[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.heesterman-1985) › c4.s6.2 # The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c4.s6.2 The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c4.s6.2 - **Language:** English ### [c4.s6.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.heesterman-1985.c4.s6.2) But as we saw, sacrality has been divested of its decisive potency. It is only transcendence that provides ultimate authority, and it is only the brahmin who has access to it. However, because of his renunciatory stance that gives him transcendent authority, he cannot involve himself with the king on pain of losing that authority and becoming no more than the king. In practice, then, the much-vaunted king-brahmin alliance is a restricted formulation of multiple kingship. - [Previous: c4.s6.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.heesterman-1985.c4.s6.1) - [Next: c4.s6.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.heesterman-1985.c4.s6.3) - [Up: c4.s6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.heesterman-1985.c4.s6) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.heesterman-1985.c4.s6.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.heesterman-1985.c4.s6.2) · Pramāṇa