The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c6.s2.1

c6.s2.1

Death must constantly be overcome in order to renew life. The preclassical dualistic system of ritual brought this about through the cooperation of the rival parties in endless rounds of "qui perd gagne." This meant that one was all the time doubly dependent on the other. One needed the other so as to be able to shed one's dead, impure self; but, on the other hand, to fill the vacuum thus created, one again depended on the other. *Pāpman*, "evil," had to be passed to the other so as to be reconverted into *śrī*, "good fortune"; but in order to receive it back, one again depended on the other.