Aitareyabrahmana 3.22

3.22

te devā abruvann:
iyaṃ vā Indrasya priyā jāvā vāvātā Prāsahā nāmāsyām evechāmahā iti.
tatheti. tasyām aichanta. sainān abravīt:
prātar vaḥ prativaktāsmīti.
tasmāt striyaḥ patyāv ichante, tasmād u stry anurātram patyāv ichate.
tām prātar upāyan, saitad eva pratyapadyata:
yad vāvāna purutamam purāṣāḷ ā vṛtrahendro nāmāny aprāḥ \
aceti prāsahas patis tuviṣmān itī/ndro
vai prāsahas patis tuviṣmān
yadīm uśmāsi kartave karat tad iti.
yad evaitad avocāmākarat tad ity evaināṃs tad abravīt
te devā abruvann:
apy asyā ihāstu, yā no 'smin na vai kam avidad iti. tatheti.
tasyā apy atrākurvaṃs
tasmād eṣātrāpi śasyate: yad vāvāna purutamam purāṣāḷ iti
senā vā Indrasya priyā jāyā vāvātā Prāsahā nāma,
Ko nāma Prajāpatiḥ śvaśuras.
tad yāsya kāme senā jayet,
tasyā ardhāt tiṣṭhaṃs tṛṇam ubhayataḥ parichidyetarāṃ senām abhy asyet:
Prāsahe Kas tvā paśyatīti.
tad yathaivādaḥ snuṣā śvaśurāḷ lajjamānā nilīyamānaity,
evam eva sā senā bhajyamānā nilīyamānaiti yatraivaṃ vidvāṃs
tṛṇam ubhayataḥ parichidyetarāṃ senaṃ abhy asyati:
Prāsahe Kas tvā paśyatīti
tān Indra uvācāpi vo 'trāstv iti. te devā abruvan:
virāḍ yājyāstu niṣkevalyasya yā trayastriṃśadakṣarā
trayastriṃśad vai devā:
aṣṭau Vasava, ekādaśa Rudrā, dvādaśādityāḥ, Prajāpatiś ca Vaṣaṭkāraś ca.
devatā akṣarabhājaḥ karoty,
akṣaram-akṣaram eva tad devatā anuprapibanti,
devapātreṇaiva tad devatās tṛpyanti
yaṃ kāmayetānāyatanavān syād ity,
avirājāsya yajed gāyatryā vā tṛṣṭubhā vānyena vā chandasā, vaṣaṭkuryād:
anāyatanavantam evainaṃ tat karoti
yaṃ kāmayetāyatanavān syād iti, virājāsya yajet:
pibā somam indra mandatu tvety etayāyatanavantam evainaṃ tat karoti

iii. 22 (xii. 11). The gods said ‘Here is the dear wife, the favourite of Indra, Prāsahā by name; from her let us seek (our desire).’ ‘Be it so’ (he said). From her they sought; she said to them ‘In the morning shall I tell you.’ Therefore wives seek from a husband, therefore a wife seeks from her husband in the night. To her they went in the morning; she replied with (the verse):

‘Since many a time he hath conquered, enduring,
Indra hath made good his name as slayer of Vṛtra;
The mighty lord of strength hath been perceived:’

the mighty lord of strength is Indra.

‘What we desire of him to do, let him perform that,’

verily thus she said to them ‘What we have said, that he has done.’ The gods said ‘Let her have a share also, since she has not yet obtained one in

this of ours.’ ‘Be it so’ (they said). They gave her a share then; therefore herein is recited (the verse) ‘Since many a time he hath conquered, enduring.’ The dear wife, the favourite, Prāsahā by name, of Indra, is his host; her father-in-law is Prajāpati named Who. Therefore he who desires the victory of a host standing away from it at half distance, should cut a grass blade at both ends, and throw it towards the other host, saying ‘Prāsahā, Ka seeth thee.’ Then, just as in this world, a daughter-in-law keeps hiding in modesty before her father-in-law, so also the host keeps shrinking away in confusion, where one knowing thus, having cut a grass blade at both ends, hurls it against the other host (saying) ‘Prāsahā, Ka seeth thee.’ To them said Indra ‘You may have a share here also.’ The gods replied ‘Let the Virāj of thirty-three syllables be the offering verse of the Niṣkevalya.’ The gods are thirty-three, eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Ādityas, Prajāpati and the vaṣaṭ call; he makes the gods share the syllables; syllable by syllable the gods drink in turn; verily thus with a vessel of the gods the gods are satisfied. If he desire of a man ‘Let him be without an abode’, let him use for him as offering verse a Gāyatrī, a Triṣṭubh or some other metre, not a Virāj, and say the vaṣaṭ call; verily thus he makes him without an abode. If he desire of a man ‘Let him have an abode’, he should use for him as offering verse a Virāj ‘Drink the Soma, O Indra; let it delight thee’; verily thus with it he makes him have an abode.