The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c7.14

c7.14

In this connection, it is interesting that the *Vādhūla-sūtra* tells us of a king of the Kurus who possessed the “knowledge of the heads of the victims” (used at the building of the fire altar, to be discussed below).³¹ The brahmins of the Kurupancālas want to obtain this knowledge; one of them therefore goes to the king and asks to be taught the secret knowledge. Having heard his wish, the king states that indeed Agni has given him the knowledge of the head and in the same breath engages the brahmin to officiate for him. Now the interesting point is that the way to obtain “the knowledge of the victims’ heads” is to go to the sacrifice of the one who possesses it. It would seem that here we have the dualistic pattern of exchange between host and guest couched in terms of the systematized standard ritual, where the guests and rivals are replaced by officiating priests.