Aitareyabrahmana 3.20

3.20

Indro vai Vṛtraṃ haniṣyan sarvā devatā abravīd:
anu mopatiṣṭhadhvam, upa mā hvayadhvam iti. tatheti.
taṃ haniṣyanta ādravan. so 'ven:
māṃ vai haniṣyanta ādravanti, hantemān bhīṣayā iti.
tān abhi prāśvasīt, tasya śvasathād īṣamāṇā viśve devā adravan.
Maruto hainaṃ nājahuḥ:
prahara bhagavo jahi vīrayasvety evainam etāṃ vācaṃ vadanta upātiṣṭhanta.
tad etad ṛṣiḥ paśyann abhyanūvāca:
vṛtrasya tvā śvasathād īṣamāṇā viśve devā ājahur ye sakhāyaḥ \
marudbhir indra sakhyaṃ te astv athemā viśvāḥ pṛtanā jayāsīti.
so 'ved: ime vai kila me sacivā, ime mākāmayanta,
hantemān asminn uktha ābhajā iti.
tān etasminn uktha ābhajad,
atha haite tarhy ubhe eva niṣkevalye ukthe āsatur
marutvatīyaṃ grahaṃ gṛhṇāti, marutvatīyam pragāthaṃ śaṃsati,
marutvatīyaṃ sūktaṃ śaṃsati, marutvatīyām nividaṃ dadhāti:
Marutāṃ sā bhaktir
marutvatīyam ukthaṃ śastvā marutvatīyayā yajati,
yathābhāgaṃ tad devatāḥ prīṇāti
ye tvāhihatye maghavann avardhan ye śāmbare harivo ye gaviṣṭau \
ye tvā nūnam anumadanti viprāḥ pibendra somaṃ sagaṇo marudbhir iti
yatra-yatraivaibhir vyajayata yatra-yatra vīryam akarot,
tad evaitat samanuvedyendreṇainān sasomapīthān karoti

iii. 20 (xii. 9). Indra , being about to slay Vṛtra, said to all the deities ‘Do ye support me; do ye call to me.’ ‘Be it so’ (they replied). They ran forward to slay. He perceived ‘They are running hither to slay me; well, let me terrify them.’ Against them he breathed forth; before his snorting in haste all the gods ran away, but the Maruts did not abandon him; saying ‘Smite, O blessed one; strike, show thy strength’ they supported him. Seeing this the seer declares

‘Before the snorting of Vṛtra in haste,
All the gods, thy comrades, abandoned thee:
With the Maruts, O Indra, be there friendship for thee;
Then shalt thou conquer every foe.’

He perceived ‘These indeed are my friends; they showed me love; well, let me give them a share in this litany.’ He gave them a share in this litany; to that time both litanies were his only. He draws the cup for the Maruts, he recites the Pragātha to the Maruts, he recites the hymn to the Maruts, he inserts the Nivid to the Maruts; this is the portion of the Maruts. Having recited the litany to the Maruts, he uses (a verse) to the Maruts as offering verse; thus in due portion he delights the deities.

‘Those who magnified thee, O bounteous one, at the slaying of the serpent,
Those who, O lord of the bays, at the affair with Çambara, the cattle foray,
Those who now, the sages, rejoice with thee,
In union with the Maruts, drink, O Indra, the Soma’

(he says ). Wherever with them he conquered, wherever he showed his strength, thus by mentioning that also he makes them share the Soma drink with Indra.