z:\ ambedkar\vol 04\vol4 04.indd MK SJ YS 23 9 2013/YS 8 11 2013 125
RIDDLE NO. 15 125
Now the important point to note in this connection is that Kali is the wife of Shiva. The question that arises is does Shiva accept animal sacrifice? The answer to this question is that at one time Shiva did live on animal sacrifice. This statement may come as a surprise to the present day worshippers of Shiva. But it is a fact and those who need any evidence in support of it, have only to refer to the Ashvalayan GrihyaSutra which gives a most elaborate description of a bull-sacrifice for the appeasement of Shiva. I give below the actual text from the Ashavalayan Grihya Sutra [1] . This is what it says:
“Now the spit-ox (sacrificed to Rudra).
In autumn or in spring, under the (Nakshatra) Ardra.
The vest of his herd.
(An ox) which is neither leprous nor speckled.
One with black spots, according to some.
If he likes, a black one, if its colour incline to copper-colour.
He sprinkles it with water, into which he has thrown rice and barley.
From head to tail.
With (the formula), ‘Grow up, agreeable to Rudra the great god’.
He should let it grow up. When it has cut its teeth, or when it has become a bull.
To a quarter (of the horizon) which is sacrificially pure.
At a place which cannot be seen from the village.
After midnight.
According to some, after sunrise.
Having caused a Brahman who is versed in learning and knows the practice (of this sacrifice), to sit down, having driven a fresh branch with leaves into the ground as a sacrificial post, (having taken) two creeping plants or two kusa ropes as two girdles, and having wound the one round the sacrificial post, and tied the other round the middle of the animal’s head, he binds it to the sacrificial post or to the girdle (which he had tied to that post) with (the formula), ‘Agreeable to him to whom adoration (is brought), I bind thee’.
The sprinkling with water and what follows is the same as at the animal sacrifice.
We shall state what is different.
Let him sacrifice the omentum with the Patri or with a leaf-thus it is understood (in the Sruti).
1 S. B. of East. Vol. XXIX p. 255-259 (Max-Muller).