The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c7.s1.4

c7.s1.4

Before the ukhā can be formed and baked, one must fetch the clay.⁵² One may expect, considering the symbolic value of the ukhā, that this will involve an elaborate ceremonial. A solemn procession, led by a horse and a donkey (which will carry the clay), starts out toward the loam pit while mantras are recited. Which persons, apart from the sacrificer and the adhvaryu officiant, take part in the procession is not specified, but they are referred to in the plural. The lack of specification and the use of the plural in such a case is somewhat out of the common for the ritual sūtras and should put us on our guard. If we look further into the matter it appears that it is not just a solemn procession.