Aitareyabrahmana 4.17

4.17

gavām ayanena yanti.
gāvo vā Ādityā, Ādityānām eva tad ayanena yanti
gāvo vai satram āsata śaphāñ chṛṅgāṇi siṣāsantyas,
tāsāṃ daśame māsi śaphāḥ śṛṅgāṇy ajāyanta.
tā abruvan:
yasmai kāmāyādīkṣāmahy āpāma tam, uttiṣṭhāmeti.
tā yā udatiṣṭhaṃs, tā etāḥ śṛṅgiṇyo
'tha yāḥ samāpayiṣyāmaḥ saṃvatsaram ity āsata,
tāsām aśraddhayā śṛṅgāṇi prāvartanta, tā etās tūparā.
ūrjaṃ tv asunvaṃs, tasmād u tāḥ sarvān ṛtūn prāptvottaram uttiṣṭhanty,
ūrjaṃ hy asunvan.
sarvasya vai gāvaḥ premāṇaṃ sarvasya cārutāṃ gatāḥ
sarvasya premāṇaṃ sarvasya cārutāṃ gachati ya evaṃ vedā/dityāś
ca ha vā Aṅgirasaś ca svarge loke 'spardhanta:
vayam pūrva eṣyāmo vayam iti.
te hādityāḥ pūrve svargaṃ lokaṃ jagmuḥ,
paścevāṅgirasaḥ ṣaṣṭyāṃ vā varṣeṣu
yathā vā prāyaṇīyo 'tirātraś caturviṃśa ukthyaḥ sarve
'bhiplavāḥ ṣaḷahā ākṣyanty anyāny ahāni, tad Ādityānām ayanam
prāyaṇīyo 'tirātraś caturviṃśa ukthyaḥ sarve
pṛṣṭhyāḥ ṣaḷahā ākṣyanty anyāny ahāni, tad Aṅgirasām ayanaṃ
sā yathā srutir añjasāyany evam abhiplavaḥ ṣaḷahaḥ svargasya
lokasyātha yathā mahāpathaḥ paryāṇa evam
pṛṣṭhyaḥ ṣaḷahaḥ svargasya lokasya.
tad yad ubhābhyāṃ yanty, ubhābhyāṃ vai yan na riṣyaty,
ubhayoḥ kāmayor upāptyai yaś cābhiplave ṣaḷahe yaś ca pṛṣṭhye

iv. 17 (xviii. 3). They proceed with the way of the cows; the Ādityas are the cows; verily thus they proceed with the way of the Ādityas. The cows performed a sacrificial session seeking to win hoofs and horns; in the tenth month their hoofs and horns came into being. They said ‘That desire for which we have consecrated ourselves we have obtained; let us cease.’ Those that ceased are those possessed of horns. Those who performed, (thinking) ‘We will complete the year’, they had only mock horns, these are the hornless; but they produced strength. Therefore they having made up all the seasons, then cease, for they produced strength. Dear to all are cows, beloved by all. Dear to all, beloved by all, does he become who knows thus. The Ādityas and the Aṅgirases contended for the world of heaven, ‘We will go first, we’; the Ādityas went first to the world of heaven, behind the Aṅgirases by sixty years. The way of the Ādityas is thus, an introductory Atirātra, the Caturviṅça Ukthya, all the Abhiplava Ṣaḍahas, other Ākṣyant days; the way of the Aṅgirases is thus, an

introductory Atirātra, the Caturviñca Ukthya, all the Pṛṣṭhya Ṣaḍahas, other Ākṣyant days. The Abhiplava Ṣaḍaha is the path that leads straight to the world of heaven; again the Pṛṣṭhya Ṣaḍaha is a great circuitous route to the world of heaven. In that they proceed with both, and going by both he comes to no ill, (it serves) to obtain both desires, that in the Abhiplava Ṣaḍaha and that in the Pṛṣṭhya.