Written by Sulaiman Razvi
Purushamedha literally translates into human sacrifice, wherein Purusha means man and Medha means sacrifice. The word Naramedha (Nara = Man; Medha = Sacrifice) is also used in Hindu scriptures. Human sacrifice is not widely prevalent, as it was banned since the British era. Such an evil practice has its origins in the Hindu religious scriptures. Numerous humans have fallen victim to this evil Hindu practice.
Purushamedha was performed to gain prestige, prosperity, power, atonement of sins, and fulfil desires. The human victim was usually purchased from the family in lieu of a hundred or a thousand cows or horses. The man to be sacrificed was sometimes let loose before the sacrifice just like the horse in the horse sacrifice. While he was let loose, all his desires were fulfilled except for carnal desires. The human victim was tied to a pillar or pole then anointed with oil or other things and then he was either slaughtered or immolated in human sacrifice, human victim was also suffocated. As per Apastamba Srauta Sutra 20.24.2, this ceremony is to be performed only by a Brahmin or a Kshatriya. The killing of a Brahmin is called Brahmin slaughter in Hindu scriptures and it’s a major sin but in the Purushamedha the human victim can be a Brahmin also. Sankhayana Srauta Sutra 16.10.9 mentions that the victim can be a Brahmin. Hindu scriptures also specify the physical characteristics of the human victim, stating that the individual should be physically fit, not crippled, and not dark-skinned. Taittriya Brahmana 3rd Kanda, Fourth Prapathaka, chapters 1-16 and Chapter 30 of Vajasaneyi Samhita (Yajurved) mentions the list of human victims that should be sacrificed while some scholars say that in the Purushamedha mentioned in Taittriyia Brahmana the victim is set free after the symbolic sacrifice. Some of the victims include paramour, flute blower, drum beater, maker of ointment, gatherer of wood, astrologer, fisherman, etc. The Katyayana Srauta Sutra 16.1.14 adds that the man is to be slain in a screened shed. What is done with the flesh of the sacrificed man is not clear, the flesh of animals sacrificed in Ashvamedha and other sacrifices is to be eaten by priests and Sacrificers but that doesn’t seem to be the case with Purushamedha as consumption of human flesh is prohibited for Hindus, some texts alludes that the flesh of human along with animals slaughtered is to be thrown in waters. Kings would sometimes offer their rival kings as human sacrifices. A notable instance is found in the Mahabharata, where Jarasandha intended to sacrifice his defeated rivals in a Purushamedha ritual, but Krishna intervened to stop him. However, Krishna did not explicitly condemn the practice of Purushamedha. Instead, he denied that such a ritual existed at all. A Srauta Sutra commands to offer rival kings if no one comes forward to be offered as a human victim. Human sacrifice may not have been practiced by Vaishnavite Hindus, but it appears to have been more commonly associated with Shaivite Hindus. This is evident from Shaivite Puranas, which provide detailed instructions on how to conduct human sacrifices, and most references to such rituals are linked to Shaivite.
Human sacrifice in the Purusha Sukta of Vedas is symbolic that talks about God sacrificing Purusha which is considered a spirit or god by Hindu scholars. But in other Hindu texts, the sacrifice includes literal killing of the man. Satapatha Brahmana explains human sacrifice both literally and symbolically just as it does with Ashvamedha Yajna the horse sacrifice. Human sacrifice also occurs in Puranas, especially in the Kalika Purana. Human sacrifice is hardly forbidden in Hindu Puranas which shall be evaluated in this article. It seems like Human sacrifice was not as widely practiced as Ashvamedha although Hindu scriptures consider Naramedha/Purushamedha to be much more beneficial than Ashvamedha. Sankhayana Srauta Sutra says that Purushamedha is performed to gain what one didn’t gain by performing the Ashvamedha Yajna. Hindu scriptures also talk about other rituals which bring you blessings and benefits equivalent to Human sacrifice. There have been some incidents of human sacrifice to the Hindu goddess Kali in the present age.
Archaeological Evidence on Human Sacrifice and its Prevalence in Modern India
It was only in 2014 that the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) started collecting data on human sacrifice. The statistics with the bureau reveal a disturbing picture: there were 51 cases of human sacrifice spread across 14 states between 2014 and 2016.
https://www.thequint.com/news/india/goddess-kali-worship-does-not-need-human-sacrifice
Human sacrifice in UP’s Hathras, Class 2 boy strangled to bring ‘glory to school’
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/class-2-student-killed-school-hostel-hathras-up-to-bring-glory-fame-2607216-2024-09-27
India child killed in ‘human sacrifice’ ritual
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34409637
Four-year-old boy ‘beheaded in human sacrifice witchcraft ritual in India’
Indian cult kills children for goddess
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/mar/05/india.theobserver
Indian father kills his eight-month-old son with an axe to appease Hindu goddess of destruction and rebirth
Five-year-old boy murdered as human sacrifice ritual in Andhra Pradesh; accused thrashed
Archaeological evidence proves that human sacrifice was performed,
“‘Purushamedha Yagya’, sacrificing healthy and learned human male for political supremacy, was a tradition in the country. Concrete archaeological evidence of this kind of sacrifice has been found in Chhattisgarh’s neighbourhood.”
The report also states that sometimes a human model was symbolically sacrificed. That may have been done on the basis of Asvalayana Srauta Sutra which recommends symbolically sacrificing a human figure and tying a snake, the report shows that an iron snake was also found in the excavation. It may be a substitute for literal human slaughtering. And the archaeological findings also prove that horses were sacrificed in Ashvamedha Yajna, as remains of horse were found in the excavation,
“Pravarasena-I during his time had earlier performed Ashwamedha Yagya also. The remains were found at Mansar during manganese mining in 1935. The charred bone remains of the horse recovered were preserved in London museum.”
Archaeological evidence from Kausambi also proves the slaughter of men in human sacrifice. Human bones and skull were found in an excavation at Kausabi,
“The references to Kausambi in early literature and epigraphical records have been collated by N. N. Ghosh (1935), B. C. Law (1939) and G. R. Sharma (1969). The earlier history and archaeology of the city have been discussed in chapters 6, 7 and 10. Periods 3-5 of the fortification wall belong to the time-span of this chapter. Period 3 was dated by Sharma to the period of the Mitra kings of Kausambi who, on grounds of palaeography and other historical considerations, have been assigned to the period from the 2nd to the 1st century BC (Sharma 1960). Again, ‘on numismatic grounds’, Sharma states, ‘rampart 5 seems to have been built by the Maghas, who made Kausambi their capita) in the second half of the 2nd century AD’ (Sharma 1960). This numismatic argument has also been supplemented by the evidence of inscribed terracotta seals, terracotta figurines and iron arrowheads. The rampart wall rises even now to an average height of 1.5 m from the level of the surrounding plain, with its towers touching the 21-23 m level (Fig. 11.4). There were eleven gateways in all, of which five, two each on the cast and north and one on the west, have been considered to be the principal ones, The road leading to each gate was flanked by two mounds, obviously watchtowers, which lay across the moat encircling the rampart (except, of course, on the river side). About a mile away from this complex, there is another ring of mounds which once might have encircled the city. The rampart (of mud and bunt-brick revetment) was extended in the third stage and an interesting discovery was that of an altar outside the eastern gate at the foot of the rampart. This altar is supposedly shaped like an eagle flying to the southeast and associated with a fireplace, animal and human bones including a human skull. Sharma (1960, chapters 8-10) has adduced a mass of literary material to suggest that certain details of its construction correspond to the fire altar prescribed for purushamedha or human sacrifice in ancient Indian ritualistic texts.” The Archaeology of Early Historic South Asia: The Emergence of Cities and States, p.298, By F. R. Allchin, George Erdosy, Cambridge University Press, 07-Sep-1995
Wendy Doniger also cites this in her book “On Hinduism”,
“There is, however, in addition to the textual references to human sacrifice, also physical evidence of its performance, such as archaeological remains of human skulls and other human bones at the site of fire-altars, together with the bones of other animals, both wild and tame (horse, tortoise, pig, elephant, bovines, goats and buffalos).” On Hinduism, p.217, By Wendy Doniger, OUP USA, 2014
Scriptures Permitting Human Sacrifice
According to Sankhayana Srauta Sutra 16.12.21-16.13.1-9, the man who has been chosen as the chief victim is killed by choking or suffocating, then the human victim is immolated. I am reproducing verses from Sankhayana and Vaitana Srauta Sutras which describes how Purushamedha is performed,
Sankhayana Srauta Sutra 16.10.1-11 “Prajapati having performed the horse sacrifice, beheld the human sacrifice. What was not reached by him through the horse sacrifice, all that he reached through the human sacrifice. In the same way the sacrificer, when he performs the human sacrifice reaches all that what by him was not reached by the horse sacrifice…Having bought a brahmana or a baron for a thousand (cows) (and) a hundred horses they let him loose for a year, he may gratify all his desires with the exception of sexual intercourse. They guard him in the same manner (as the horse). Then, during a year (whilst the man is roaming about) he performs (daily three) offerings to Anumati, Pathya, Svasti and Aditi.” Tr. W. Caland
Sankhayana Srauta Sutra 16.12.6-21 “There are twenty five victims to be immolated to Agni and Soma. For these there is one and the same performance… Purusa (or Man), forsooth consists of twenty five parts (or is the twenty fifth)… The victims to be immolated to Prajapati are a man, a gomrga and a hornless he-goat. And twenty five victims, to be immolated to the deities of the seasonal sacrifices (are brought near) twenty five to each sacrificial post. The human vitim, which has been adorned, they make smell the spot where the out of doors land is performed and (the praise it)… Now they spread out for the human victim a garment of kusa grass, a (cloth) of trpa bark, a red garment of silk threads. When it is ‘quieted’, the udgatr sings over it standing near it the saman addressed to Yama.” Tr. W. Caland
Sankhayana Srauta Sutra also mention Sarvamedha Sacrifice in which a horse and a man are sacrificed,
Sankhayana Srauta Sutra 16.15.2-5 “The beginning rite is (equal to) that of the human sacrifice. (The days are) an agnistut, an indrastut, a vaisvadevastut, a suryastut, (on this day) they immolate a horse. The fifth day is similar to that of the human sacrifice. On this day they immolate a human victim.” Tr. W. Caland
The following Sankhayana verses indicate necrophilia,
Sankhayana Srauta Sutra 16.13.7-13 “When the human victim has been quieted, they cause the first consort of the sacrificer (king) to lie down near it. They cover them both with the upper garment. These two the sacrificer addresses in the same manner. The injurious verses are ‘A royal consort, who is rejected’… The verses for making (the consort, who still rests near the victim) to arise are ‘Arise O woman ‘Arise from there, thou who hast a husband’, ‘Arise from there O Visvavasu ‘Rich in stones’ (one verse for each of the four rtvijs.” Tr. W. Caland
The Vaitana Srauta Sutra talks about purchasing a man for a thousand cows and if no one comes forward then he should conquer his nearest enemy and sacrifice him.
Vaitana Srauta Sutra XXXVII, 10. “The Purushamedha (is performed) like the Asvamedha . . . 12. There are offerings to Agni Kama, Dâtri, and Pathikrit. 13. He causes to be publicly proclaimed, ‘Let all that is subject to the Sacrificer assemble together!’ 14. The Sacrificer says, ‘To whom shall I give a thousand (cows) and a hundred horses to be the property of his relatives? Through whom shall I gain my object?’ 15. If a Brâhmana or a Kshatriya comes forward, they say, ‘The transaction is completed.’ 16. If no one comes forward, let him conquer his nearest enemy, and perform the sacrifice with him. 17. To that (chosen man) he shall give that (price) for his relatives. 18. Let him make it he publicly known that, if any one’s wife were to speak, he will seize that man’s whole property, and kill herself, if she be not a Brâhmana woman. 19. When, after being bathed and adorned, he (the man) is set free, he (the priest) recites the hymns A.V. XIX, 6; X, 2.-20. For a year (daily) offerings to Pathyâ Svasti, Aditi, and Anumati. 21. At the end of the year an animal offering to Indra-Pûshan. 22. The third day is a Mahâvrata. 23. When (the man) is bound to the post, he repeats the three verses, ‘Up shall rise’ . . .; and when he is unloosened, the utthâpanî-verses. 24-26. When he is taken to the slaughtering-place (the priest repeats) the harinî-verses; when he is made to lie down, the two verses, ‘Be thou soft for him, O Earth’; and when he has been suffocated, (he repeats) the Sahasrabâhu (or Purusha Nârâyana) litany, and hymns to Yama and Sarasvatî–XXXVIII, 1-9 treat of the subsequent ceremonies, including the recitation, by the Brahman, of hymns with the view of healing the Sacrificer.” Tr. Julius Eggeling
Katyayana Srauta Sutra indicate setting the human victims free in the Purushamedha without slaughtering the human, but in the fire alter building rite, the man is to be literally slaughtered in an enclosed place.
Katyayana Srauta Sutra 16.1.8-14 “A man, a horse, a bull, a ram and a he-goat are to be offered to Agnis for desire. The rope for a man (as a victim) should be the longest and less and less long for the others…After the eleventh (fore-offering), he does the activities like invitation to the holder of knife etc. The killing of man is to be done in an enclosed place (parivrta)… The man (to be seized here) should be belonging either to the Vaisya or to the Rajanya-class.” Tr. Ganesh Umakant Thite
Kalika Purana prohibits human sacrifice to Durga but allows it for other Hindu goddesses such as Kamakhya and Bhairavi. It states that the human sacrifice should be performed with permission from the king. Kalika Purana 67.119-21 mentions that the human sacrifice is to be performed by cutting off the head of the man with a sword, the direction in which the head falls indicates certain good and bad omens. The entire chapter 67 is about human sacrifice, verses 145-7 of the same chapter says a king may sacrifice his enemy which indicates that the victim may unwillingly be sacrificed.
Kalika Purana 67.18-19 “If a human being is sacrificed following the rules laid down on that behalf the goddess remains pleased for full one thousand years, and when three men are sacrificed for one hundred thousand years. With the human flesh the goddess Kamakhya and Bhairavi (Bhairava?), who assumes my shape are pleased for three thousand years.” Tr. B.N Shastri
Kalika Purana 67.68-90a “…O Bhairava now listen to the order for human sacrifice and in offering one’s own blood. If a human being is sacrificed in the pitha (of the goddess), it is to be sacrificed in the cemetery, called Heruka, which has already been stated…The cemetery is divided into three parts for the fulfilment of penance; the first part is called Bhairava, where human being is to be sacrificed. In the southern part the head is to be presented to Bhairavi, named Mundamala, and the blood is to be presented in the western part, called Heruka. The human sacrifice is to be made i the cemetry of the pitha after the sacrifice was worshipped following the procedure laid down in the Angama, the sacrificer should not cast his glance at the lamp of bali. Similarly, whenever a mahabali (human sacrifice) is presented the adept should offer it at one place, cut the head at another place, and offer the head at some other place. After the human being was sacrificed the adept should not cast his eyes on it The human being, who is offered as sacrifice must be bright looking one; the sacrifice is to be prepared with proper ablution, he should eat restricted food on previous day, abstain from taking meat and including coition, and enjoyment, and he is to be adopted with sandal paste and garlands… The great goddess, Kamakhya, the mother of the world, who is universe herself becomes pleased with him. The man (the sacrifice) soon after his death becomes the lord of the ganas by abandoning his human body, and he is also much respected by me.” Tr. B.N Shastri
Examples of Human Sacrifice in the Scriptures
The most famous story about human sacrifice in Hinduism is that of Shunashepa. King Harishchandra of the Ikshvaku dynasty had 100 wives but no son. Following sage Narada’s advice, he prayed to Varuna, who granted him a son, Rohita, in exchange for a future sacrifice. When Rohita was born, Varuna demanded the child as a sacrifice. Harishchandra delayed until Rohita became an adult, but Rohita refused and fled to the forest. Varuna cursed the king with illness.
After six years, Rohita met a starving Brahmin, Ajigarta, and offered him 100 cows to sacrifice one of his sons in Rohita’s place. Ajigarta chose his middle son, Shunahshepa. Varuna accepted the substitute. During the sacrifice, Ajigarta bound Shunahshepa to the post but, when the priests refused to kill him, Ajigarta offered to do it for another 100 cows. Just as he was about to kill his son, Shunahshepa prayed to the Rigvedic deities, and his bonds were loosened, curing Harishchandra’s illness.
Vishvamitra, one of the priests, adopted Shunahshepa as his son and renamed him Devarata. Vishvamitra’s younger sons accepted Devarata as their elder brother, but the older ones did not. Vishvamitra cursed the older sons’ descendants to be exiled from Aryavarta, leading to the formation of various tribes like the Andhras, Pulindas, and Shabaras.
This story is mentioned in Rig Veda which is elaborated in supplementary texts, it talks about the freeing of Shunashepa from the slaughter. Human sacrifice of Shunashepa proves that human sacrifice existed in the Vedic period and the Vedic god Varuna asking for a human sacrifice proves that it was very much Vedic.
Rig Veda 5.2.7 Thou from the stake didst loose e’en Śunaḥśepa bound for a thousand; for he prayed with fervour. So, Agni, loose from us the bonds that bind us, when thou art seated here, O Priest who knowest.
Rig Veda 1.24.13 Bound to three pillars captured Śunaḥśepa thus to the Āditya made his supplication. Him may the Sovran Varuṇa deliver, wise, ne’er deceived, loosen the bonds that bind him.
These Rigvedic verses are further elaborated in Aitareya Brahmana,
Aitareya Brahmana Book 7, Chapter 3, Para 14 “Narada then told him, “Go and beg of Varuna the king, that he might favour you with the birth of a son (promising him at the same time) to sacrifice to him this son when born.” He went to Varuna the king, praying, “Let a son be born to me; I will sacrifice him to thee.” Then a son, Rohita by name, was born to him. Varuna said to him, “A son is born to thee, sacrifice him to me.” Harischandra said, “An animal is fit for being sacrificed, when it is more than ten days old. Let him reach this age, then I will sacrifice him to thee….Varuna then said, “he has now received the armor, sacrifice him to me.” After having thus spoken, he called his son, and told him, “Well, my dear, to him who gave thee unto me, I will sacrifice thee now.” But the son said, “No, no,” took his bow and absconded to the wilderness, where he was roaming about for a year.” Martin Haug
This story is also mentioned in the Balakanda 1.61 of Valmiki’s Ramayana, Devi Bhagavatam, Aitareya Brahmana 7.13-18, and Brahma Purana 9.65-68, but none of these texts explicitly prohibit human sacrifice. The Manu Smriti even states that Ajigarta, the father of Shunahshepa, committed no sin in doing so.
Manu Smriti 10.105. Agigarta, who suffered hunger, approached in order to slay (his own) son, and was not tainted by sin, since he (only) sought a remedy against famishing.
According to some scholars, Ajigarta was going to kill his son for eating him as Ajigarta was starving, but this version contradicts other scriptures. Vishwamitra also didn’t prohibit this practice he instead asked his sons to be sacrificed. Vishwamitra asked his sons if any of them were willing to replace Shunahshepa in the sacrifice. His sons rejected the demand with scorn, stating that it would be equivalent to eating dog meat. Angered at their impudence, Vishvamitra cursed his sons to be reborn as outcast dog-meat eaters for a thousand years, just like Vashistha’s sons.
Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda 1, chapter 62, verses 12-17 “You all have done very good pious deeds and you all abide by probity. Hence, you bestow appeasement to Fire-god on your becoming the ritual-animals of king Ambariisha in lieu of this boy Shunashepa. As a result, Shunashepa will have protectors, Vedic-ritual will be unimpeded, gods will be oblated, and my word too will be actualised.’ Thus Vishvamitra said to his sons. But on hearing the saying of the sage, oh, Rama, the best of men, Madhushyanda and the other sons of Vishvamitra said this, haughtily and disparagingly. On sacrificing your own sons how can you save another’s son, oh, lordly father, we deem this as a wrongdoing and as good as dog’s meat in a dinner.’ Thus the sons of Vishvamitra replied their father. On listening that saying of his sons that eminent sage Vishvamitra started to curse them while fury reddened his eyes. You all have not only transgressed my word, but pertly replied me in an impudent manner which is abhorrent and hair-raising, and recriminatory according to probity. You all will be whirling around the earth totally for a thousand years taking birth in the race that subsists on dog’s meat, like the sons of Vashishta.’ Thus Vishvamitra cursed his sons.” Tr. Desiraju Hanumanta Rao
Human sacrifice is not prohibited in any of the scriptures; instead, they justify it by stating that Ajigarta remained sinless. Vishwamitra instructed the sacrifice of his sons to ensure the Vedic ritual proceeded smoothly and the gods were satisfied. The sentence “you bestow appeasement to Fire-god on becoming the ritual animals” suggests that Shunashepa was set to be immolated, as victims were sacrificed by methods such as suffocation, burning, or slaughter.
The Srimad Bhagavatam also recounts this story, but it presents a contradiction. In one instance, it states that Shunashepa was set free, aligning with other scriptures. However, in another part, it claims that a man was actually slaughtered in King Harishchandra’s human sacrifice. Who the man was is not mentioned.
Srimad Bhagavatam 9.7.21-23 “Thereafter, the famous King Hariścandra, one of the exalted persons in history, performed grand sacrifices by sacrificing a man and pleased all the demigods. In this way his dropsy created by Varuṇa was cured. In that great human sacrifice, Viśvāmitra was the chief priest to offer oblations, the perfectly self-realized Jamadagni had the responsibility for chanting the mantras from the Yajur Veda, Vasiṣṭha was the chief brahminical priest, and the sage Ayāsya was the reciter of the hymns of the Sāma Veda. King Indra, being very pleased with Hariścandra, offered him a gift of a golden chariot. Śunaḥśepha’s glories will be presented along with the description of the son of Viśvāmitra.” Tr. Swami Prabhupada
Swami Prabhupada wrote on verse 20,
“It appears that in those days a man could be purchased for any purpose. Hariścandra was in need of a person to sacrifice as the animal in a yajña and thus fulfill his promise to Varuṇa, and a man was purchased from another man for this purpose. Millions of years ago, animal sacrifice and slave trade both existed. Indeed, they have existed since time immemorial.” Swami Prabhupada on Srimad Bhagavatam 9.7.20 http://vanisource.org/wiki/SB_9.7.20
There is a similar version of Shunashepa’s human sacrifice which is mentioned in Padma Purana,
Padma Purana IV.12.6-22 “[Galava said:] O king, I shall tell you in brief the cause of a son’s birth about which you have asked me. Listen attentively. O best king, perform the sacrifice called Naramedha. Then you will have progeny endowed with all (good characteristics). The king said: O preceptor, O brahmana, tell me by bringing what kind of man I shall perform the great human sacrifice, the best among sacrifices. Galava said: If a man has a handsome body, a charming face and is proficient in all sacred texts, then he is fit for sacrifice. He who is crippled, has a black complexion, is a fool, would not be fit (for sacrifice)…” Tr. N.A. Deshpande
So instead of sage Narada, we read here that Sage Galava had recommended Human Sacrifice to King Dinanath. So Ved Vyasa, Sage Narada, and Sage Galava recommended Human Sacrifice hence which is a commandment and can’t be rejected by Hindus.
The following verse from Satapatha Brahmana says that Manu’s wife was sacrificed,
Satapatha Brahmana 1:1:4:15-16 These two said, ‘God-fearing, they say, is Manu: let us two then ascertain!’ They then went to him and said: ‘Manu! we will sacrifice for thee!’ He said: ‘Wherewith?’ They said: ‘With this bull!’ He said: ‘So be it!’ On his (the bull’s) being killed the voice went from him. It entered into Manâvî, the wife of Manu; and when they heard her speak, the Asuras and Rakshas were continually being crushed. Thereupon the Asuras said to one another: ‘Hereby even greater evil is inflicted on us, for the human voice speaks more!’ Kilâta and Âkuli then said: ‘God-fearing, they say, is Manu: let us then ascertain!’ They went to him and said: ‘Manu! we will sacrifice for thee!’ He said: ‘Wherewith?’ They said: ‘With this thy wife!’ He said: ‘So be it!’ And on her being killed that voice went from her.
Purchasing/Procuring Human Head and Flesh for Sacrifice
In Krishna Yajur Veda buying the head of a dead man for twenty-one beans is prescribed. It is unclear from whom to obtain the human head for 21 beans.
Krishna Yajur Veda 5.1.8 With twenty-one beans he approaches the head of the man; beans are impure,
the man’s head is impure; verily by the impure he redeems its impurity and making it pure takes it. There are twenty-one; man is composed of twenty-one parts; (verily they serve) to obtain man. The man’s head is impure as bereft of the breaths; he deposits (it near) an ant-heap pierced in seven places; the breaths in the head are seven; verily he unites it with the breaths, to make it pure. Of all those [1]
The same is mentioned in Katha Samhita 19.8; 20.8, it is further mentioned in Krishna Yajur Veda,
Krishna Yajur Veda 5.2.9.1 if he desire of a man, ‘May he eat food that fails not’, he should put it down full; verily he eats food that fails not. The man accords a thousand of cattle, the other animals a thousand; in the middle he puts down the head of the man, to give it strength. In the pan he puts (it) down; verily he makes it attain support; the head of the man is impure as devoid of breaths; the breaths are immortality.
Apastamba Srauta Sutra 16.6.2-7 “Having taken seven or twenty-one beans in his hand he goes towards the human head – (head) either of a Vaisya or Rajanya, or one who is killed due to an arrow or killed due to thunderbolt. (TS V.1.8′ KS XX.8). Having thrown the beans near (the bodies), having cut head of man with ayam yo si… he keeps a fossilized anthill with seven perforations, on the place of the head. While moving around)the head in the clockwise manner) he sings three sung-verses addressed to Yama beginning with yo’sya kausthya. According to some (ritualists) he mutters (the above mentioned verses) while bringing (the human head). Having taken the human head with idamasmakam bhuje…, he brings it with udehyagne. With the three verses beginning with pari trivistryadhvaram having carried fire around it, having besmeared it with clay he keeps it down.” Tr. G. U Thite
The same is mentioned in Baudhayana Srauta Sutra 10.9 and 10.10.
Satapatha Brahmana states,
Satapatha Brahmana 7:5:2:13-14 He then lifts up the human head–he thereby exalts it–with, ‘Giver of a thousand thou art: for a thousand thee!’ a thousand means everything: thus, ‘the giver of everything, for everything (I bestow) thee!’. He then puts them (the heads) in (the fire-pan), first (that of) the man–having taken possession of the man by strength he sets him up;–the man in the middle; on both sides the other victims: he thus sets the man, as the eater, in the midst of cattle; whence man is the eater in the midst of cattle. [22-23] These are the victims; separately he puts them down, separately he ‘settles’ them, and separately he pronounces the Sudadohas on them; for separate from one another are those animals. He then offers on the human head, sacrifice is offering: he thus makes man the one among animals fit to sacrifice; whence man alone among animals perform sacrifice.
Satapatha Brahmana criticizes those who procure heads of five victims without sacrificing them, for such sacrificers will become mortal carcasses, like Asadhi Sausromateya, who died quickly after such heads had been put into his fire altar.
Satapatha Brahmana 6:2:1:37; 39 Now some, having in that way obtained those heads, put them on (the fire-altar), thinking, ‘Either way are they animals.’ But they (who do this) become mortal carcases, for unpropitiated are those (heads) of theirs. In this way, indeed, they did put them on for Ashâdhi Sausromateya; but quickly indeed he died after that. Some, again, make earthen ones, thinking, ‘Passed away, forsooth, are these animals, and this earth is the shelter of all that has passed away: thus whither those animals have gone, from thence we collect them.’ Let him not do so, for whoso knows not both the practice and theory of these (victims), for him let them be passed away. Let him slaughter those very five victims, as far as he may be able to do so; for it was these Pragâpati was the first to slaughter, and Syâparna Sâyakâyana the last; and in the interval also people used to slaughter them. But nowadays only these two are slaughtered, the one for Pragâpati, and the one for Vâyu. The theory of these two is now (to be) told.
Offering of Flesh and Blood to Gods and Goddesses
Hindu scriptures also provide instructions about offering Human flesh in sacrifices. The Sanskrit word Mahamasa is used which Hindu scholars have translated as human flesh. As far as my knowledge is concerned the flesh could be obtained by killing a human or by taking the flesh of a dead human. But since cremation is more common so there’s a possibility that a human being was killed to obtain the flesh for sacrifices.
Srimad Bhagavatam prohibits Human Sacrifice to Kali and Bhairava but Agni Purana provide instructions on how to perform Human Sacrifice to Kali and Bhairava. Following verses from Agni Purana gives instructions on how to perform Homa with flesh, blood and bones of human to ensure victory in battle,
Agni Purana 125.46-50 ” ‘Om obeisance to the greatest Bhairava (Maha Bhairava) the fierce jawed, yellow eyed, diabolical looking one who wields a sword and a trident in his hands, Vousat.’ The earth should be made permeated with the above Mantra, which would hold any abeyance the arms of the enemy’s forces. Now I shall speak about the fire rite (Agnikaryya) which should be performed at the commencement of a battle for ensuring victory. In the night of the votary should resort to a cremation ground, and light up a fire with the logs of wood found therein unto which he should perform hundred and eight times the Homa ceremony with poison and human flesh and blood, and broken bones of dead bodies by uttering the name of his enemy.” Tr. M.N. Dutt
Following are the instructions given for performing homa to Camundi,
Garuda Purana I.38.8 “With the great flesh (human flesh) coated with the three sweet things homa shall be performed one thousand and eight times repeating each letter one thousand eight times. Or merely gingelly seeds coated with trimadhura can be used for homa.” Tr. J.L. Shastri
In another verse of Agni Purana, a goddess is supplicated to relish the flesh of enemy humans,
Agni Purana 134.1-6 “Kill and kill, Oh thou goddess who dost fondly relish human flesh and blood, trample down and trample down, Om, pierce through and pierce through, Om slay and slay…” Tr. M.N. Dutt
Something similar is also mentioned in Agni Purana 145.1-4. Another verse from Agni Purana says,
Agni Purana 311.31-33 “An image or a picture of the goddess Tvarita, should be the object of worship in the present instance, or her presence should be simply invoked on the sacred cushion, on such an occasion. The rites of Japa and Homa should be performed a hundred thousand, or a ten thousand times, in connection with each worship, or a hundred thousand libations should be poured on the fire, after having repeated the Mantra, as above indicated. The libations should contain the particles of buffalo, sheep, or human flesh, or handsful of barley, sesamum, fried paddy, or Vrihi soaked in the washings of wheat, or should consist of clarified butter containing the slices of a Bael fruit.” Tr. M.N. Dutt
Agni Purana 314.9-12 “the verse should be written with a pen of cow’s quill, and in a composition made of collyrium, the gum of a Nimva tree, poison, and the marrow and blood of a human victim. A cremation ground, or a crossing of four roads, should be the place where the spell should be secretly practiced. The charm should be either placed underneath a pitcher, or deposited inside an anthill, or should be hung on the bough of a Vibhitaka tree. The spell, in question should be looked upon as the destroyer of one’s opponents of all demoninations.” Tr. M.N. Dutt
Devas propitiating the Sakti by means of human flesh,
Brahmanda Purana Lalita Mahutmya 12.56-67 “Even if we flee, there is no place of refuge for us anywhere. Hence, we shall make a sacrificial pit one Yojana in breadth. Let it be splendid and dug perfectly well. We shall prepare the sacrificial fire in accordance with the injunction of a Mahayaga. O Suras, we shall then worship the greatest Sakti by means of Mahamamsa (great flesh i.e. human flesh). We shall become Brahman or we will be able to enjoy heaven.’ On being told thus, the Devas with Indra as their leader duly performed Homa by chopping off the flesh to the chanting of Mantras.” Tr. G.V. Tagare
Kalika Purana chapter 35, verses 10-17 “The middle portion of that Sarabha-body, assumed by the great Samkara, turned into Bhairava, the wearer of human skull, terrible and inaccessible. They make offerings of (human) flesh and brain, mixed with fat, into the fire after these were put on a human skull (brahmakapala) and worship gods with wine. Human flesh is their oblation in sacrifice (they offer human sacrifice), blood is their drink, and wine is the means for the completion of sacrifice (yajna); they wear human skull in a curious way. They always wear tiger skins marked by three lines with dirt, are under the vow of fulfilling the austerity, called kapalavrata (doing with the human skull), and they behave like this. Kapala Bhairava (Bhairava with a human skull) is their god for worshipping. Bhairava, who resides in the crematorium is known by the epithet Maha Bhairava. He, with eighteen hands, and red eyes resembling the rising sun in radiance, always indulges in sexual dalliance with a host of female consorts, headed by terrible Kali. Bhairava always eats the human flesh which is being burnt just at the moment, wears a garland of human hands dangling from his neck, his body is always besmeared with sandal paste, while his seat is the human corpse, his face is large, the lips are thick, the feet and the body are thick and short; he is always in an amusing mood; he beats a drum and utters loud cries.” Tr. Biswanarayan Shastri
Sacrifices/Rituals equivalent to Human Sacrifice
Mahabharata Asvamedha Parva 13, Section 25 He that bathes in Analamva or in eternal Andhaka, or in Naimisha, or the tirtha called Swarga, and offers oblations of water to the Pitris, subduing his senses the while, acquires the Merit of a human sacrifice
Mahabharata Vana Parva 3, Section 84 Arriving next at the well of Tamraruna, that is frequented by the gods, one acquireth, O lord of men, the merit that attaches to human sacrifice.
Narada Purana I.22.19 “O leading sage, he who performs the monthly fasts eight times, shall attain five times the benefit of sacrifice called Naramedha (Human sacrifice).” Tr. G.V. Tagare
Padma Purana I.59.187-191a “Aditya (i.e. the Sun) well-settled in the twelve mouths is always pleased with him who puts a rudraksa with twelve mouths round his neck. He quickly obtains the fruit which one gets by a cow-sacrifice or a human sacrifice, and deadly weapons are warded off.” Tr. N.A. Deshpande
Scriptures stating that Human were slaughtered in Human Sacrifice
Verses from Srimad Devi Bhagavatam suggests that human was immolated in Purushamedha, It’s about Shunashepa,
Devi Bhagavatam 7.15.8-10. “O Deva of the Devas! I will obey your order no doubt and I will perform your sacrifice according to the Vedic rites and with profuse Daksinâs (remuneration to priests, etc.) But, when in a sacrifice human beings are immolated as victims, both the husband and wife are entitled to the ceremony…” Tr. Swami Vijnananda
Jain saint censuring the sacrifices of Vedas and telling its evils to king Vena,
Padma Purana II.37.32b-42 “I shall tell you another fierce act (mentioned) in the Vedas. When a guest goes (i.e. arrives) to the house, a brahmana (kills and) cooks (the flesh of) a great bull; or O king of kings, he would feed the guest (with the flesh of) a goat. (They kill) a horse in a horse-sacrifice, and a bull in a bull-sacrifice; a man in a human sacrifice and goats in a Vajapeya sacrifice…” Tr. N.A. Deshpande
Vamana Purana mentions that a “righteous” king performed human sacrifice for a hundred and thousand times,
Vamana Purana 50.15 “There, wherein the eminent king Gaya had performed the horse sacrifice a hundred times completed with the payment of liberal presents, the human sacrifice a hundred times and a thousand times as also the Rajasuya sacrifice a thousand times.” Tr. Ananda Swarup Gupta
Importance of Human Sacrifice in Hindu Scriptures
The Mahabharata in one place denies the existence of Human sacrifice but in another section recommends Human sacrifice for atonement of sins. Ved Vyasa speaks to Yudhisthira,
Mahabharata Asvamedha Parva 14, Section 3, Verses 4-8 “O Yudhishthira, those that commit sins, can always free themselves from them through penance, sacrifice and gifts. O king, O foremost of men, sinful people are purified by sacrifice, austerities and charity. The high-souled celestials and Asuras perform sacrifices for securing religious merit; and therefore sacrifice are of supreme importance. It is through sacrifices that the high-souled celestials had waxed so wondrously powerful; and having celebrated rites did they vanquish the Danavas. Do thou, O Yudhishthira, prepare for the Rajasuya, and the horse-sacrifice, as well as, O Bharata, for the Sarvamedha and the Naramedha.” Tr. K.M. Ganguli
Another Mahabharata verse suggests that by performing Human Sacrifice, Hindus attain higher status perhaps in the hereafter,
Mahabharata Shalya Parva 9, Section 50 “He then saw him in the regions of those foremost of men that perform the horse-sacrifice and the sacrifice in which human beings are slaughtered.” Tr. K.M. Ganguli
Hindu scriptures also mention priests’ sacrificial fees. It’s mentioned in Satapatha Brahmana,
Satapatha Brahmana 13:6:2:18-19 “Now as to the sacrificial fees. What there is towards the middle of the kingdom other than the land and the property of the Brâhmana, but including the men, of that the eastern quarter belongs to the Hotri, the southern to the Brahman, the western to the Adhvaryu, and the northern to the Udgâtri; and the Hotrikas share this along with them. And if a Brâhmana performs the sacrifice, he should bestow all his property in order to obtain and secure everything, for the Brâhmana is everything, and all one’s property is everything, and the Purushamedha is everything.”
Following verses from Satapatha and Aitareya Brahmana convey how the essence of sacrifice went from man to animals, it states that a man was offered as victim in sacrifice,
Satapatha Brahmana 1.2.3.6-7; Aitareya Brahmana Book 2, Para 8 “At first, namely, the gods offered up a man as the victim. When he was offered up, the sacrificial essence went out of him. It entered into the horse. They offered up the horse. When it was offered up, the sacrificial essence went out of it. It entered into the ox. They offered up the ox. When it was offered up, the sacrificial essence went out of it. It entered into the sheep. They offered up the sheep. When it was offered up, the sacrificial essence went out of it. It entered into the goat. They offered up the goat. When it was offered up, the sacrificial essence went out of it. It entered into this earth. They searched for it, by digging. They found it (in the shape of) those two (substances), the rice and barley: therefore even now they obtain those two by digging; and as much.”
Following Satapatha Brahmana verses mention 5 Pashus which were offered in sacrifice,
Satapatha Brahmana 6.2.1.18. A man (purusha) he slaughters first, for man is the first of animals; then a horse, for the horse comes after man; then a bull, for the bull (or cow) comes after the horse; then a ram, for the sheep comes after the cow; then a he-goat, for the goat comes after the sheep: thus he slaughters them according to their form, according to their excellence.
The Karpûrâdi-Stotra which is also known as Hymn to Kali says,
Karpûrâdi-Stotra verse 19 “O DARK One, wondrous and excelling in every way, becomes the accomplishment, of those worshippers who living in this world freely make offering to Thee in worship of the greatly satisfying flesh, together with hair and bone, of cats, camels, sheep, buffaloes, goats, and men.” Tr. Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe)
Indologists on Human Sacrifice
Jan E.M. Houben, Karel Rijik van Kooik wrote,
“Blood sacrifice, even human sacrifice, is elaborately described in the Kalika Purana [Kalika Purana 67, 68-90. Edition Sastri 1972), a Northeast-Indian work dating to the 11th century (Kooij 1972:3). Rituals win which blood from of one’s throat is offered, or pieces of one’s own flesh, or even one’s own body are mentioned in this text [Kalika Purana 67, 155-168. Edition Sastri 1972]. A variant of the navakhanda-rite mentioned above is described in the chapter on ‘blood-sacrifice’. The text mentions a special oblation to Durga which is to be given on the Mahanavami, ‘the great ninth day’. This sacrifice is called the offering of the flesh and blood from eight parts of the worshipper’s own body. A man who presents an oblation like this, the text says, will obtain the destruction of enemies [Kalika Purana 67, 151-164. Edition Sastri 1972]. Self-decapitation is not part of this rite. However, head offerings are mentioned in particular in connection with the worship of Durga, and also with rituals which took place at cremation places. Several names of fearsome deities which are usually associated with Tantric Buddhism, are mentioned in this work (Kooij 1974), such as Heruka, ekajata and Ugratara. They must have been deities who were at home in Tantric Buddhism and Hinduism, and who were associated with this kind of rites. The text of Kalikapurana makes it very clear that human sacrifice is considered as an ‘exceedinly great oblation’ [Kalika Purana 55, 3-6. Edition Sastri 1972], which isn only permitted when the country is in great danger and war is expected. The sacrifice can only be carried out with the official permission of the king [Kalika Purana 67, 116-117. Edition Sastri 1972.”
Violence Denied: Violence, Non-Violence and the Rationalization of violence in South Asian Cultural History, page 269, by Jan E.M. Houben, Karel Rijik van Kooij, BRILL, 1999
David Kinsley wrote,
“The Kalika-purana devotes a whole chapter to sacrifices acceptable to the Devi and includes human beings as particularly pleasing to her (71.73). A goddess named Kesai Khati (eater of raw flesh) was worshiped in Assam, and sometimes human sacrifices were made to her. The Manimekalai, a Tamil epic, describes the temple of a goddess which has an altar surrounded by posts from which human heads are hung…The Kalika-purana says that the Devi is satisfied when her devotee offer flesh from near their hearts (71.74 ff.)…In the Devi-mahatmya two devotees of the Devi petion her to grant them boons, and as part of their spiritual exercises they offer their own blood and pieces of their flesh (13.8).”
Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition, page 145, by David Kinsley, Published by Motilal Banarsidass, 1998
Jan N. Bremmer wrote about human sacrifice in Hinduism,
“It is clear that the central role of the human head (and the four animal heads) in the piling up of the fire-altar presupposes sacrificial slaughter of some sort. According to the Srautasutras of the Black Yajurveda, the human head should be cut off a ksatriya or vaisya killed by an arrow or lightning [Apastamba Srauta Sutra 16.6.2-3], after which it has to be covered with clay and set aside. The tradition of the White Yajurveda is more explicit that this ritual requires a human sacrifice. The Satapathabrahmana (6.2.12) unambiguously declares that a ‘man (purusa should be sacrificed first, for man is the first of the sacrificial animals (pasu).’ The Katyayana Srautasutra (16.1.17) states that the victim, a vaisya or rajanya, should be suffocated in a special secluded place, after which his head is taken, though it allows the option that a head of gold or clay is used as a substitute (ibid. 16.1.18) The bodies of the four animal victims are thrown into the water from where the clay is taken to make the bricks.”
If Purushamedha was only symbolic then why the word Medha is used? If this practice was symbolic then it should’ve had another name, is it a mere coincidence that the word Purushamedha is similar to Ashvamedha where a horse is slaughtered, and Gomedha where a cow is slaughtered? Hindu apologists try to reinterpret Purushamedha by saying that the victim was only symbolically sacrificed and it was not an actual slaying. It’s true that fire was carried around the human victim and then the victim was set free in some texts but the very scripture which says this also talks about actually slaying the victim. The story of Shunashepa proves that it was an actual slaying of a man in Purushamedha. Hindu texts talking about killing the human victim by cutting off his head, immolating it, strangling him, etc., also prove that Purushamedha/Naramedha did include the slaying of the human victim. Textual references, as well as archaeological evidence proves that human was slaughtered in this sacrifice. Hindu apologists should be brave enough to accept the evils in Hinduism after all Hindus now claim that they are progressive. What kind of religion would allow human sacrifice? Can such a religion be from god?
