The correct option is (c).
Explanation
The hiranya-garbha ritual was a significant socio-religious ceremony in early medieval India, primarily utilized by rulers to acquire Kshatriya status and legitimize their political authority.
Statement 1 is Correct: In the mid-eighth century, Dantidurga, a Rashtrakuta chief, overthrew his Chalukya overlord. To establish his legitimacy as an independent ruler, he performed the hiranya-garbha ritual.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: The term hiranya-garbha literally translates to "the golden womb" (hiranya meaning gold and garbha meaning womb). It does not translate to "the iron womb".
Statement 3 is Correct: The ritual was performed with the assistance of Brahmanas. It was believed that this ceremony allowed the sacrificer to undergo a symbolic "rebirth" as a Kshatriya, even if he was not of Kshatriya lineage by birth. This provided religious sanction to the ruler's power.
Key Takeaway: The hiranya-garbha ("golden womb") ritual was a mechanism for social mobility and political legitimation, famously used by the Rashtrakuta founder Dantidurga to claim Kshatriya status.