The famous Vedic ritual involving the sacrifice of a horse to establish undisputed sovereignty over a territory was known as:

💡 Solution & Explanation

The Ashvamedha was an elaborate Vedic royal ritual wherein a consecrated horse was let loose to wander freely for a year, guarded by royal forces to assert undisputed territorial sovereignty. In contrast, the Rajasuya was a consecration sacrifice performed to legitimize a king's accession to supreme authority, while the Vajapeya involved chariot races and sacrificial offerings. Successful completion of an Ashvamedha sacrifice signified that the monarch held paramount imperial authority over rival chieftains. This ritual is vividly described in both Vedic literature and later epics like the Mahabharata.