Aitareyabrahmana 4.7: adhyāya 17, khaṇḍaḥ 1-8

4.7

Prajāpatir vai Somāyā rājñe duhitaram prāyachat Sūryāṃ Sāvitrīṃ.
tasyai sarve devā varā āgachaṃs,
tasyā etat sahasraṃ vahatum anvākarod yad etad āśvinam ity ācakṣate.
'nāśvinaṃ haiva tad yad arvāksahasraṃ,
tasmāt tat sahasraṃ vaiva śaṃsed bhūyo vā
prāśya ghṛtaṃ śaṃsed.
yathā ha vā idam ano vā ratho vākto vartata, evaṃ haivākto vartate
śakunir ivotpatiṣyann āhvayīta
tasmin devā na samajānata:
mamedam astu mamedam astv iti.
te saṃjānānā abruvann:
ājim asyāyāmahai.
sa yo na ujjeṣyati, tasyedam bhaviṣyatīti.
te 'gner evādhi gṛhapater Ādityaṃ kāṣṭhām akurvata,
tasmād āgneyī pratipad bhavaty āśvinasyāgnir hotā gṛhapatiḥ sa rājeti
tad dhaika āhur:
agnim manye pitaram agnim āpim ity etayā pratipadyeta
divi śukraṃ yajataṃ sūryasyeti prathamayaiva ṛcā kāṣṭhām āpnotīti
tattan nādṛtyaṃ ya enaṃ tatra brūyād:
agnim-agnim iti vai pratyapādy, agnim āpatsyatīti, śaśvat tathā syāt
tasmād:
agnir hotā gṛhapatiḥ sa rājety etayaiva pratipadyeta.
gṛhapativatī prajātimatī śāntā, sarvāyuḥ sarvāyutvāya
sarvam āyur eti ya evaṃ veda

iv. 7 (xvii. 1). Prajāpati gave his daughter to Soma, the King, even Sūryā Sāvitrī; for her all the gods came as groomsmen; for her wedding ceremony he made this thousand (of verses) which they call the Āçvina (Çastra). What is less than a thousand is not the Āçvina; therefore he should recite a thousand or more. Having eaten of ghee, he should recite. Just as in this world a cart or a chariot, when oiled, goes (well), so he when oiled goes. He should call (making a posture) as of an eagle about to fly up. The gods did not agree as to this, ‘Let this be mine; let this be mine.’ They said coming to agreement ‘Let us run a race for it; his who

wins shall it be'. They made the course from Agni, the lord of the house, to the sun; therefore the beginning (verse) is addressed to Agni in the Āçvina, 'Agni is the Hotṛ, the lord of the house, he the King.' As to this some say '"Agni, O dear father, Agni friend" with this should he begin; "In the sky the pure, the sacrificial, of the sun" with this as first verse he reaches the goal.' This is not to be regarded. If one were now to say of him 'He has had recourse to "Agni" and "Agni", he will fall into the fire', it would certainly be so. Therefore should he begin with 'Agni is the Hotṛ, the lord of the house, he the King.' It contains (the words) 'lord of the house' and 'generation', and is propitious; with full life for fullness of life, a full life he lives who knows thus.