Aitareyabrahmana 4.24

4.24

trayaś ca vā ete tryahā ā daśamam ahar ā dvāv atirātrau yad dvādaśāho
dvādaśāhāni dīkṣito bhavati, yajñiya eva tair bhavati
dvādaśa rātrīr upasada upaiti, śarīram eva tābhir dhūnute
dvādaśāham prasuto
bhūtvā śarīraṃ dhūtvā śuddhaḥ pūto devatā apyeti ya evaṃ veda
ṣaṭtriṃśadaho vā eṣa yad dvādaśāhaḥ.
ṣaṭtriṃśadakṣarā vai bṛhatī, bṛhatyā vā etad ayanaṃ yad dvādaśāho,
bṛhatyā vai devā imām̐l lokān āśnuvata.
te vai daśabhir evākṣarair imaṃ lokam āśnuvata daśabhir antarikṣam
daśabhir divaṃ caturbhiś catasro diśo,
dvābhyām evāsmim̐l loke pratyatiṣṭhan
pratitiṣṭhati ya evaṃ veda
tad āhur:
yad anyāni chandāṃsi varṣīyāṃsi bhūyo ='kṣaratarāṇy,
atha kasmād etām bṛhatīty ācakṣata ity
etayā hi devā imām̐l lokān āśnuvata.
te vai daśabhir evākṣarair imaṃ lokam āśnuvata daśabhir antarikṣaṃ
daśabhir divaṃ caturbhiś catasro diśo,
dvābhyām evāsmim̐l loke pratyatiṣṭhaṃs.
tasmād etām bṛhatīty ācakṣate
'śnute yadyat kāmayate ya evaṃ veda

iv. 24 (xix. 2). The twelve-day (rite) consists of three sets of three days, the tenth day and two Atirātras. For twelve days is he consecrated; verily through them he becomes fit for sacrifice. He performs Upasads for twelve nights; verily with them he shakes clear his body. Having pressed for twelve days continuously, having become born anew, having shaken clear his body, pure and purified, he goes to the gods who

knows thus. The twelve-day (rite) is one of thirty-six days; the Bṛhatī has thirty-six syllables; the twelve-day (rite) is the way of the Bṛhatī; by means of the Bṛhatī the gods attained these worlds. They attained this world with ten syllables, the atmosphere with ten, the sky with ten, the four quarters with four; with two they found support in this world. He finds support who knows thus. They say ‘Seeing that other metres are greater and have more syllables, then why do they call it the Bṛhatī?’ Since by it the gods attained these worlds. They attained this world with ten syllables, the atmosphere with ten, the sky with ten, the four quarters with four; verily with two they found support in this world; therefore do they call it the Bṛhatī. He attains whatever he desires who knows thus.