History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.477

v5.c71.s1.477

*AŚVAMEDHĀVABHṚTHASNĀNA*— the ceremonial bath in the sea or a holy river at the end of an Aśvamedha sacrifice. Viṣṇu Dh. S. 36 (last verse) prescribes for those guilty of mahāpātakas and anupātakas the Aśvamedha sacrifice. It is only an emperor or a crowned king who is entitled to perform an Aśvamedha, at the end of which comes a ceremonial bath. Vide H of Dh. vol. II. pp. 1228-1236 for a description of the Aśvamedha According to Pr. V. p. 65 only a kṣatriya could perform Aśvamedha and so this bath was a penance for him alone. But according to Kullūka (on Manu XI. 92) and Pr. T. (both quoting a verse from Bhaviṣya-purāṇa) even a brāhmaṇa could participate in the bath at the end of the Aśvamedha and become free from the sin of brāhmaṇa murder if committed unintentionally.²⁹⁸