The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c6.s3.5

c6.s3.5

The individualization of the ritual, which placed the single yajamāna in the center, stands out clearest in those cases where the texts by their own words indicate that originally the ceremony was performed by rival groups. Such is, for instance, the case of the "concord" sacrifice (*saṃjñāneṣṭi*).⁴⁴ This ritual was manifestly intended to be performed by rival groups in order to unite them under a common leader. "The gods, unable to agree among themselves on the leadership (*anyonyasya śraiṣṭhye 'tiṣṭhamānāḥ*), divided into four groups—Agni with the Vasus, Soma with the Rudras, Indra with the Maruts, Varuṇa with the Ādityas—Bṛhaspati made them perform the saṃjñāneṣṭi; they turned to Indra; they agreed on Indra as their leader." The classical ritual of course cannot fully admit such a situation. It therefore transformed the saṃjñāna ceremony into a standard type vegetal offering (*iṣṭi*) to be performed by a single yajamāna, who wishes that the others will agree on his leadership, but without their participation in the ceremony. Thus the *Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā* continues: "On him who performs this iṣṭi, they agree as their leader." It is to be noted that whereas the explanatory story speaks of a plurality of rival gods performing the ceremony, the iṣṭi is to be performed by a single person.⁴⁵