Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 14: The Aśvamedha Sacrifice
Text 1.14.30

नियुक्तास्तत्र पशवस्तत्तदुद्दिश्य दैवतम्।
उरगाः पक्षिणश्चैव यथा शास्त्रं प्रचोदिताः॥

niyuktās tatra paśavas tat tad uddiśya daivatam
uragāḥ
pakṣiṇaś caiva yathā-śāstraṁ pracoditāḥ

niyuktāḥ = were bound; tatra = to the pillars there; paśavaḥ = animals; tat tat uddiśya daivatam = for sacrificing them to specific deities such as Indra; uragāḥ = snakes; pakṣiṇaḥ = birds; ca eva = and; yathā-śāstram = in the scriptures; pracoditāḥ = as prescribed.

niyuktāḥ = were bound; tatra = to the pillars there; paśavaḥ = animals; tat tat uddiśya daivatam = for sacrificing them to specific deities such as Indra; uragāḥ = snakes; pakṣiṇaḥ = birds; ca eva = and; yathā-śāstram = in the scriptures; pracoditāḥ = as prescribed.

As prescribed in the scriptures, animals, snakes and birds were bound to the pillars there for sacrificing them to specific deities such as Indra.

The animals to be sacrificed were tied to the pillars described earlier. The pillars had interstices through which the animals were tied [15]. When possible, the snakes and so on were bound within cages. These animals and the deities to whom they were offered are described in the scriptures [16].

[15] yūpeṣu grāmyān paśūn niyuñjanti; ārokeṣv āraṇyān dhārayanti.

[16] indrāya rājñe sūkaraḥ . . . (Anuvāka)