Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 33
अश्वमेधप्रवृत्तिः
Commencement and Performance of Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha
होताऽध्वर्युस्तथोद्गाता हस्तेन समयोजयन्।महिष्या परिवृत्त्या च वावातां च तथापराम्।।।।
hotā ’dhvaryus tathodgātā hastena samayojayan |
mahiṣyā parivṛttyā ca vāvātāṃ ca tathāparām ||
The Hotṛ, Adhvaryu, and Udgātṛ priests then directed—by the prescribed hand-contact—the Mahīṣī, the Parivṛtti, Vāvātā, and another attendant woman to touch and attend the sacrificial horse.
Hota, Adhvaryu and Udgata arranged Mahishi, Parivritti, Vavaata and another woman known as Palakali to touch (keep the company of) the sacrificial horse.
FAQs
Dharma here is procedural righteousness: actions are performed through authorized officiants and in the correct ritual order, emphasizing disciplined conformity to sacred injunction.
In the Aśvamedha sequence, the chief priests arrange the ritually specified women to make the prescribed contact with the sacrificial horse.
The priests’ śāstra-niṣṭhā (fidelity to injunction) and meticulous ritual responsibility.