The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c19.s4.43

c19.s4.43

⁴¹ Cf. *Vādhūla*, extract 110: "Previously they used to immolate a man for Prajāpati." When the gods retired from the sacrifice, the human victim was replaced by a he-goat. Apparently there was a basic rule of five "animals" interpreted in different ways by the two branches of the Yajurveda. The Black Yajurveda fills out the number five by replacing the human victim with the Prajpāti he-goat. The more systematic White Yajurveda opts for the abstract solution and systematizes the five-animal sacrifice as it stands, taking over the substitute Prajāpati he-goat as an alter-