Aitareyabrahmana 1.15

1.15

havir ātithyaṃ nirupyate some rājany āgate
somo vai rājā yajamānasya gṛhān āgachati, tasmā etad dhavir ātithyaṃ
nirupyate, tad ātithyasyātithyatvaṃ
navakapālo bhavati. nava vai prāṇāḥ,
prāṇānāṃ kḷptyai prāṇānām pratiprajñātyai
Vaiṣṇavo bhavati.
Viṣṇur vai yajñaḥ, svayaivainaṃ tad devatayā svena chandasā samardhayati
sarvāṇi vāva chandāṃsi ca pṛṣṭhāni ca somaṃ rājānaṃ krītam anv āyanti,
yāvantaḥ khalu vai rājānam anuyanti tebhyaḥ sarvebhya ātithyaṃ kriyate
'gnim manthanti some rājany āgate. tad yathaivādo manuṣyarāja
āgate 'nyasmin vārhaty ukṣāṇaṃ vā vehataṃ vā kṣadanta,
evam evāsmā etat kṣadante yad agnim manthanty; agnir hi devānām paśuḥ

i. 15 (iii. 4). The oblation of the guest reception is offered, when Soma the king has come; Soma the king comes to the house of the sacrificer; to him this oblation of the guest reception is offered; that is why the guest reception has its name. It is offered on nine potsherds; the breaths are nine; (it serves) to arrange the breaths, to recognize the breaths. It is for Viṣṇu; the sacrifice is Viṣṇu; verily thus with his own deity, his own metre, he makes him successful. All the metres and the Pṛṣṭhas follow Soma the king when bought. As many as follow Soma the king, to all these is the guest reception performed. They kindle the fire, when Soma the king has come. Just as in the world when a human king has come, or another deserving person, they slay an ox or a cow that miscarries; so for him they slay in that they kindle the fire, for Agni is the victim of the gods.