Shloka 53
अर्जुनदुःखहेतुप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the cause of Arjuna’s recurring hardship
Book 14, Chapter 89
तान्यग्नौ जुहु॒वुर्धीरा: समस्ता: षोडशर्त्विज: । नरेश्वर! उस अश्वके जो शेष अंग थे, उनको धीर स्वभाववाले समस्त सोलह ऋत्विजोंने अग्निमें होम कर दिया
tāny agnau juhuvur dhīrāḥ samastāḥ ṣoḍaśartvijaḥ | nareśvara! asya aśvake ye śeṣāṅgāni āsan, tāni dhīrasvabhāvavantaḥ samastāḥ ṣoḍaśa ṛtvijaḥ agnau homaṃ kṛtvā juhuvuḥ |
Vaiśampāyana disse: Ó rei, os firmes dezesseis sacerdotes oficiantes ofereceram ao fogo sagrado todas as partes restantes daquele cavalo sacrificial. Assim o rito foi concluído na devida ordem, com mentes disciplinadas e observância exata, afirmando a responsabilidade do rei de sustentar o dharma por meio de um sacrifício corretamente realizado.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined ritual responsibility: qualified priests, acting with steadiness and precision, complete the sacrifice by offering the remaining portions into the fire—symbolizing orderly completion of duty (dharma) in a public, kingly rite.
During the Aśvamedha proceedings, the sixteen officiating priests collectively perform the concluding fire-offerings, consigning the remaining parts of the sacrificial horse/rite into Agni, thereby bringing that segment of the ritual to completion.