Aitareyabrahmana 1.4

1.4

tvam agne saprathā asi, soma yās te mayobhuva ity ājyabhāgayoḥ
puronuvākye anubrūyād, yaḥ pūrvam anījānaḥ syāt tasmai
tvayā yajñaṃ vi tanvata iti, yajñam evāsmā etad vitanoty
agniḥ pratnena manmanā, soma gīrbhiṣ ṭvā vayam iti, yaḥ
pūrvam ījānaḥ syāt tasmai
pratnam iti pūrvaṃ karmābhivadati
tat-tan nādṛtyam
agnir vṛtrāṇi jaṅghanat, tvaṃ somāsi satpatir iti vārtraghnāv eva kuryād
vṛtraṃ vā eṣa hanti yaṃ yajña upanamati,
tasmād vārtraghnāv eva kartavyāv
agnir mukham prathamo devatānām, agniś ca viṣṇo tapa uttamam maha ity
āgnāvaiṣṇavasya haviṣo yājyānuvākye bhavata
āgnāvaiṣṇavyau rūpasamṛddhe.
etad vai yajñasya samṛddhaṃ yad rūpasamṛddhaṃ,
yat karma kriyamāṇam ṛg abhivadaty
Agniś ca ha vai Viṣṇuś ca devānāṃ dīkṣāpālau, tau dīkṣāyā īśāte.
tad yad āgnāvaiṣṇavaṃ havir bhavati yau dīkṣāyā īśāte tau prītau dīkṣām
prayachatāṃ, yau dīkṣayitārau tau dīkṣayetām iti
triṣṭubhau bhavataḥ sendriyatvāya

i. 4. ‘Thou, O Agni, art extending’ and ‘O Soma, thy wondrous’ should he recite as invitatory verses for the butter portions for him who previously has not sacrificed; ‘with thee they extend the sacrifice’ (he says ); verily thus for him he extends the sacrifice. ‘Agni with ancient thought’ and ‘O Soma, with verses thee’ (he should use ) for him who has sacrificed before; in the word ‘ancient’ he refers to the former offering. This is not to be regarded. ‘May Agni slay the foe’ and ‘Thou, O Soma, art very lord’ (these should he recite and) make (the butter portions) contain a reference to the slaying of Vṛtra. Vṛtra he slays to whom the sacrifice condescends; therefore should they be made to contain a reference to the slaying of Vṛtra. ‘Agni the head, the first of the deities’ and ‘With Agni, O Viṣṇu, the highest great penance’ are the invitatory and offering verses of the oblation for Agni and Viṣṇu ; they are perfect in form as being addressed to Agni and Viṣṇu; that in the sacrifice is perfect which is perfect in form, that rite which as it is performed the verse describes. Agni and Viṣṇu are the guardians of consecration of the gods; they are lords of the consecration; in that the oblation is for Agni and Viṣṇu, (it is because they desire ) ‘May those who are the lords of the consecration, being delighted, confer consecration, may those who consecrate consecrate.’ They are Triṣṭubh verses, to secure power.