It is well known that through the consecration (
diksa) of the
Agnistoma, a basic type of Soma sacrifice, the sacrificer simulates an embryo (
garbha) to be reborn as one of the gods. This is based on the assumption that prior to the
diksa, he meets with ceremonial ‘death’.
But it has not been considered in detail how and when the sacrificer ‘dies’. In this paper, I analyze the
Yajur-Veda's brahmana portions of the
diksa, especially the
diksaniyesti.
I have found the following: The
Maitrayani-Samhita and the
Kathaka-Samhita, which are regarded as the oldest among the
brahmanas, clearly indicate that a cake or rice gruel, the offering for this
isti, is a symbol of the sacrificer, and he is ‘killed’ symbolically as a victim. On the other hand, these are merely implied in the
Taittiriya-Samhitd and the
Satapatha-Brahmana which are considered relatively new.
It seems that this idea seen in the MS and the KS has been adjusted under the notion of identifying an offering with the sacrificer in the new and full moon sacrifice, which is a basic type of
isti.
The relation between the
diksa and the animal offering is noteworthy. It is also well known that the consecrated sacrificer regarded as an offering has to redeem himself by offering an animal sacrifice, namely
agnisomiyapasu. So he is supposed to ‘die’ prior to the animal offering, and it is in this very
isti that he is symbolically ‘killed’ as a victim.
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