Aitareyabrahmana 2.37

2.37

devaratho vā eṣa yad yajñas, tasyaitāv antarau raśmī yad ājyapraüge.
tad yad ājyena pavamānam anuśaṃsati praügeṇājyaṃ,
devarathasyaiva tad antarau raśmī viharaty alobhāya
tām anukṛtim manuṣyarathasyaivāntarau raśmī viharanty alobhāya
nāsya devaratho lubhyati na manuṣyaratho ya evaṃ veda
tad āhur: yathā vāva stotram evaṃ śastram. pāvamānīṣu sāmagāḥ stuvata,
āgneyaṃ hotājyaṃ śaṃsati: katham asya pāvamānyo 'nuśastā bhavantīti
yo vā Agniḥ sa Pavamānas
tad apy etad ṛṣiṇoktam: agnir ṛṣiḥ pavamāna ity
evam u hāsyāgneyībhir eva pratipadyamānasya pāvamānyo 'nuśastā bhavanti
tād āhur: yathā vāva stotram evaṃ śastraṃ.
gāyatrīṣu sāmagāḥ stuvata, ānuṣṭubhaṃ hotājyaṃ śaṃsati:
katham asya gāyatryo 'nuśastā bhavantīti
sampadeti brūyat
saptaitā anunṣṭubhas, tās triḥ prathamayā trir uttamayaikādaśa bhavanti.
virād. yājyā dvādaśī. na vā ekenākṣareṇa chandāṃsi viyanti na dvābhyāṃ.
tāḥ ṣoḷaśa gāyatryo bhavanty
evam u hāsyānuṣṭubbhir eva pratipadyamānasya gāyatryo 'nuśastā bhavanty
agna indraś ca dāśuṣo duroṇa ity āgnendryā yajati
na vā etāv Indrāgnī santau vyajayetām,
āgnendrau vā etau santau vyajayetāṃ.
tad yad āgnendryā yajati, vijityā eva
sā virāṭ trayastriṃsadakṣara bhavati. trayastriṃśad vai devā:
aṣṭau Vasava, ekādaśa Rudrā, dvādaśādityāḥ, Prajāpatiś ca Vaṣaṭkāraś ca.
tat prathama ukthamukhe devatā akṣarabhājaḥ karoty,
akṣaram-akṣaram eva tad devatā anuprapibanti,
devapātreṇaiva tad devatās tṛpyanti
tad āhur: yathā vāva śastram evaṃ yājyāgneyaṃ hotājyaṃ śaṃsaty,
atha kasmād āgnendryā yajatīti
yā vā āgnendry aindrāgnī vai sā,
sendrāgnam etad ukthaṃ graheṇa ca tūṣṇīṃśaṃsena ce/ndrāgnī
ā gataṃ sutaṃ gīrbhir nabho vareṇyam \
asya pātaṃ dhiyeṣitety aindrāgnam adhvaryur grāhaṃ gṛhṇāti,
bhūr Agnir jyotir jyotir Agnir Indro jyotir bhuvo jyotir Indraḥ Sūryo
jyotir jyotiḥ svaḥ Sūrya iti hotā tūṣṇīṃśaṃsaṃ śaṃsati:
tad yathaiva śastram evaṃ yājyā

ii. 37 (x. 5). The sacrifice is a chariot of the gods; the Ājya and the Praüga Çastras are its inner reins; in that with the Ājya he follows in recitation the Pavamāna, with the Praüga the Ājya (Stotra), verily thus he separates the inner reins of the chariot to prevent confusion; in imitation thereof they separate the inner reins of the chariot of men to prevent confusion. His chariot, whether of the gods or men does not become confused who knows thus. They say ‘As is the Stotra, so the Çastra;

the Sāman singers sing to verses for Soma, the purifying; the Hotṛ recites the Ājya to Agni; how then does he follow in recitation the verses to Soma, the purifying?' Soma, the purifying, is Agni; that is declared by a seer. 'Agni, the seer, the purifying'; therefore although he proceeds with verses to Agni, still he follows in recitation the verses to Soma, the purifying. They say 'As is the Stotra so the Çastra; the Sāman singers sing to verses in Gāyatrī; the Hotṛ recites the Ājya in Anuṣṭubhs; how then by him are Gāyatrīs followed in recitation.' 'By conversion' he should reply. There are seven Anuṣṭubhs; they become eleven through the first being repeated thrice and the last thrice; the twelfth is the Virāj offering verse; not by one syllable do metres change, nor yet by two. These make up sixteen Gāyatrī verses. Thus by him although he proceeds with Anuṣṭubhs are Gāyatrīs followed in recitation. 'O Agni with Indra, in the home of the generous one', (this verse) to Agni and Indra he uses as offering verse. These two as Indra and Agni did not conquer; being Agni and Indra they did conquer; in that he uses (a verse) for Agni and Indra as offering verse (it serves) for conquest. The Virāj is of thirty-three syllables; the gods are thirty-three, eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Ādityas, Prajāpati, and the vaṣaṭ call. Thus in the very beginning of the litany he makes the deities sharers in the syllables; syllable by syllable the gods drink in order; verily thus the gods delight in the vessel for the gods. They say, 'As is the Çastra so the offering verse; the Hotṛ recites the Ājya to Agni, then how does he use (a verse) to Agni and Indra as offering verse.' Be it to Agni and Indra or to Indra and Agni, the litany is connected with both Indra and Agni through the cup and the silent praise; with

'O Indra and Agni come hither to the pressed (drink)
The delightful cloud, for our prayers;
Of it do ye drink, impelled by our desire'

the Adhvaryu draws the cup for Indra and Agni. 'Bhūḥ, Agni, light, light, Agni; Indra, light, bhuvaḥ, light, Indra; Sūrya, light, light, svar, Sūrya;' the Hotṛ recites as silent praise; therefore as is the Çastra, so is the offering verse.