Aitareyabrahmana 3.12: adhyāya 12, khaṇḍaḥ 1-13

3.12

devaviśaḥ kalpayitavyā, ity āhuś, chandaś chandasi pratiṣṭhāpyam iti.
śoṃsāvom ity āhvayate prātaḥsavane tryakṣareṇa,
śaṃsāmodaivom ity adhvaryuḥ pratigṛṇāti pañcākṣareṇa.
tad aṣṭākṣaraṃ sampadyate. 'ṣṭākṣarā vai gāyatrī,
gāyatrīm eva tat purastāt prātaḥsavane 'cīkḷpatām
ukthaṃ vācīty āha śastvā caturakṣaram,
om ukthaśā ity adhvaryuś caturakṣaraṃ.
tad aṣṭhākṣaraṃ sampadyate. 'ṣṭākṣarā vai gāyatrī,
gāyatrīm eva tad ubhayataḥ prātaḥsavane 'cīkḷpatām
adhvaryo śoṃsāvom ity āhvayate madhyaṃdine ṣaḷakṣareṇa,
śaṃsāmodaivom ity adhvaryuḥ pratigṛṇāti pañcākṣareṇa.
tad ekādaśākṣaraṃ sampadyata.
ekādaśākṣarā vai triṣṭup,
triṣṭubham eva tat purastān madhyaṃdine 'cīkḷpatām.
ukthaṃ vācīndrāyety āha śastvā saptākṣaram,
om ukthaśā ity adhvaryuś caturakṣaraṃ.
tad ekādaśākṣaraṃ sampadyata.
ekādaśākṣarā vai triṣṭup,
triṣṭubham eva tad ubhayato madhyaṃdine 'cīkḷpatām
adhvaryo śośoṃsāvom ity āhvayate tṛtīyasavane saptākṣareṇa,
śaṃsāmodaivom ity adhvaryuḥ pratigṛṇāti pañcākṣareṇa.
tad dvādaśākṣaraṃ sampadyate.
dvādaśākṣāra vai jagatī,
jagatim eva tat purastāt tṛtīyasavane 'cīkḷpatām.
ukthaṃ vācīndrāya devebhya ity āha śastvaikādaśākṣaram,
om ity adhvaryur ekākṣaraṃ.
tad dvādaśākṣaraṃ sampadyate.
dvādaśākṣara vai jagatī,
jagatīm eva tad ubhayatas tṛtīyasavane 'cīkḷpatāṃ
tad etad ṛṣiḥ paśyann abhyanūvāca
yad gāyatre adhi gāyatram āhitaṃ traiṣṭubhād vā traiṣṭubhaṃ niratakṣata
\ yad vā jagaj jagaty āhitam padaṃ ya it tad vidus te amṛtatvam ānaśur ity
etad vai tac chandaś chandasi pratiṣṭhāpayati
kalpayati devaviśo ya evaṃ veda

iii. 12 (xii. 1). ‘The subjects of the gods must be brought into order’ they say, ‘The metre must be made to rest on the metre.’ ‘Let us two praise’ is his call of three syllables at the morning pressing; ‘Let us recite, O divine one’ is the Adhvaryu’s response in five syllables; that makes up eight syllables; the Gāyatrī has eight syllables; verily they place the Gāyatrī in front at the morning pressing. ‘The hymn hath been recited’ he says, having recited, in four syllables; ‘Yes, reciter of hymns’ replies the Adhvaryu in four syllables; that makes up eight syllables; the Gāyatrī has eight syllables; verily thus they place the Gāyatrī on both sides at the morning pressing. ‘O Adhvaryu, let us two recite’ is his call of six syllables at midday; ‘Let us recite, O divine one’ the Adhvaryu replies in five syllables; that makes up eleven syllables; the Triṣṭubh has eleven syllables; verily thus they place the Triṣṭubh in front at the midday (pressing). ‘The hymn hath been uttered to Indra’ he says, having recited, in seven syllables; ‘Yes, reciter of hymns’ replies the Adhvaryu in four syllables; that makes up eleven syllables; the Triṣṭubh has eleven syllables; verily thus they place

the Triṣṭubh on both sides at the midday (pressing). ‘O Adhvaryu, so let us two recite’ is his call of seven syllables at the third pressing; ‘Let us recite, O divine one’ the Adhvaryu replies in five syllables; that makes up twelve syllables; the Jagatī has twelve syllables; verily thus they place the Jagatī in front at the third pressing. ‘The hymn hath been uttered to Indra, to the gods’ he says, having recited, in eleven syllables; ‘Yes’ replies the Adhvaryu in one syllable; that makes up twelve syllables; the Jagatī has twelve syllables; verily thus they place the Jagatī on both sides at the third pressing. Seeing this the seer declares it a verse,

‘That the Gāyatrī is deposited on the Gāyatrī,
Or that they fashioned the Triṣṭubh from the Triṣṭubh,
Or that the Jagatī Pada is placed on the Jagatī,
They who know this obtain immortality.’

Verily thus metre on metre he establishes. The subjects of the gods he sets in order who knows thus.