Aitareyabrahmana 5.9

5.9

devakṣetraṃ vā etad yat ṣaṣṭham ahar.
devakṣetraṃ vā eta āgachanti ye ṣaṣṭham ahar āgachanti
na vai devā anyonyasya gṛhe vasanti, nartur ṛtor gṛhe vasatīty āhus.
tad yathāyatham ṛtvija ṛtuyājān yajanty asampradāyaṃ.
tad yathartv ṛtūn kalpayanti, yathāyathaṃ janatās
tad āhur:
nartupraiṣaiḥ preṣitavyaṃ nartupraiṣair vaṣaṭkṛtyaṃ.
vāg vā ṛtupraiṣā, āpyate vai vāk ṣaṣṭhe 'hanīti
yad ṛtupraiṣaiḥ preṣyeyur yad ṛtupraiṣair vaṣaṭkuryur,
vācam eva tad āptāṃ śrāntām mṛkṇavahīṃ vaharāviṇīm ṛcheyur
yad v ebhir na preṣyeyur yad v ebhir na vaṣaṭkuryur,
acyutād yajñasya cyaveran, yajñāt prāṇāt Prajāpateḥ paśubhyo jihmā īyus
tasmād ṛgmebhya evādhi preṣitavyam, ṛgmebhyo 'dhi vaṣaṭkṛtyaṃ.
tan na vācam āptāṃ śrāntām mṛkṇavahīṃ vaharāviṇīm ṛchanti,
nācyutād yajñasya cyavante,
na yajñāt prāṇāt Prajāpateḥ paśubhyo jihmā yanti

v. 9 (xxii. 4). The sixth day is a field of the gods; those who approach the sixth day approach a field of the gods. 'The gods dwell not in one another's houses, nor a season in the house of a season' they say. Therefore in due order the priests perform the sacrifice to the seasons, not handing them over (to others). Thus they arrange in order the seasons according to the season, and place in order communities. They say 'No directions should be given with the Ṛtupraiṣas, nor should the vaṣaṭ call be said with the Ṛtupraiṣas. The Ṛtupraiṣas are speech; on the sixth day speech is made up.' If they

were to give directions with the Ṛtupraiṣas, if they were to say vaṣaṭ with the Ṛtupraiṣas, verily thus they would go to speech when made up, weary, with galled shoulders, groaning under the yoke. But if they were not to give directions with them, if they were not to say vaṣaṭ with them, they would depart from the norm of the sacrifice, from the sacrifice, from breath, from Prajāpati, from cattle they would go away. Therefore directions should be given only after that which contains a Ṛc, and the vaṣaṭ call said only after that which contains a Ṛc; then they do not go to speech when made up, weary, with galled shoulders, groaning under the yoke, nor do they depart from the norm of the sacrifice, nor from the sacrifice, breath, Prajāpati, cattle do they go away.