Aitareyabrahmana 3.4

3.4

tad āhur: yathā vāva stotram evaṃ śastram.
āgneyīṣu sāmagāḥ stuvate, vāyavyayā hotā pratipadyate:
katham asya āgneyyo 'nuśastā bhavantīty
Agner vā etāḥ sarvās tanvo yad etā devatāḥ
sa yad Agniḥ pravān iva dahati, tad asya vāyavyaṃ rūpaṃ.
tad asya tenānuśaṃsaty
atha yad dvaidham iva kṛtvā dahati, dvau vā Indravāyu,
tad asyaindravāyavaṃ rupāṃ. tad asya tenānuśaṃsaty
atha yad uc ca hṛṣyati ni ca hṛṣyati, tad asya maitrāvaruṇaṃ rūpaṃ.
tad asya tenānuśaṃsati
sa yad Agnir ghorasaṃsparśas tad asya vāruṇaṃ rūpaṃ,
taṃ yad ghorasaṃsparśaṃ santam mitrakṛtyevopāsate tad asya maitraṃ rūpaṃ.
tad asya tenānuśaṃsaty
atha yad enaṃ dvābhyām bāhubhyāṃ dvābhyām araṇībhyām manthanti,
dvau vā Aśvinau, tad asyāśvinaṃ rūpaṃ. tad asya tenānuśaṃsaty
atha yad uccairghoṣaḥ stanayan bababākurvann iva dahati
yasmād bhūtāni vijante, tad asyaindraṃ rūpaṃ. tad asya tenānuśaṃsaty
atha yad enam ekaṃ santam bahudhā viharanti, tad asya vaiśvadevaṃ rūpaṃ.
tad asya tenānuśaṃsaty
atha yat sphūrjayan vācam iva vadan dahati, tad asya sārasvataṃ rūpaṃ.
tad asya tenānuśaṃsaty
evam u hāsya vāyavyayaiva pratipadyamānasya tṛcena-tṛcenaivaitābhir
devatābhiḥ stotriyo 'nuśasto bhavati
viśvebhiḥ somyam madhv agna indreṇa vāyunā \
pibā mitrasya dhāmabhir iti vaiśvadevam ukthaṃ śastvā vaiśvadevyā,
yajati, yathābhāgaṃ tad devatāḥ prīṇāti

iii. 4 (xi. 4). They say ‘As is the Stotra, so the Çastra; the Sāman singers sing to (verses to) Agni; the Hotṛ starts with one to Vāyu; how does he follow in recitation (verses) to Agni?’ These deities are all forms of Agni; in that Agni burns forward as it were that is his form as Vāyu; thereby he follows in recitation that (form) of his. Again in that making two as it were he burns and Indra and Vāyu are two, that is his form as Indra and Vāyu; thereby he follows in recitation that of his. Again in that he leaps up and down, that is his form as Mitra and Varuṇa; thereby he follows in recitation that of his. Again in that Agni is dread of contact, that is his form as Varuṇa; in that him being dread of contact they serve with friendliness, that is his form as Mitra; thereby he follows in recitation that of his. Again in that they kindle him with both arms from the two fire sticks and the Açvins are two, that is his form as the Açvins; thereby he follows in recitation that of his. Again in that with loud noise, thundering, and making the sound *ba ba bā* he burns, whence creatures shudder away, that is his form as Indra; thereby he follows in recitation that of him. Again in that him being one they carry apart in many places, that is his form as the All-gods; thereby he follows in recitation that of him. Again in that he burns, roaring and uttering speech as it were, that is his form as Sarasvatī; thereby he follows in recitation that of his. So though he begins with (a verse) to Vāyu, in

each triplet through these deities he follows in recitation (the triplet) of the Stotra. Having recited the Vaiçvadeva litany he uses (a verse) to the All-gods as offering verse. ‘With all the sweet Soma drink, O Agni, with Indra, with Vāyu, Do thou drink according to Mitra’s laws.’ According to their portion he thus delights the deities.