The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c8.s2.8

c8.s2.8

The ritualists achieved this by excluding the other party from the sacrificial arena. Though the rival comes in for frequent mention, even to the point of obsession, he is nowhere is sight anymore. The gods and asuras still had their regular battles on the place of sacrifice. By contrast, the śrauta sacrificer, but for the company of his priestly experts, is alone in the sacrificial arena. And alone he strikes out on his own into a transcendent sphere, unhampered by allies and bypassing his enemies. But then the old explanations of Iḍā had to go, because as well as her life-giving qualities, they stressed the violence and conflict involved.