[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Vedic Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda) › [Brāhmaṇas (ritual exegesis)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana) › [Aitareyabrahmana](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya) › 2.18 # Aitareyabrahmana 2.18 Aitareyabrāhmaṇa 2.18 - **Language:** Sanskrit ### [2.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya.2.18) tad āhuḥ: katham anūcyaḥ prātaranuvāka iti yathāchandasam anūcyaḥ prātaranuvakāḥ. Prajāpater vā etāny aṅgāni yac chandāṃsy, eṣa u eva Prajāpatir yo yajate. tad yajamānāya hitam paccho 'nūcyaḥ prātaranuvākaś. catuṣpādā vai paśavaḥ, paśūnām avaruddhyā ardharcaśa evānūcyo, yathaivainam etad anvāha; pratiṣṭhāyā eva. dvipratiṣṭho vai puruṣaś catuṣpādāḥ paśāvo, yajamānam eva tad dvipratiṣṭhaṃ catuṣpātsu paśuṣu pratiṣṭhāpayati. tasmād ardharcaśa evānūcyas tad āhur: yad vyūḷhaḥ prātaranuvakaḥ, katham avyūḷho bhavatīti. yad evāsya bṛhatī madhyān naitīti brūyāt tenety āhutibhāgā vā anyā devatā anyāḥ stomabhāgāś chandobhāgās. tā yā agnāv āhutayo hūyante tābhir āhutibhāgāḥ prīṇāty, atha yat stuvanti ca śaṃsanti ca tena stomabhāgās chandobhāgā ubhayyo hāsyaitā devatāḥ prītā abhīṣṭā bhavanti ya evaṃ veda trayastriṃśad vai devāḥ somapās, trayastriṃśad asomapā. aṣṭau Vasava ekādaśa Rundrā dvādaśādityāḥ Prajāpatiś ca Vaṣaṭkāraś caite devā somapā, ekādaśa prayājā ekādaśānuyājā ekādaśopayājā ete 'somapāḥ paśubhājanāḥ. somena somapān prīṇāti, paśunāsomapān ubhayyo hāsyaitā devatāḥ prītāḥ abhīṣṭā bhavanti ya evaṃ vedā/bhūd uṣā ruśatpaśur ity uttamayā paridadhāti tad āhur: yat trīn kratūn anvāhāgneyam uṣasyam āśvinaṃ, katham asyaikayarcā paridadhataḥ sarve trayaḥ kratavaḥ parihitā bhavantīty abhūd uṣā ruśatpaśur ity Uṣaso rūpam, āgnir adhāyy ṛtviya ity Agner, ayoji vāṃ vṛṣaṇvasū ratho dasrāv amartyo mādhvī mama śrutaṃ havam ity Aśvinor. evam u hāsyaikayarcā paridadhataḥ sarve trayaḥ kratavaḥ parihitā bhavanti bhavanti > ii. 18 (vii. 8). They say ‘How is the morning litany to be recited?’ The morning litany is to be recited according to the metres; the metres are the limbs of Prajāpati; the sacrificer is Prajāpati; that is meet for the sacrificer. The morning litany should be recited by feet; cattle have four feet, for the winning of cattle. By half-verses should it be recited, just as one usually recites it, for support; man has two supports, cattle four feet; verily thus the sacrificer with two supports he establishes among four-footed cattle; therefore should it be recited by half-verses. They say ‘Since the morning litany is transposed, how does it become not transposed?’ ‘Since the Bṛhatī does not depart from the middle of it,’ he should reply, ‘For this reason.’ Some deities have the libations as their portion, others the Stomas and the metres. The libations which are offered in the fire, by them he delights those whose portion is the libations; in that they sing and recite, thereby those whose portion is the Stomas and the metres. Both sets of deities are delighted and sacrificed to by him who knows thus. Thirty-three are the gods that drink Soma, thirty-three that do not drink Soma; eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Ādityas, Prajāpati and the vaṣaṭ call are > — Arthur Berriedale Keith 1920, Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) > the deities that drink Soma; the eleven fore-offerings, the eleven after-offerings, the eleven subordinate offerings, are those that do not drink the Soma and have the victim as their portion; by Soma he delights the Soma drinkers, by the victim those that do not drink Soma. Both sets of deities are delighted and sacrificed to by him who knows thus. ‘Uṣas with her ruddy kine hath appeared’, with this last (verse ) he concludes. They say ‘In that he recites for three rites, to Agni, to Uṣas, and to the Açvins, how are all these rites concluded by him when he concludes with one verse only?’ ‘Uṣas with her ruddy kine hath appeared’ is the characteristic of Uṣas; ‘Agni in due season hath been placed’ of Agni; ‘Your chariot hath been yoked, O ye of great wealth, wonder-workers, the immortal, lovers of sweetness, hear ye my call’ of the Açvins. So all three rites are concluded by him when he concludes with one verse only. > — Arthur Berriedale Keith 1920, Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) - [Previous: 2.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya.2.17) - [Next: 2.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya.2.19) - [Up: 2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya.2) ## Translations (2) - [Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya~en-keith.2.2.p16) — Arthur Berriedale Keith 1920, English - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya~en-mt.2.18) — English, machine translation ## Commentaries (3) - [Aitareyabrāhmaṇabhāṣya (Vedārthaprakāśa)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya!sayana.8.p47) — Sāyaṇa, Sanskrit - [Sukhapradā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya!sadgurusisya) — Ṣaḍguruśiṣya, Sanskrit - [Vedārthaprakāśa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya!madhava-alias-sayanacarya) — Mādhava alias Sāyaṇācārya, Sanskrit ## Linked texts (4) - [Vedic Index of Names and Subjects](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.macdonell-keith-1912.v1.c3.s14.35) — Arthur A. Macdonell & A. Berriedale Keith, English - [Original Sanskrit Texts on the Origin and History of the People of India, their Religion and Institutions](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.muir-1868.v5.c33.21) — John Muir, English - [A Vedic Concordance](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.bloomfield-1906.c6.809) — Maurice Bloomfield, English - [The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.keith-1925.v1.c15.4) — Arthur Berriedale Keith, English --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya.2.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya.2.18) · Pramāṇa