The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c13.s1.25

c13.s1.25

So rival, viś, and Maruts are put on a par through their common connection with the southern vedi. And it is of course this southern vedi that serves the purpose of the disposal of untruth (*anṛta*) and Varuṇa's bonds. Thus the milk dish for the Maruts and the dishes made of barley groats (*karambhapātrāṇi*)—the latter a distinctive feature of this sacrifice—are placed on the sourthern vedi and offered in the southern fire, as against the milk dish for Varuṇa and the other offerings that are placed on the northern vedi and offered in the northern fire. The offerings in the sourthern fire signify the disposal of anṛta and Varuṇa's bonds as well as the subjugation of the opponent, the recalcitrant viś, or the Maruts.³⁵