Ashvamedhika-parva is the Book of the Horse Sacrifice in the Mahabharata. Among the 18 parvas of the Mahabharat, it is the fourteenth book of the sequence and has sub parvas ninety one to ninety two. The book is an anthology of the royal ceremony of the Ashvamedha or the `Horse sacrifice` conducted by Yudhisthira. In addition to that the book Ashvamedhika-parva also demonstrates the world conquest by Arjuna. The narration of Anugita is told by Krishna to Arjuna.
This book, Ashvamedhika-parva is included within concluding portions of the Mahabharata and is distinguished for several reasons. The first part of the `Book of the Horse Sacrifice` has a long interposed section of Upanishadic material, is known as Anugita. The Anugita section occupies a large part of this book, herein Arjuna asked Lord Krishna to repeat his battlefield discourse. Anugita is the story of Utanka, who was a disciple of Lord Krishna who underwent a journey involving experiences with a cannibal king, magic earrings and a journey to the underworld.
It is observed that the Ashvamedhika-parva is a disjointed metaphysical treatise which was probably composed at a much later date than the main narrative. Ashvamedhika-parva is the story of the great Horse Sacrifice of Yudhishthira, which resumes the main narrative of the Mahabharata. In Yajur-Veda, the Horse Sacrifice was the premiere ceremony as Ashvamedhika-parva. It is an expiatory ritual of unmatched extravagance. In the book of Horse sacrifice the detailed introduction is provided of the ritual performed. In Mahabharat this magnificent ritual accomplished a new height when it was performed by Yudhisthira.
A wild black horse was set loose from Hastinapur, the Kuru capital. The Kuru army, let by Arjuna started in order to follow this horse, wherever it may lead. They were required to get involved into a ritual combat with the Kshatria or the military caste of whatever territory the horse entered, without killing the leader of the opposing force. Then they would invite the trespassed nation to the sacrifice. The book also describes the incident of the moment when the horse returned to the capital city, and amidst a pavilion of pure gold it was sacrificed. Horse Sacrifice or Ashvamedhika Yagna has attained prominence and is among the anticlimax part of the book.
