The 23rd Chapter of Yajurveda describes the so-called Ashwamedha Yajna as per many so-called Vedic experts.

Mahidhar and Uvvat are considered to be great Vedic scholars who wrote their commentaries on Yajurveda. Rishi Dayanand, the legendary freedom-fighter and social reformer of late 19th century is another commentrator on Yajurveda. Many disregard Dayanand's commentary because he proved that many of the contemporary neo-Hindu beliefs like Gender discrimination, birth-based casteism, supersititions, astrology, idol-worship, new Purans as against precepts of Vedas and hence worth outright rejection. This implied demolishing of ageold beliefs which had plagued Bharat's progress for centuries. And hence as expected, his views, though razor sharp in reasoning and evidences, met with stiff opposition. Till date many refuse to recognize Dayanand's commentaries for the same reason. Many self-proclaimed sanskrit scholars and priests believing in birth-based superiority and superstitions mislead common people by claiming that Dayanand's commentary on Vedas are full of errors and that Sayana, Uvvat and Mahidhara are great sages with best commentary on Vedas. They would produce Sanskrit texts of commentaries by Dayanand, Sayana and Mahidhar etc and raise issues on sanskrit grammar which make no head or tail for common person. This is the way they mislead people and claim that Dayanand has insulted their forefathers and the real vedic dharma. The truth is completely the opposite. To give example why and bring reality to front, here is produced translation of 23rd chapter of Yajurveda by Dayanand, Mahidhar and Uvvat. The Dayanand commentary is given in summary in English. The Mahidhar and Uvvat commentary is scanned from Chaukhabha Prakashan, a publisher of Hindu books, along with Hindi summary translation. Mind that Chaukhabha Prakashan is managed not by those who admire Dayanand, and instead by those who believe in counter-view. Go through these yourself, and decide if Dayanand was wrong in rejecting these translations as trash. Especially read meanings of Verses 19 onwards. This describes the so-called Ashwamedha Yajna. I openly challenge anyone believing this to conduct such a yajna in his own house.If you cannot, then come out honestly and reject this trash and start believing in the true Vedic dharma. English Translation of Dayanand's commentary on Yajurveda Chapter 23 (by Devi Chand) 1. God is the Creator of the universe, its one Lord, the Sustainer of luminous objects like the sun. He was present before the creation of the world. He sustains this Earth and the Sun in past, present and future. Let us worship with self dedication of our soul, Him, the Embodiment of happiness. 2. O God, Thou art realisable through yoga. I serve Thee and accept Thee as Protector of the King who takes care of his subjects. This primordial matter and the Sun testify to Thy Greatness. Thy Majesty is discernible in the day and year. Thy Majesty is seen in the wind and firmament. Thy Majesty is traceable in the luminous Sun. For all that, for Thy protecting greatness and for the learned persons, we always sing praises. 3. God by His grandeur is the sole Ruler of the moving world that breathes and slumbers. He is the Sovereign Lord of these men and cattle. Let us worship with devotion, Him, the Embodiment of happiness. 4. O God Thou art realisable through yoga. I serve Thee and accept Thee as Protector of the king who takes care of his subjects. This water

and moon testify to Thy greatness. Thy Majesty is seen in the night and year. Thy Majesty is found in the Earth and fire. Thy Majesty is discernible in the immortal worlds and the moon. For all that, for Thy protecting greatness and for the learned persons, we always sing praises. 5. They, who unite their souls with God, Who pervades all stationary objects, and protects the vital parts of our body; shine in Him like beams in the Sun, 6. Just as experts yoke to the chariot two beautiful horses, controlled with difficulty and through diverse devices; tawny, stout, our bearers from one place to the other, so do the yogis yoke their organs of sense, mind, and vital breaths to God. 7. O laudable learned person, just as artisans control the beautiful diffused form of electricity, swift like the wind, and erect electrical contrivances worked with water, so do ye prepare with the aid of electricity a fast moving machine, that takes us from one place to the other. 2. Day and year : The regularity of time, the rising and setting of the sun in time all the year round, indicate the Majesty of God. 8. O king, the protector of his subjects, the Vasus approach thee with Vedic verses in Gayatri Metre, Rudras approach thee with verses in Trishtup metre, Adityas approach thee with verses in Jagati metre, eat thou this food, O learned people eat ye this food prepared from barley and cow's milk and its products, and move on Earth, Ether, Heaven, and distinct planets moving in their orbits, 8. Vasus, Rudras and Adityas are the learned persons observing celibacy for 24, 36 and 48 years. 9-12. In 9th and 10th, and llth, 12th verses there are questions and answers. 9. Who moveth singly and alone ? Who is brought forth to life again ? What is the remedy of cold ? What is the vast field for production ? 10. The Sun moves singly and alone. The Moon is brought to life again. Fire is the remedy of cold. The Earth is the vast field for production. 11. What is the primary thought? What is the bird of mighty size ? What is the majestic beautiful thing ? What absorbs light ? 12. Rain is the primary thought. Fire is like the mighty bird, Earth is the majestic, beautiful object that protects us with corn. Night absorbs light. 13. O student, may air help thee with cooked viands, black-necked fire with powers of digestion, fig tree with clouds, Shalmali tree with its increase. May the stallion, that moves on the roads the chariot, bestower of happiness come unto thee on his four feet. May the learned scholar of the four Vedas, free from the darkness of ignorance fill us with virtues. May we offer him food.

13. Shalmali The silk-cotton tree. A lofty and thorny tree with red flowers. It is called <WT tree. Black-necked : Fire with its dark smoke. Four feet : with full ipeed, 14. Body is strengthened through penance, warm like the sun's rays. Organs are also strengthened through penance. Vital breaths are invigorated through penance. A learned yogi advances spiritually through the attainment of love for God. 15. O seeker after knowledge, thyself strengthen the body, thyself walk in the company of the learned, and thyself serve them. Let not thy greatness be marred by any one. 16. O Soul thou art immortal and indestructible. By fair paths thou cultivatest noble qualities. May the resplendent God place thee in that place t where the godly yogis dwell, and derive pleasure. 17. O seeker after knowledge, in this world, fire is a thing of beauty. Just as learned persons perform yajnas with it, so shouldst thou do. Just as a learned person masters this beautiful place of sacrifice, so shouldst thou do. If thou wilt properly manage the place of yajna, fire will manifest itself as a thing worth seeing. Drink thou the waters purified by the yajna. Air is a thing of beauty. Just as learned persons perform yajnas with it, so shouldst thou do. Just as a learned person masters the atmosphere, the home of air, so shouldst thou do. If thou wilt master the atmosphere, air will look as a beautiful thing. Breathe thou the air purified by the yajna. Sun is a thing of beauty. The learned perform yajnas with its aid. Just as a learned person acquires full knowledge about the sun, so shouldst thou do. If thou wilt do it, sun will appear as a beautiful thing unto thee. Enjoy thou the beams of the sun purified through the yajna, and reigning in the universe. 18. O mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, I cannot be subdued by a man, who, though he be quick like a horse, and in full possession of wealth, the bringer of good furtune, and sustainer of an easeloving person, but lies in idle slumber. I utter truthful speech for the sustenance of vital breath. I use instructive speech for warding off misery. I speak the truth for the preservation of my soul that pervades the body. 18. One should never lapse into idleness, though he be the master of wealth. A wealthy person should be active and enterprising. 19. O God, we invoke Thee, the troop-lord of troops. We invoke Thee, the Lord of the beloved ones. We invoke Thee, the Lord of the treasure of knowledge. O God, all beings reside in Thee. Thou art my judge. I know Thee full well free from birth, the Sustainer of Matter that keeps the universe in its womb. Thou knowest Matter. Griffith has not translated the 10 verses 20-29 saying that these stanzas are not reproducible even in the semi-obscurity of a learned European language ; and stanzas 30, 31

would be unintelligible without them. Uvvat and Mahidhar have translated these stanzas in an obscene language unfit for reproduction. Swami Dayananda has given to the world their correct interpretation, 20. The King and his subjects in unison, magnify the four stages Dharma : Law, custom, piety, duty, justice, merit, character, the soul. Artha : Worldly prosperity. Kama : Affection, object of desire. Moksha : Liberation, deliverance. of Dharma, Arth, Kama, Moksha, wherewith they reside happily in their country. The King, the chastiser of the wicked, full of knowledge, the possessor of strength and prowess, lends valour to his subjects. 21 O powerful King, punish the immoral person residing amongst women, and the degraded woman living amongst men, with feet upwards, and head downwards 5 spread happiness amongst your people, and establish your well established reign of justice. 22. The King establishes his rule over his subjects, which aspiring after happiness, acquire it bit by bit. His subjects are weak like the tiny sparrow. He realises land revenue from the people to be spent on their advancement. 23. O harmless King, don't utter untruth before us. Let not thy tongue utter meaningless words like a prattler. A King who has got no control over his tongue will be extirpated like a weak sparrow, and defrauded by his subjects. 24. O king, thy forbearing and loving mother, and thy father brilliant and nourishing like the sun, rule over the prosperity and riches of the sovereignty of this mundane universe. Thy father has beautified his rule for his subjects. I, as his subect, do love him dearly. 25. O master of all the four vedas, thy mother patient like the Earth, and thy father shining like the Sun, enjoy with knowledge and grandeur the mastery of the universe. Thy mouth is eager to speak, but thou shouldst not talk much. 25. A learned person should not talk much without purpose. He should follow the maxim 'Speech is silver, silence is gold.' Too much talking is not a sign of wisdom. 26. O king, like the man taking a load up to the mountain, always lift up these excellent subjects of thine full of sovereign wealth. Having acquired these precious subjects attain to prosperity, just as an agriculturist in a cool breeze separates corn from the chaff and improves physically by its use. 27. O learned persons among the subjects, elevate this king in all administrative designs, as a labourer takes a load up to the mountain.

Having thus contributed to the prosperity of the State, aspire after pure deeds, like the corn purified in a cool breeze. 28. The king and officials, who contribute to the grandeur of their subjects in part or full, and both make them energetic, tremble when they unjustly realise taxes from them, just as tiny fishes tremble in the water below the cow's hooves, 29. Just as we distinguish between man and woman from their organs, so we realise truth from visible evidence. Learned persons with the help of truth acquire humility and their desired objects. 30. A licentious king who squeezes money out of his subjects, like the deer who destroys the barley field, cannnot see his people thrive. A Shudra maid-servant who has got illicit connection with her master, does not desire the progress of her family. 31. A King, who destroys his subjects, like the deer the barley field, cannot see his people thrive. A Shudra servant who has got illicit connection with his mistress, does not desire the progress of his family. 31. A king who plunders and teases his subjects, is like the deer who eats barley in the field, and doesn't allow it grow. Similarly the King who impoverishes and destroys his subjects is like the male servant who violates the chastity of his mistress, and thereby nullifies her dignity, fame and wealth. 32. I sing the praise of God, obtainable by him who deeply meditates upon Him, the Remover of miseries, and full of splendour. May He strengthen our vital breaths, and prolong the days we have to live. 33. O King, may the vedic verses in Gayatri, Trishtup, Jagati, Anushtup, Pankti, Brihati, Ushni, Kakup and metres uttered by the subjects, pacify thee. 33. Gayatri :- that protects the singer. Trishtup:- that protects u? from mental, material and natural afflictions. Jagati :- Diffused like the earth. Anushtup'- Whereby worldly afflictions are warded off. Ushnik:- Whereby we sing early in the morning. Brihati :- Full of deep significance. * Kakup'- Full with the meaning of elegant stanzas. Suchi means subjects. Suchi means needle, just as a needle sews and join c together the broken parts of a cloth, so do there verses concentrate the mind of seeker after knowledge on God. 34. O King may the two-footed, four-footed, three-footed, six-footed

metrical divisions, with different metres or one uniform metre, uttered by the subjects pacify thee. 34. Dvipada:- Brahmcharis, Chatushpada :- Grihasthis. Tripada:- Vanprasthis. Shatpada;- Seekers after emancipation, Moksha. Vichhanda :- Self sacrificing. Satchhanda:- Equipped with special spiritual resources. The verse may also mean :- May the Brahmcharis, Grihasthis, Vanprasthis, Sanyaais, the aspirers after Moksha, self sacrificing perrons and those equipped with special spiritual resources pacify thee.