राजपूजाविधानम् / Royal Reception Protocols during Āśvamedha Preparations
ततो यूपोच्छये प्राप्ते षड् बैल्चान् भरतर्षभ । खादिरान् बिल्वसमितांस्तावत: सर्ववर्णिन:
tato yūpocchaye prāpte ṣaḍ bailcān bharatarṣabha | khādirān bilvasamitāṁs tāvataḥ sarvavarṇinaḥ ||
Disse Vaiśampāyana: Quando chegou o momento de erguer os postes sacrificiais, ó touro entre os Bhāratas, os sacerdotes prepararam seis postes de madeira de bilva e, do mesmo modo, seis de madeira de khadira—postes de todo tipo e aparência prescritos—para que o rito prosseguisse em plena conformidade com a regra e a tradição.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The passage emphasizes dharma as meticulous adherence to prescribed ritual order: the sacrifice is not merely an act of power but a disciplined, rule-governed undertaking where correct materials and procedures uphold sacred legitimacy.
As the Aśvamedha preparations advance, the priests reach the stage of erecting the yūpas (sacrificial posts) and arrange posts made from specified woods (here bilva and khadira), indicating the formal commencement of key ritual infrastructure.