Dictionary of all Scriptures & Myths

HORSE, SACRIFICIAL

A symbol of Divine manifestation on the buddhic plane at the commencement of the great cycle of life. It signifies the sacrifice of the Logos in the limitation of himself in forms of matter.

“Yearly the sun-god as the zodiacal horse (Aries) was supposed by the Vedic Aryans to die to save all flesh. Hence the horse sacrifice." - A. LILLIE, Popular Life of Buddha, p. 58.

“The Asva-medha (horse-sacrifice) is Pragapati."

“Pragapati poured forth the life-sap of the horse (asva-medha). When poured forth, it went straight away from him and spread itself over the regions. The gods went in quest of it. By means of offerings they followed it up, by offerings they searched for it, and by offerings they found it." - Sata. Bráh., XIII. 1, 4, 1.

The Supreme emanated the Divine Life in the sacrifice of himself. When emanated, it passed into the matter of all the planes (regions) to the outermost physical. The monads of life (the gods) became embodied in the forms and sought to be evolved in its qualities. By means of relinquishing lower conditions, the monads became attached to higher. By giving up the inferior qualities they secured the superior.

"He addresses the horse with,- 'Thus born, art thou the child of the two worlds,'-the two worlds, doubtless, are these two, heaven and earth; and he (Agni) thus born, is the child of these two." - Ibid., VI. 4, 4, 2.

The descent of the Divine life into manifestation is both a sacrifice and a birth. The Higher Self (Agni) is born in matter both on the higher planes (heaven) and the lower planes (earth); and thus the indwelling child," as it were, Spirit becomes a of duality, the higher nature and the lower.

See Also

ADITI
AGNI (Fire God)
ARIES
ASURA (lower)
BLOOD
BLOOD OF THE LAMB
BURNT-OFFERING
CHILD
CREATION
DAWN
EVOLUTION
HEAVEN AND EARTH
INCARNATION
INVOLUTION
OFFERING
PRAGÂPATI
REGIONS
SACRIFICE
SACRIFICER
SOMA-JUICE
SUN
SUN-RISING
ZODIAC