Aitareyabrahmana 4.20

4.20

dūrohaṇaṃ rohati, svargo vai loko dūrohāṇaṃ
svargam eva tal lokaṃ rohati ya evaṃ veda
yad eva dūrohaṇā+m \ asau vai dūroho yo 'sau tāpati,
kaścid vā atra gachati.
sa yad dūrohaṇaṃ rohaty, etam eva tad rohati
haṃsavatyā rohati
haṃsaḥ śuciṣad ity. eṣa vai haṃsaḥ śuciṣad
vasur antarikṣad ity. eṣa vai vasur antarikṣasad
dhotā vediṣad ity. eṣa vai hotā vediṣad
atithir duroṇasad ity. eṣa vā atithir duroṇasan
nṛṣad ity. eṣa vai nṛṣad
varasad ity. eṣa vai varasad.
varaṃ vā etat sadmanāṃ yasminn eṣa āsannas tapaty
ṛtasad ity. eṣa vai satyasad
vyomasad ity. eṣa vai vyomasad.
vyoma vā etat sadmanāṃ yasminn eṣa āsannas tapaty
abjā ity. eṣa vā abjā.
adbhyo vā eṣā prātar udety, apaḥ sāyam praviśati
golā ity. eṣa vai gojā
ṛtājā ity. eṣa vai satyajā
adrijā ity. eṣa vā adrijā
ṛtam ity. eṣa vai satyam
eṣa etāni sarvāṇy, eṣā ha vā asya chandassu pratyakṣatamād iva rūpaṃ
tasmād yatra kva ca dūrohaṇaṃ rohed, dhaṃsavatyaiva rohet
tārkṣye svargakāmasya rohet
Tārkṣyo ha vā etam pūrvo 'dhvānam aid,
yatrādo gāyatrī suparṇo bhūtva somām āharat.
tad yathā kṣetrajñam adhvanaḥ puraetāraṃ kurvīta,
tādṛk tad yad eva tārkṣye.
'yaṃ vai Tārkṣyo yo 'yam pavata, eṣa svargasya lokasyābhivoḷhā
tyam ū ṣu vājinaṃ devajūtam ity.
eṣa vai vājī devajūtaḥ
sahāvānaṃ tarutāraṃ rathānām ity.
eṣa vai sahāvāṃs tarutaiṣa hīmām̐l lokān sadyas taraty
ariṣṭanemim pṛtanājam āśum ity.
eṣa va ariṣṭanemiḥ pṛtanājid āśuḥ
svastaya iti svaṣtitām āśāste
tārkṣyam ihā huvemeti hvayaty evainam etad
indrasyeva rātim ājohuvānāḥ svastaya iti svastitām evāśāste
nāvam ivā ruhemeti.
sam evainam etad adhirohati svargasya lokasya
samaṣṭyai sampattyai saṃgatyā
urvī na pṛthvī bahule gabhīre mā vām etau mā paretau
riṣāmetīme evaitad anumantrayata ācaparācam eṣyan
sadyaś cid yaḥ śavasā pañca kṛṣṭīḥ sūrya iva
jyotiṣāpas tatāneti pratyakṣaṃ sūryam abhivadati
sahasrasāḥ śatasā asya raṃhir na smā varante yuvatiṃ na śaryām ity
āśiṣam evaitenāśāsta ātmane ca yajamānebhyaś ca

iv. 20 (xviii. 6). He mounts the difficult mounting; the difficult mounting is the world of heaven; verily thus he mounts the world of heaven who knows thus. As to its being the difficult mounting, he that gives heat yonder is hard to mount, and whoever goes there, in that he mounts the difficult mounting, verily thus he mounts him. He mounts (with a verse) containing (the word) 'gander', 'The gander seated in purity'; he is the gander seated in purity. 'The Vasu seated in the atmosphere' (he says); he is the Vasu seated in the atmosphere. 'The Hotṛ seated at the altar' (he says); he is the Hotṛ seated at the altar. 'The guest seated in the house' (he says); he is the guest seated in the house. 'Seated among men'

(he says); he is seated among men. 'Seated in the best (abode)' (he says); he is seated in the best (abode); the best of abodes is that in which seated he gives heat. 'Seated in holy order' (he says); he is seated in truth. 'Seated is the sky' (he says); he is seated in the sky; the sky is that seat in which seated he gives heat. 'Born of the waters' (he says); he is born of the waters; from the waters he rises in the morning, into the waters he enters at evening. 'Born of the cow' (he says); he is born of the cow. 'Born of holy order' (he says); he is born of truth. 'Born of the mountain' (he says); he is born of the mountain. 'Holy order' (he says); he is truth. He is all these things. In the metres this (verse) is most manifestly as it were a symbol of him. Therefore, whenever he performs the difficult mounting, should he mount with (the verse) containing (the word) 'gander'. With the Tārkṣya (hymn) should he mount for one desiring the heaven. Tārkṣya aforetime made the journey when yonder the Gāyatrī in the form of an eagle brought the Soma. Thus, just as one makes one knowing the place a guide on a journey, so is it in that (he mounts) with the Tārkṣya: he who blows is Tārkṣya; he is the bearer to the world of heaven. 'This steed, god-strengthened' (he says); he is the steed, god-strengthened. 'Enduring, the bearer of the cars' (he says); he bears across enduring, for he at once crosses these worlds. 'With chariot rim unharmed, the warrior, swift' (he says); he is the one with chariot rim unharmed, the warrior, swift. 'For safety' (he says); he invokes safety. 'Tārkṣya let us summon hither' (he says); verily thus he summons him. With 'Invoking by sacrifice the favour as of Indra for safety' he invokes safety. 'Like a ship let us mount' (he says); verily thus he mounts it for the attainment, the winning, the arrival at the world of heaven. 'Like the two broad ones, wide, large, deep, may we not be harmed at your going and coming' (he says); verily thus he recites for these two, when going to and returning.

'He who at once with his glory over the five peoples
Like Sūrya with his light over the waters extendeth'

(he says); openly he mentions the sun.

'A thousandfold, a hundredfold bestowing, is his onset;
They cannot stay him like a young dart'

(he says); verily thus he invokes a benediction for himself and the sacrificers.