Aitareyabrahmana 2.1: adhyāya 6, khaṇḍaḥ 1-10

2.1

yajñena vai devā ūrdhvāḥ svargaṃ lokam āyaṃs.
te 'bibhayur:
imaṃ no dṛṣṭvā manuṣyāś ca ṛṣayaś cānuprajñāsyantīti.
taṃ vai yūpenaivāyopayaṃs, taṃ yad yūpenaivāyopayaṃs tad yūpasya yūpatvaṃ.
tam avācīnāgraṃ nimityordhvā udāyaṃs.
tato vai manuṣyāś ca ṛṣayaś ca devānāṃ yajñavāstv abhyāyan:
yajñasya kiṃcid eṣiṣyāmaḥ prajñātyā iti.
te vai yūpam evāvindann avācīnāgraṃ nimitaṃ.
te 'vidur:
anena vai devā yajñam ayūyupann iti.
tam utkhāyordhvaṃ nyaminvaṃs,
tato vai te pra yajñam ajānan pra svargaṃ lokaṃ
tad yad yūpa ūrdhvo nimīyate,
yajñasya prajñātyai svargasya lokasyānukhyātyai
vajro vā eṣa yad yūpaḥ, so 'ṣṭāśriḥ kartavyo. 'ṣṭāśrir vai vajras.
taṃ-tam praharati dviṣate bhrātṛvyāya vadhaṃ,
yo 'sya stṛtyas tasmai startavai
vajro vai yūpaḥ, sa eṣa dviṣato vadha udyatas tiṣṭhati.
tasmād dhāpy etarhi yo dveṣṭi tasyāpriyam bhavaty amuṣyāyaṃ yūpo
'muṣyāyaṃ yūpa iti dṛṣṭvā
khādiraṃ yūpaṃ kurvīta svargakāmaḥ.
khādireṇa vai yūpena devāḥ svargaṃ lokam ajayaṃs,
tathaivaitad yajamānaḥ khādireṇa yūpena svargaṃ lokaṃ jayati
bailvaṃ yūpaṃ kurvītānnādyakāmaḥ puṣṭikāmaḥ.
samāṃ-samāṃ vai bilvo gṛbhītas, tad annādyasya rūpam;
ā mūlāc chākhābhir anucitas, tat puṣṭeḥ
puṣyati prajāṃ ca paśūṃś ca ya evaṃ vidvān bailvaṃ yūpaṃ kurute
yad eva bailvā+m \ bilvaṃ jyotir iti vā ācakṣate
jyotiḥ sveṣu bhavati, śreṣṭhaḥ svānām bhavati ya evaṃ veda
pālāśaṃ yūpaṃ kurvīta tejaskāmo brahmavarcasakāmas.
tejo vai brahmavarcasaṃ vanaspatīnām palāśas
tejasvī brahmavarcasī bhavati ya evaṃ vidvān pālāśaṃ yūpaṃ kurute
yad eva pālāśā+m \ sarveṣāṃ vā eṣa vanaspatīnāṃ yonir yat palāśas.
tasmāt palāśasyaiva palāśenācakṣate, 'muṣya palāśam amuṣya palāśam iti
sarveṣāṃ hāsya vanaspatīnāṃ kāma upāpto bhavati ya evaṃ veda

ii. 1 (vi. 1). By means of the sacrifice the gods went upwards to the world of heaven; they were afraid, ‘Seeing this of us men and seers will track us.’ Them they obstructed by means of the sacrificial post; in that they obstructed them by means of the post, that is why the post has its name. Having fixed it point down, they went upwards. Then men and seers came to the place of sacrifice of the gods, ‘Let us seek something to track the sacrifice.’ They found the post only, established with point downwards. They perceived, ‘By this the gods have blocked the sacrifice.’ Having dug it out they fixed it upwards; then did they discern the world of heaven. In that the post is fixed upright, (it is) to track the sacrifice, to reveal the world of heaven. The post is a thunderbolt; it should be made of eight corners; the bolt is eight-cornered. This he hurls as a weapon at the rival who hates him, to lay him low who is to be laid low by him. The post is a bolt; it stands erect as a weapon against the foe. Therefore also to him who hates there is displeasure in seeing, ‘This is N.N.’s post, this is N.N.’s post.’ Of Khadira wood should he make the post who desires heaven; by means of a post of Khadira the gods won the world of heaven; thus verily also the sacrificer by a post of Khadira wins the world of heaven. Of Bilva should he make the post, who desires proper food and desires prosperity. Year by year is Bilva taken; this is the symbol of proper food. It should be covered with branches up to the root, this is (the symbol) of prosperity. He prospers in offspring and cattle who knowing thus makes the post of Bilva. Now as to (his using) Bilva, they say ‘Bilva is light’; a light he becomes among his own people, he becomes the chief of his own people, who knows thus. Of Palāça should he make the post, who desires brilliance and desires splendour. The Palāça is the brilliance and splendour of the trees; brilliant and resplendent he becomes

who knowing thus makes the post of Palāça. As to (his using) Palāça, the Palāça is the birthplace of all trees; therefore they speak with the word 'Palāça' of foliage generally, as 'the foliage of N. N.; the foliage of N. N.' The desire in all trees is obtained by him who knows thus.