2017-02-01 Wed

Yagna (sacrifice) played a very important role in the Vedic period. The animal sacrifice was at the highest peak during the later Vedic period, which was also one of the reasons why Buddhism and Jainism came into existence.

The sacrificial post is known as a ‘yupa’. The yupa is situated on the edge of an altar of the sacrificial arena, half inside, half outside, thus symbolizing its function as frontier guard and communicator outside. The verticality of Yupa is the indication of the cosmic pillar connecting the universe and the motherland. It is a place where the sacrificial animal is tied before it was offered as a sacrifice.

This yupa is depicted on various coins of Ancient India. One of them is seen on the coins of Vidharbha region, where the bull is standing right in front of yupa. This is probably the first evidence of yupa on the coins. Also, Sri Satakarni of Satavahana dynasty issued a coin with a yupa and a lion. Well…so does that mean lions were also sacrificed? Lion is the symbol of the power and strength. So this also signifies that Satavahanas were so powerful that they could sacrifice lion and depicting this on coin could have shown the authoritative control over the neighboring regions.

We all are very familiar with the Gupta Dynasty’s ablest ruler Samudragupta. He performed a Ashvamedha sacrifice and to honor this event he issued a gold ashvamedha type coin where the horse is standing in front of yupa.

Though there have been many Indian kings who have performed ashavmedha sacrifice not all of them have issued coins for it.

The common animals to be sacrificed in Ancient India were bull, goat, and horse. Realizing the importance of the animals in the later periods the animal sacrifice was reduced to some extent.