The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c7.13

c7.13

Elements of the mythology involved do contain indications to this effect. Indra and the Aśvins apparently are guests of Namuci, with whom they partake of the cultic beverage. Makha is himself the sacrifice or the sacrificial substance; in this he is in the same position as the sacrificer,²⁹ who as a host must furnish the “head.” Viśvarūpa, though clearly standing for the sacrifice, does not seem to be himself a sacrificer in this connection; in *Taittirīya Saṃhitā* 2. 5. 1. 1, he is characterized as an intermediary between the two parties of devas and asuras, sister’s son of the asuras and purohita to the devas, openly promising their part of the sacrifice to the gods and secretly to the asuras. In the sequel to the episode of his cutting off the three heads, Indra clearly is a guest, albeit an uninvited one. Viśvarūpa’s father, Tvaṣṭṛ, refuses to invite Indra, who then forcibly takes his part of the Soma. Tvaṣṭṛ then pours his Soma in the fire, thus engendering Vṛtra, who, enclosing Agni and Soma, is again a representation of sacrifice; in the end Indra entices Agni and Soma to leave Vṛtra and join him, after which Vṛtra is slain.³⁰ Thus finally, Indra as guest obtains the sacrifice. Dadhyañc also is an intermediary figure between devas and asuras. As already mentioned, the occasion at which his secret is obtained seems equivalent to a drinking revelry at which the Aśvins are the guests, as in the case of Namuci. It is perhaps not just an arbitrary expression when the *Jaiminīya Brāhmaṇa*, as we saw, tells us that the asuras in their contest with Dadhyañc and Indra fall down headless; it could, in my opinion, very well mean that they lose their heads to the gods.