A horse with thirty-four ribs was mentioned in Rig Veda. This contrasts with most modern horses, which typically possess thirty-six ribs.
And, its literal meaning tells us that a horse was butchered, though the esoteric meaning conveys a different picture.
चतुस्त्रिंशद्वाजिनो देवबन्धोर्वङ्क्रीरश्वस्य स्वधितिः समेति । अच्छिद्रा गात्रा वयुना कृणोत परुष्परुरनुघुष्या वि शस्त ॥
catustriṃśad vājino devabandhor vaṅkrīr aśvasya
svadhitiḥ sam eti | acchidrā gātrā vayunā kṛṇota paruṣ-parur anughuṣyā vi śasta
||
English translation:
The axe converges on the thirty-four ribs of the prizewinning horse, who has connection with the gods. Arrange his legs, undamaged, into patterns, and carve them up joint by joint, having called them out in order.
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Sāyaṇa’s bhāṣya (commentary) on Rig Veda 1.162.18
वाजिनोऽश्वस्यदेवबंधोः देवानांप्रियस्य चतुस्त्रिंशद्वंक्रीः एतत्संख्यान्युभयपार्श्वास्थीनि स्वधितिः छेदनसाधनोऽसिः समेति सम्यग्गच्छति छेदनायइतरेषांअजादीनांषड्विंशतिरेव षड्विंशतिरस्यवं- क्रयइतिप्रैषात् हेविशसनकर्तः अस्याश्वस्यगात्राणिशरीरावयवान् अच्छिद्राणियथाभवन्तितथाव- युना वयुनानि प्रज्ञानानि वयुनमितिप्रज्ञानाम वयुनंअभिख्येतितन्नामसूक्तत्वात् कृणोत कुरुत तप्त- नप्तनथनाश्चेतितबादेशः हृदयजिह्वावक्षः प्रभृतीनिप्रज्ञायमध्येछिन्नानि माकुरुतेत्यर्थः तदर्थंपरुःपरुः प्रतिर्वप्रतिहृदयाद्यवयवं अनुघृष्यइदमवद्यमिति संशब्द्यैवविशस्त विशासनंकुरुत शसुहिंसायां छांद- सःशपोलुक् गात्रंगात्रमस्यानूनंकृणुतादितिप्रैषात् ॥ १८ ॥
Refers to the horse (vājin) used in the sacrifice, beloved of the gods (devabandhuḥ = friend of the gods, devānāṃ priyaḥ = dear to the gods). The horse has thirty-four ribs (vaṅkrīḥ = ribs), counted on both sides. This is unique to the horse, unlike other animals. The axe (svadhitiḥ) is the instrument of cutting, which “goes rightly” (sam eti) to perform the dissection. Other animals (like goats, etc.) have only 26 ribs, but the horse has 34. This distinction is emphasized.
Instruction to the sacrificer: cut carefully. The limbs (gātrāṇi), the body parts (śarīrāvayavān) of the horse must remain acchidra (unperforated, unmangled), cut properly and intact.
Vayunāni means “arrangements, faculties, or modes of knowledge.” Here, it refers to the horse’s body parts as seats of consciousness. → Prajñānāni = faculties of awareness. The word vayuna is used to denote prajñāna (knowledge-faculty). Because of this naming convention, the sacrificer must “do” (cut) accordingly.
Instruction: “Do not cut through the middle of the faculties such as the heart, tongue, chest, etc.” → Meaning: the cutting must be careful, not damaging the symbolic seats of consciousness. Each limb (paruḥ) must be touched and named in sequence (heart, tongue, chest, etc.), declaring “this is sacred, not to be harmed,” and then cut. In the ritual language (chandas), the instruction is: “Cut limb by limb, without omission.” Anūnaṃ = nothing left out, complete enumeration.
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It is to be noted that it is not a physical horse but the pranic energy illuminated MIND of a spiritual practitioner, narrated in an esoteric manner.
-=
The basic premise of spirituality is as follows:
· Every individual will have a DIVINE light/BRAHMAN hidden within oneself, though the individual may not be aware of it.
· The emotional attachments/feelings, viz., love, jealousy, anger, avarice, etc, are hindrances in an individual, which will conceal the DIVINE LIGHT and will not allow one to experience the DIVINE LIGHT, ie., one is in the state of separation from the pure consciousness or overpowered by Diti.
· This hidden DIVINE LIGHT within every individual is mentioned in Rig Veda, esoterically, as concealment of cows/light/waters in a cave/pen.
· the illuminated mind of the individual involved in spiritual practices is called in Rig Veda, as Indra/Brihaspati
· one’s own weaknesses were described in esoteric sense, Vrtra/Panis
· Conquering of one’s own weaknesses were described, in esoteric sense, as elimination of Vrtra/Panis by Indra/Brihaspati, etc, and attaining of SELF REALISATION was described as conquering of swar, releasing of concealed cows/sun/waters from a CAVE, etc
· the pranic energy illuminated MIND of a spiritual practitioner is called, esoterically, as a horse - अश्व
—
Killing of horse in Rig veda indicates , esoterically, the shackles or emotional attachments of the pranic energy illuminated MIND of the individual getting rid of.
Axe indicates the sharp power of the formless ENERGY or BRAHMAN, which will cut off the shackles or emotional attachments.
The 34 ribs of the horse indicate the 34 divine powers hitherto functioning separately within the individual, as per the commandments of the BRAHMAN.
When the spiritual practice reaches its culmination point, the 34 divine powers hitherto functioning separately within the individual, will get merged into a SINGLE formless ENERGY or BRAHMAN, which is otherwise known as experiencing BLISS by the individual.
The above issue can be corelated with Rig Veda 10.55.3.
Rig Veda 10.55.3 indicates the same issue, in a different manner, where the Indra, along with 34 luminaries, observes a SINGLE LIGHT.
आ रोदसी अपृणादोत मध्यं पञ्च देवाँ ऋतुशः सप्तसप्त । चतुस्त्रिंशता पुरुधा वि चष्टे सरूपेण ज्योतिषा विव्रतेन ॥
ā rodasī apṛṇād ota madhyam pañca devām̐ ṛtuśaḥ sapta-sapta | catustriṃśatā
purudhā vi caṣṭe sarūpeṇa jyotiṣā vivratena ||
English translation:
He filled the two world-halves and their middle. The five (groups of) gods in their proper sequence, seven by seven, does he survey with the thirty-four (lights) in their multiplicity, (which are one) light having a single form but following various commandments.
——
Esoterically, it can be understood as follows:
When the spiritual practice reached its culmination point, the illuminated MIND (Indra) expands into (3 worlds) every corner of consciousness, experiences the thirty-four divinities (lights), which are working in different dimensions, got merged into a SINGLE formless light/BRAHMAN.
