Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s12.414

v1.c3.s12.414

Go-mṛga, a species of ox, now called Gayal (*Bos gavaeus*), is mentioned in the list of victims at the Aśvamedha, or horse sacrifice, in the Yajurveda Saṃhitās¹ and Brāhmaṇas.² In the Taittirīya Saṃhitā³ it is declared to be neither a wild nor a tame animal; this presumably means that it was semi-domesticated, or perhaps that it was both tamed and found wild. With the name of this animal may be compared the Mṛga Mahiṣa, which is clearly mentioned as wild in the Rigveda.⁴ See also Gayava.