhenu" says the Bhagavad Gita. 

In Yagna, the chant of a mantra pertaining to a particular deva calls forth that Deva. Those who are spiritually evolved can see them in person. Even if not visible to the naked eye, their presence will be subtly felt. Even so, directly offering oblation to them is not proper. Only oblations made in Agni, along with the chant of the prescribed mantras, will make them assume the form in which they become acceptable to the Devas.

One must not wonder as to how the oblations can reach their destination when fire has consumed most of them and the rest has been eaten by the performer of the Yajna as Prasad. The Devas donot have bodies physically constituted like ours by the five elements ( Earth, water, fire, sky,air). They dont need the type of material food that we consume. Even for us, the digestive organs convert the food into different forms before absorption by the body, In the same way, the sacrificial fire converts the oblation to a subtle state before carrying it to the Devas.

"You please the DEvas through Yajnas - Let the devas please you by rains and such other things. Thus, helping each other may you prosper". 

Purusha and Prakriti

LET US READ PURUSHA SUKTAM

सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात् ।
स भूमिं विश्वतो वृत्वात्यतिष्ठद्दशाङुलम् ॥१॥

Meaning:
1.1: The Purusha (The Universal Being) has Thousand Heads, Thousand Eyes and Thousand Feet (Thousand signifies innumerable which points to the omnipresence of the Universal Being),
1.2: He envelops the World from all sides (i.e. He pervades each part of the Creation), and extends beyond in the Ten Directions ( represented by Ten Fingers ),

पुरुष एवेदं सर्वं यद्भूतं यच्च भव्यम् ।
उतामृतत्वस्येशानो यदन्नेनातिरोहति ॥२॥
Meaning:
2.1: The Purusha is indeed All this (Creation) in essence; That which existed in the Past, and that which will exist in theFuture,
2.2: Everything (i.e the whole Creation) is woven by the Immortal essence of the Great Lord (Purusha); by becoming Foodof which (i.e. by getting consumed in Whose Immortal essence through surrender) one transcends the gross world (and becomes Immortal).

एतावानस्य महिमातो ज्यायाँश्च पूरुषः ।
पादोऽस्य विश्वा भूतानि त्रिपादस्यामृतं दिवि ॥३॥
Meaning:
3.1: The Purusha is Greater than all the Greatness (which can be expressed by words),
3.2: His One Foot has become all these (visible) Worlds, and His Three Feet rests in the Immortal World of theTranscendence.

 त्रिपादूर्ध्व उदैत्पूरुषः पादोऽस्येहाभवत्पुनः ।
ततो विष्वङ् व्यक्रामत्साशनानशने अभि ॥४॥
Meaning:
4.1: The Three Feet of the Purusha is raised high Above (in Transcendental Realm), and His One Foot becomes the Creationagain and again.
4.2: There, in the Creation, He pervades all the Living ( who eats ) and the Non-Living ( who does not eat ) beings.

 तस्माद्विराळजायत विराजो अधि पूरुषः ।
स जातो अत्यरिच्यत पश्चाद्भूमिमथो पुरः ॥५॥
Meaning:
5.1: From Him (i.e. the Purusha) was born the Virat; (the Virat came into being) from the presence of the Shining Purusha(Who remained as the background or substratum of Virat);
5.2: He (i.e. the Virat) created the Earth, by manifesting Her from His own being as substratum.

 यत्पुरुषेण हविषा देवा यज्ञमतन्वत ।
वसन्तो अस्यासीदाज्यं ग्रीष्म इध्मः शरद्धविः ॥६॥
Meaning:
6.1: With the Purusha as the (Sacrificial) Fire, the Deva (the Shining One, referring to Virat) continued the Yagya (Sacrifice of creation),
6.2: Spring was (created as) the clarified Butter (of that Yagya), Summer was (created as) the Fuel (of that Yagya), andAutumn was (created as) the Havis (Sacrificial offering of that Yagya).


तं यज्ञं बर्हिषि प्रौक्षन्पुरुषं जातमग्रतः ।
तेन देवा अयजन्त साध्या ऋषयश्च ये ॥७॥
Meaning:
7.1: The First Divine Men were created as the Holy Water sprinkled with the Kusa Grass in that Yagya (Sacrifice of Creation).
7.2: The First Divine Men were the Sadhya Devas and the Rishis, Who were created by Him, the Deva (the Shining One, referring to Virat), Who performed the Yagya. (These Rishis were not human but divine Rishis like Saptarshis created directly by Virat).


तस्माद्यज्ञात्सर्वहुतः सम्भृतं पृषदाज्यम् ।
पशून्ताँश्चक्रे वायव्यानारण्यान् ग्राम्याश्च ये ॥८॥
Meaning:
8.1: From the Complete Offering of His (i.e. Virat's) Yagya (Sacrifice of Creation) was obtained Ghee mixed with coagulated Milk, ...
8.2: ... which (i.e. the Ghee and Milk) are (the created) Animals, both of Air (Birds) and of Forests (Wild Animals) andVillages (Domestic Animals).


तस्माद्यज्ञात्सर्वहुत ऋचः सामानि जज्ञिरे ।
छन्दांसि जज्ञिरे तस्माद्यजुस्तस्मादजायत ॥९॥
Meaning:
9.1: From the Complete Offering of His (i.e. Virat's) Yagya (Sacrifice of Creation) was born the Rig Veda and Sama Veda,
9.2: The Chandas (Vedic Meters) were born from Him, and the Yajur Veda was born from Him.

 तस्मादश्वा अजायन्त ये के चोभयादतः ।
गावोः ह जज्ञिरे तस्मात् तस्माज्जाता अजावयः ॥१०॥
Meaning:
10.1: From Him (i.e. Virat) was born the Horses, and all those animals who has teeth in both jaws,
10.2: From Him (i.e. Virat) was born the Cows, and from Him was born all types of Goats.

यत्पुरुषं व्यदधुः कतिधा व्यकल्पयन् ।
मुखं किमस्य कौ बाहू का ऊरू पादा उच्येते ॥११॥
Meaning:
11.1: What did the Purusha (i.e. Virat) hold within Him? How many parts were assigned in His Huge Form?
11.2: What was His Mouth? What was His Arms? What was His Thighs? And what was His Feet?

ब्राह्मणोऽस्य मुखमासीद् बाहू राजन्यः कृतः ।
ऊरू तदस्य यद्वैश्यः पद्भ्यां शूद्रो अजायत ॥१२॥
Meaning:
12.1: The Brahmanas were His Mouth, the Kshatriyas became His Arms,
12.2: The Vaishyas were His Thighs, and from His pair of Feet were born the Shudras.

 चन्द्रमा मनसो जातश्चक्षोः सूर्यो अजायत ।
मुखादिन्द्रश्चाग्निश्च प्राणाद्वायुरजायत ॥१३॥
Meaning:
13.1: The Moon was born from His Mind and the Sun was born from His Eyes,
13.2: Indra and Agni (Fire) were born from His Mouth, and Vayu (Wind) was born from His Breath.

 नाभ्या आसीदन्तरिक्षं शीर्ष्णो द्यौः समवर्तत ।
पद्भ्यां भूमिर्दिशः श्रोत्रात्तथा लोकाँ अकल्पयन् ॥१४॥
Meaning:
14.1: His Navel became the Antariksha (the intermediate Space between Heaven and Earth), His Head sustained theHeaven,
14.2: From His Feet the Earth (was sustained), and from His Ears the Directions (were sustained); in this manner all theWorlds were regulated by Him.

 सप्तास्यासन् परिधयस्त्रिः सप्त समिधः कृताः ।
देवा यद्यज्ञं तन्वाना अबध्नन्पुरुषं पशुम् ॥१५॥
Meaning:
15.1: By making Seven Enclosures with Three times Seven sacrificial Firewood (symbolically representing various koshas etc), ...
15.2: ... the Deva (the Shining One referring to Virat) in that Yagya (Sacrifice of Creation), bound the infinite expanse of the Purusha as (apparently) finite living beings (Pashu).

 यज्ञेन यज्ञमयजन्त देवास्तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्यासन् ।
ते ह नाकं महिमानः सचन्त यत्र पूर्वे साध्याः सन्ति देवाः ॥१६॥
Meaning:
16.1: The Devas performed the external Yagya by meditating on the real Yagya (i.e. contemplating on the Purusha Who is Shining behind everything); And thus they first obtained the Dharma (based on the Oneness of the Purusha),
16.2: By Meditating on the Greatness of the Chidakasha (Blissful Spiritual Sky behind everyone, which is the essence of the Purusha), during those earlier times, the Spiritual Aspirants became the Shining One themselves.

Purusha is the the energy, spirit and Universe itself, he is the cosmic male , he is created and the creator. Purusa meant a cosmic man whose sacrifice ( Yagya) by the gods created all life. When one does a Yagya. 

The meaning evolved to an abstract essence of Self, Spirit and the Universal Principle that is eternal, indestructible, without form and all pervasive.

 The universe is envisioned, in these ancient Sanskrit texts, as a combination of perceivable material reality and non-perceivable, non-material laws and principles of nature. Material reality, or Prakrti, is everything that has changed, can change and is subject to cause and effect. Purusa is the Universal principle that is unchanging, uncaused but is present everywhere and the reason why Prakrti changes, evolves all the time and why there is cause and effect. Purusa is what connects everything and everyone, according to various schools of Hinduism.

" The Vaishnavas see him as Vishnu, Shaivates see him as Shankara...the truth is that he is everything and everyone. He is the Eternal Shiv "

HINDU CREATION

(from the Satapatha Brahmana)

Before there was anything there were the primeval waters. These seas were vast and deep and dark; all that was, was Non Being.

Over time, these waters produced a single golden egg, which floated over the waters for nine months.

After nine months, the egg burst open, and there was Prajapati standing in its shell. Prajapati was neither male nor female, but an all-powerful combination of both. He rested there on the golden shell for almost a year without speaking or moving.

After one year he broke his silence. The first word he spoke - the Word - became the earth.

The next Word he uttered became the sky, which he divided into seasons.

Prajapati could see forever; from the beginning of all life and even to his own death, which would be 1,000 years later. Yet Prajapati was lonely and he desired a mate in this vast emptiness.

He divided himself into two beings, a husband and a wife, and together they created the first gods, the elements and mankind. By these acts of creation, time was created; Prajapati became the embodiment of time itself. 

The first to be born was Agni, the God of Fire. Once there was fire, there was also light, which Prajapati separated into day and night. 

Other gods were born, including the evil Ashuras and beautiful Dawn. Prajapati was sure to separate good from evil, and hid his evil offspring deep into the earth.

However, Prajapati desired his lovely daughter Dawn, and as she was on earth in the form of a deer, he came to her disguised as a stag. 

She tried to flee but Prajapati was too fast and powerful. 

The vedas gives a poetic and well deep meaning of creation.

" He produces a number of children including a daughter, Ushas (“dawn”) who he then attempts to do a lil’ incest on/with. Now, when Ushas sees Prajapati coming at her in a lustful rage, she transforms herself into a deer and hauls ass out of there. Prajapati, to match her speed, turns himself into a stag, and catches up to do the deed. The offspring they have, predictably, is a baby deer. This cycle repeated itself not once, not twice, but 200-bajillion times; every time Prajapati got the urge, Ushas would pick a different female form and run, and Praj’ would pick the corresponding male form, catch her, and make a baby in said form. In this fashion, Prajapati and Ushas gave rise to all living creatures, including man.

The above passage tells us that the divine dual ( Shiva and Shakthi ) took incarnations and all beings around us and we ourselves are their images. Every male is  Parampurusha and female is Paramprakriti manifestations connected to the world with the chains made from  Punya, Paapa and Karma.

She later gave birth to all the beings of the world.

The other gods watched, filled with horror- Prajapati’s act was disgraceful, breaking the most profound taboo they could imagine.

In anger they created the monstrous Rudra, who hunted Prajapati down all over the earth. 

When he found him, he shot him with an arrow and flung him into the dark sky.

Thus Prajapati became the ‘Deer’s Head’ (Capricorn) constellation in the night sky.

Dawn returned to the sky but never got too close to the night.

THE CREATION and Concept of Prajapati 

( EXPLANATION FOR THE ABOVE HYMNS )

 At first there was Brahman, now multiple universes were created and Brahman got inside each universe. Now Brahman ( Purusha) manifested as Purusha Shiv and Prakriti Shakthi. They together created the golden egg.There was only water in the universe then. In the water, a gigantic egg (anda) appeared. Now Shiv Shakthi after creation returned to the spiritual reclaim, Shivlok. Now to protect the Golden egg, Purusha again manifested and slept in water (Nara) forming a being called Narayana. Brahma Prajapati emerged from this egg. Inside the egg were also all the worlds that would be created. After one year he broke his silence.

 The first word he spoke - the Word - became the earth. The next Word he uttered became the sky, which he divided into seasons. Prajapati could see forever; from the beginning of all life and even to his own death, which would be 1,000 years later. Yet Prajapati was lonely and he desired a mate in this vast emptiness.

He divided himself into two beings, a husband and a wife, and together they created the first gods, the elements and mankind. By these acts of creation, time was created; Prajapati became the embodiment of time itself. 

"Ten sons were also born to Brahma. Created from Brahma‘s mental powers, they all became sages. Their names were Marichi, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Pracheta, Vashishtha, Bhrigu and Narada. There were others too who were born. Daksha was born from Brahma‘s right toe. And the god Dharma was born from his chest.

But for further creation to continue, Brahma created two beings from his body, one was male and the other was female. The male half was named Svayambhuva Manu and the female half was named Shatarupa..."    - Puranas.

RUDRA PUNISHES THE PRAJAPATI

Lord Rudra is the material representation of Purusha Shiva who took human form to teach the creation Sanadhana Dharma, yoga, tantra and other self enlightening activities. 

Lord Rudra ( Shivarishi)

CLICK TO KNOW MORE ABOUT LORD RUDRA

Prajapatis 

According to later beliefs in the post-Vedic Era, the Prajapatis were elected democratically. At first Lord Bràhma was elected as Prajapati (in the west of Aryavarta or Bharata), Lord Vishnu was then elected democratically/unanimously as Prajapati (in the East of Aryavarta or Bharata) by all the Rishis and subjects of that era and sat on the throne of Prajapati. Thereafter, Lord Shankar (in the South of Aryavarta or Bharata) or Rudras were elected as Prajapatis. The throne of Prajapati succeeded further and there were about 26 Prajapatis, as mentioned in later puranas

In later times, he is identified with the personifications of Time, Fire, the Sun, etc. He is also identified with various mythical progenitors, especially (Manu Smrti 1.34) the ten lords of created beings first created by Brahmā, the Prajapatis Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha, Prachetas or Daksha, Bhrigu, Nārada.

The Mahabharata mentions, in the words of celestial sage Narada, 14 Prajapatis

RUDRA PUNISHES PRAJAPATIs AND REMOVES THEIR HEADs ( PRIDE and EGO ) IN DIFFERENT AGES OF TIME. 

Lets see the first incident...

 When Prajapati Brahma was creating the universe, he made a female deity known as Shatarupa (literally śata-rūpā, she of a hundred beautiful forms). According to the Matsya Purana, Shatarupa was known by different names, including Satarupa, Sandhya, or Brahmi.

Hindu mythology uses her story to explain Brahma's four heads. When Brahma created Shatarupa, he was immediately infatuated and pursued her wherever she went. Shatarupā moved in various directions to avoid his gaze but wherever she went, Brahmā developed another head until he had four, one for each direction of the compass. Desperate, Shatarupa leaped over him to stay out of his gaze even for a moment. 

A fifth head, however, appeared above the others. Thus, Brahmā developed five heads. 

Once Lord Rudra got disturbed seeing the creation of Brahma. He complained to Brahma that the world is full of suffering. But Brahma's fifth head laughed at him and boasted about himself.  At this moment LORD RUDRA cut off the top head, which was his PRIDE AND EGO. 

Daksha Prajapati , descendant / Son of Brahma Prajapati was a great devotee of Mahavishnu. He had great hate towards Lord Rudra and also showed disrespect in all manner. The incident is happened when Daksha had not invited Lord Rudra in a Mahayagya conducted by him in which he invited every being except Lord Rudra. He also did no sacrifice in his name. And later after  Devi Sati ( daughter of Daksha Prajapati) jumped into the yagya fire and took her life as she was not able to see her husband insulted. Infuriated Rudra sent his Gana army with Nandi and Lord Veerbharda ( a form of Lord Rudra himself) to destroy the yagna and punish anyone who goes against them. Veerabhadra slashed down Daksha Prajapati's head and later Lord Rudra placed the head of a goat on his head and gave life to him.

Lord Rudra is the destroyer of pride and other negative factors in one's life. He is called "Dakshamadanthaka" which means the destroyer of Daksha Prajapati's pride. 

Let us look into egyptain myths....

In the Heliopolitan creation myth, Atum was considered to be the first god, sitting on a mound (benben) (or identified with the mound itself), from the primordial waters (Nu).Nu, also called Nun  is the deification of the primordial watery abyss in ancient Egyptian religion. In the Ogdoad cosmogony, the word nu means "abyss". He acts as the "Prajathati" as per vedas formed from Nun which is said to be surrounded by a bubble which is identical to the Hiranyagarbha, the world egg.

Atum

Prajapati Brahma then created Maanasaputras , Rishis and started creation.

THE CREATION : Click here to understand the creation systematically...

SHIV SHAKTHI 

  

From Singularity creation can never happen, only a male and female can produce or create a new life ( Duality ). So the all prevailing , formless, unborn, ever existing Paramathman manifested as the cosmic male ( Shiv ) and Prakriti ( Shakthi ).  

Shiv Shakthi Union

The male and female energies were once separated from singularity, that is...duality was formed from Singularity. So the sex is a creative process in which there occurs the "re-union" of male and female energies...by this, the Duality (distinct energies) are trying to attain singularity. 

Ardhanarishwara, Ishwara with his one half male and the other half female...is an approach to the material reunion of the Shiv Shakthi / male female energies

The Yoga Upanishads describe Kundalini as lying "coiled" at the base of the spine, represented as either a goddess or sleeping serpent waiting to be awakened. In modern commentaries, Kundalini has been called an unconscious, instinctive or libidinal force.  It is one of the components of an esoteric description of the "subtle body", which consists of nadis (energy channels), chakras (psychic centres), prana (subtle energy), and bindu (drops of essence).

Kundalini is the hidden cosmic energy , the energy of creation embedded in the human body due to its cosmic origin. - Nalanda

Yin and Yang are similar concept used in Chinese philosophy. These are also used to explain the duality and its formation from singularity. The Yin cannot exist without Yang and Yang cannot exist without Yin.

ANIMAL SACRIFICE 

The Ashvamedha in which a horse is sacrificed is described Rigveda, Shukla Yajurveda, Taittiriya Shakha of Yajurveda, Shatapatha Brahmana and the Srauta-sutras of the Aitareya Brahmana and Kaushtikati Brahmana of the Rigveda. In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad the symbolism of the sacrifice is described, with the horse symbolising the cosmos. 

"In the Ramayana, Rama performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice for becoming the Chakravartin emperor. In the Mahabharata, Yudhishtra performs the Ashwamedha after winning the Kurukshetra war to become the Chakravartin emperor."

Horse Sacrifice in Ramayana

The animal for sacrificed is considered as Purusha himself and is treated with respect. In this way a sacrifice of Purusha is made to the Purusha himself. Rig Veda proclaims Lord Rudra as the Lord of  sacrifices and cattle. He is the over lord who rules the process of sacrifice.

 Let Rudra's dart avoid you.

 Abide ye, numerous, with this lord of cattle.

 Do thou protect the cattle of the sacrificer.

-Prapathaka 1: The New and Full-Moon Sacrifices

2.1.1.1 Mantra 1

Mantra 36: The Horse Sacrifice

a Çitta with the sinew, Bhava with the liver, Rudra with the taniman, Paçupati with the thick heart, Agni with the heart, Rudra with the blood, Çarva with the kidneys, Mahadeva with the intestinal flesh, him that slayest most quickly with the entrails.

Sacrifice to Vishnu in Vedas

"By sacrifice to the god Visnu, by the sacrifice, may I attain health and wealth, and security"

-By sacrifice to the god Visnu, by the sacrifice may I attain health and wealth

and security'

In the Bhagavata Purana, Krishna tells people not to perform animal sacrifices although he says he will still accept the sacrifice since he resides in the soul of the sacrifical animal.

 Animal sacrifices are forbidden by the Bhagavata Purana in the Kaliyuga, the present age.The Brahma Vaivarta Purana describes animal sacrifices as kali-varjya or prohibited in the Kaliyuga. The Adi Purana, Brihan-naradiya Purana and Aditya Purana also forbid animal sacrifice in Kaliyuga.

The Role Of Sacrifice In Mesoamerica

The Aztec priests defended themselves as follows:

“

Life is because of the gods; with their sacrifice they gave us life.... They produce our sustenance... which nourishes life. ” Human sacrifice was practised to some extent by many peoples in Mesoamerica (and for that matter, around the world) for many centuries.  But it was the Aztec empire that really took the ritual to new heights.  How many people were sacrificed by the Aztecs?  We don't know how many were sacrificed over the years - it's possible that some accounts are exaggerated -  but it was probably thousands each year - tens of thousands or more all together.  Some estimates claim 20,000 a year. The Aztecs had 18 months in one cycle, and for each of the 18 months there was ritual sacrifice.  The victim would be painted as a part of the ritual, they would be placed on a slab where their heart would be removed and held up to the sun.  The body would be thrown down the stairs of the temple/pyramid. The body would be disposed of in various ways, such as feeding animals at the zoo or putting on display (the heads).  There are some accounts of cannibalism, but it's uncertain if this was practiced to any great extent. The victims are washed They take people to be sacrificed away from the family, travel for long distances, isolating them from their family. They wash them clean and paint them. In this way they also partial agree with rules of Vedic sacrifice. It is also said that after the sacrifice the saints each the flesh of the Purusha ( in case of humans, it is cannibalism). The painted victims are taken for sacrifice Gods then were ‘fed’ and ‘nourished’ with the sacrificed blood and flesh which ensured the continued balance and prosperity of Aztec society. *****