Aitareyabrahmana 5.1: adhyāya 21, khaṇḍaḥ 1-5

5.1

viśve vai devā devatās tṛtīyam ahar vahanti,
saptadaśaḥ stomo vairūpaṃ sāma jagatī chando
yathādevatam enena yathāstomaṃ yathāsāma yathāchandasaṃ rādhnoti
ya evaṃ veda
yad vai samānodarkaṃ, tat tṛtīyasyāhno rūpaṃ.
yad aśvavad yad antavad yat punarāvṛttaṃ yat punarnuuṛttaṃ
yad ratavad yat paryastavad yat trivad yad antarūpaṃ,
yad uttame pade devatā nirucyate, yad asau loko 'bhyudito,
yad vairūpaṃ yaj jāgataṃ yat kṛtam:
etāni vai tṛtīyasyāhno rūpāṇi
yukṣvā hi devahūtamām̐ aśvām̐ agne rathīr iveti tṛtīyasyāhna ājyam bhavati
devā vai tṛtīyenāhnā svargaṃ lokam āyaṃs,
tān asurā rakṣāṃsy anvavārayanta. te:
virūpā bhavata virūpā bhavateti bhavanta āyaṃs. te yad:
virūpā bhavata virūpā bhavateti bhavanta āyaṃs, tad vairūpaṃ sāmābhavat,
tad vairūpasya vairūpatvaṃ
virūpaḥ pāpmanā bhūtvā pāpmānam apahate ya evaṃ veda
tān ha smānv evāgachanti, sam eva sṛjyante,
tān aśvā bhūtvā padbhir apāghnata.
yad aśvā bhūtvā padbhir apāghnata, tad aśvānām aśvatvam
aśnute yad-yat kāmayate ya evaṃ veda
tasmād aśvaḥ paśūnāṃ javiṣṭhas, tasmād aśvaḥ pratyaṅ padā hinasty
apa pāpmānaṃ hate ya evaṃ veda
tasmād etad aśvavad ājyam bhavati, tṛtīye 'hani tṛtīyasyāhno rūpaṃ
vāyav ā yāhi vītaye, vāyo yāhi śivā diva,
indraś ca vāyav eṣāṃ sutānām, ā mitre varuṇe vayam,
aśvināv eha gachatam, ā yāhy adribhiḥ sutaṃ, sajūr viśvebhir devebhir,
uta naḥ priyā priyāsv ity auṣṇiham praügaṃ.
samānodarkaṃ tṛtīye 'hani tṛtīyasyāhno rūpaṃ
taṃ-tam id rādhase mahe, traya indrasya somā iti
marutvatīyasya pratipadanucarau.
ninṛttavat trivat tṛtīye 'hani tṛtīyasyāhno rūpam
indra nedīya ed ihīty acyutaḥ pragāthaḥ,
pra nūnam brahmaṇas patir iti
brāhmaṇaspatyo ninṛttavāṃs tṛtīye 'hani tṛtīyasyāhno rūpam
agnir netā, tvaṃ soma kratubhiḥ, pinvanty āpa iti dhāyyā acyutā
nakiḥ sudāso ratham pary āsa na rīramad iti
marutvatīyaḥ pragāthaḥ paryastavāṃs tṛtīye 'hani tṛtīyasyāhno rūpaṃ
try aryamā manuṣo devatāteti sūktaṃ trivat tṛtīye 'hani tṛtīyasyāhno rūpaṃ
yad dyāva, indra te śataṃ, yad indra yāvatas tvam iti
vairūpam pṛṣṭham bhavati.
rāthaṃtare 'hani tṝtiye 'hani tṛtīyasyāhno rūpaṃ
yad vāvāneti dhāyyācyutā/bhi
tvā śūra nonuma iti rathaṃtarasya yonim anu nivartayati.
rāthaṃtaraṃ hy etad ahar āyatanene/ndra
tridhātu śaraṇam iti
sāmapragāthas trivāṃs tṛtīye 'hani tṛtīyasyāhno rūpaṃ
tyam ū ṣu vājinaṃ devajūtam iti tārkṣyo 'cyutaḥ

v. 1 (xxi. 1). The All-gods as deities support the third day, the Saptadaça Stoma, the Vairūpa Sāman, the Jagatī metre. With it according to the deity, the Stoma, the Sāman, the metre, he prospers who knows thus. That which has the same endings is a symbol of the third day; that which contains (the word) 'horse', (the word) 'end', that which is repeated, that which is alliterated; that which contains (the word) 'stay', the word 'surpass', (the word) 'three', that which is a symbol of the end, (the fact) that the deity is mentioned in the last Pada, that yonder world is referred to, that which is connected with the Virūpa, that which is connected with the Jagatī, the past tense, these are the symbols of the third day, 'Yoke thou those best fitted to invoke the gods, thy steeds, O Agni, like a charioteer' is the Ājya of the third day. By the third day the gods went to the world of heaven; the Asuras and the Rakṣases sought to hinder them. They kept prospering (saying) 'Become misshapen, become misshapen'; in that they kept prospering (saying) 'Become misshapen, become misshapen,' the Vairūpa Sāman came into existence; that is why the Vairūpa has its name (misshapen). They followed after them; they were united with them; them, having become horses, they smote away with their hoofs. In that, having become horses, they smote them away with their hoofs, that is why horses have their name. He attains whatever he desires who knows thus. Therefore a horse is the swiftest of animals; therefore a horse strikes backwards with his foot. He smites away evil who knows thus. Therefore this Ājya contains (the word) 'horse'; on the third day it is a symbol of the third day. 'O Vāyu, come for enjoyment', 'O Vāyu, come from the sky, auspicious', 'With Indra Vāyu, of these pressed draughts', 'Indra and

Varuṇa we’, ‘O Açvins come hither’, ‘Come to that pressed with the stones’, ‘In unison with the All-gods’, ‘Dear for us among the dear’ is the Praüga in Uṣṇih verses; that which has similar endings on the third day is a symbol of the third day. ‘It for great gain’ and ‘Three Soma draughts for Indra’ are the strophe and antistrophe of the Marutvatīya ; that which has alliteration and contains (the word) ‘three’ on the third day is a symbol of the third day. ‘O Indra come hither’ is the normal Pragātha . ‘Forward now Brahmaṇaspati’ is (the Pragātha) to Brahmaṇaspati ; as containing an alliteration on the third day it is a symbol of the third day. ‘Agni, the leader’, ‘Thou, O Soma, with inspiration’, ‘They swell the waters’ are the normal inserted verses. ‘No one hath surpassed the chariot of Sudās, nor caused it to pause’ is the Marutvatīya Pragātha ; as containing (the word) ‘surpass’ at the third pressing, it is a symbol of the third pressing. ‘Three friendships hath man’s worship’ is the hymn : that which contains (the word) ‘three’ on the third day is a symbol of the third day. ‘If a hundred skies, O Indra, were thine’ and ‘If, O Indra, as many as thou’ are the Vairūpa as Pṛṣṭha ; on the Rathantara day, the third day, this is a symbol of the third day. ‘Since he hath conquered’ is the normal inserted verse. In ‘Towards thee, O hero, we utter praise’ he brings back the basis of the Rathantara, for this day is connected with the Rathantara in its place. ‘O Indra, threefold protection’ is the Pragātha of the Sāman ; as containing (the word) ‘three’ on the third day it is a symbol of the third day. ‘This steed, god-strengthened’ is the normal Tārkṣya (hymn).