Aitareyabrahmana 1.2

1.2

yajño vai devebhya udakrāmat, tam iṣṭibhiḥ praiṣam aichan.
yad iṣṭibhiḥ praiṣam aichaṃs, tad iṣṭīnām iṣṭitvaṃ. tam anvavindann
anuvittayajño rādhnoti ya evaṃ vedā/hūtayo
vai nāmaitā yad āhutaya, etābhir vai devān yajamāno hvayati,
tad āhutīnām āhutitvam
ūtayaḥ khalu vai tā nāma yābhir devā yajamānasya havam āyanti.
ye vai panthāno yāḥ srutayas tā vā ūtayas; ta u evaitat svargayāṇā
yajamānasya bhavanti
tad āhur:
yad anyo juhoty, atha yo 'nu cāha yajati ca kasmāt taṃ hotety ācakṣata iti
yad vāva sa tatra yathābhājanaṃ devatā amum āvahāmum āvahety āvāhayati,
tad eva hotur hotṛtvaṃ
hotā bhavati, hotety enam ācakṣate ya evaṃ veda

i. 2. The sacrifice went away from the gods; it they sought to start up with offerings; in that they sought to start it up with offerings that is why offerings have their name. They found it; he prospers having found the sacrifice who knows thus. The libations (_āhuti_) are callings by name, for by them the sacrificer calls to the gods; that is why libations have their name. Ways (_ūtī_) rather are they called by which the gods come to the call of the sacrificer; paths and passages are ways; verily thus are they the roads to heaven of the sacrificer. They say, ‘Since another pours the libation, then why do they style Hotṛ him who recites (the invitatory verses) and says the offering verses?’ In that he here according to their portion invites the deities, (saying) ‘Bring hither N. N., bring hither N. N.’, that is why the Hotṛ has the name. A Hotṛ becomes he, a Hotṛ they call him who knows thus.