Aitareyabrahmana 6.3

6.3

vāg vai subrahmaṇyā, tasyai somo rājā vatsah.
some rājani krīte subrahmaṇyām āhvayanti yathā dhenum upahvayet,
tena vatsena yajamānāya sarvān kāmān duhe
sarvān hāsmai kāmān vāg duhe ya evaṃ veda
tad āhuḥ:
kiṃ subrahmaṇyāyai subrahmaṇyātvam iti.
vāg eveti brūyād, vāg vai brahma ca subrahma ceti
tad āhur:
atha kasmād enam pumāṃsaṃ santaṃ strīm ivācakṣata iti.
vāg ghi subrahmaṇyeti brūyāt, teneti
tad āhur:
yad antarvedītara ṛtvija ārtvijyaṃ kurvanti bahirvedi subrahmaṇyā,
katham asyāntarvedy ārtvijyaṃ kṛtam bhavatīti.
veder vā utkaram utkiranti;
yad evotkare tiṣṭhann āhvayatīti brūyāt, teneti
tad āhur:
atha kasmād utkare tiṣṭhan subrahmaṇyām āhvayatīty.
ṛṣayo vai satram āsata.
teṣāṃ yo varṣiṣṭha āsīt tam abruvan:
subrahmaṇyām āhvaya, tvaṃ no nediṣṭhād devān hvayiṣyasīti.
varṣiṣṭham evainaṃ tat kurvanty, atho vedim eva tat sarvām prīṇāti
tad āhuḥ:
kasmād asmā ṛṣabhaṃ dakṣiṇām abhyājantīti.
vṛṣā vā ṛṣabho yoṣā subrahmaṇyā tan mithunaṃ,
tasya mithunasya prajātyā ity
upāṃśu pātnīvatasyāgnidhro yajati.
reto vai pātnīvata, upāṃśv iva vai retasaḥ siktir
nānuvaṣaṭkaroti.
saṃsthā vā eṣā yad anuvaṣaṭkāro:
ned retaḥ saṃsthāpayānīty.
asaṃsthitaṃ vai retasaḥ samṛddhaṃ.
tasmān nānuvaṣaṭkaroti
neṣṭur upastha āsīno bhakṣayati.
pantībhājanaṃ vai neṣṭāgniḥ patnīṣu reto dadhāti prajātyā,
Agninaiva tat patnīṣu reto dadhāti prajātyai
prajāyate prajayā paśubhir ya evaṃ veda
dakṣiṇā anu subrahmaṇyā saṃtiṣṭhate.
vāg vai subrahmaṇyānnaṃ dakṣiṇānnādya eva
tad vāci yajñam antataḥ pratiṣṭhāpayanti pratiṣṭhāpayanti

vi. 3 (xxvi. 1). The Subrahmaṇyā is speech; its calf is Soma the king; when Soma the king has been bought, they summon the Subrahmaṇyā, just as one summons a cow; with this as calf it milks all desires for the sacrificer. All desires speech milks for him who knows thus. They say 'Why has the Subrahmaṇyā its name?' 'It is speech', he should reply; 'speech is the holy power and the good holy power (su-brahma).' They say 'Why then do they call him that is male female as it were?' 'Because the Subrahmaṇyā is speech' he should reply, 'for that reason.' They say 'Seeing that the other priests perform their priestly functions within the altar, and the Subrahmaṇyā without the altar, how is his function performed within the altar?' 'From the altar they throw up the rubbish heap; in that standing on the heap he calls', he should reply, 'for that

reason.' They say 'Then why does he stand on the heap when calling the Subrahmaṇyā?' The seers performed a sacrificial session; to the tallest of them they said 'Do thou call the Subrahmaṇyā; from nearest wilt thou summon the gods.' Verily thus they make him the tallest; moreover thus he delights the whole of the altar. They say 'Why do they drive up a bull as the fee for him?' 'The bull is male, the Subrahmaṇyā female; that is a pair; for the propagation of this pair' (he should reply). Inaudibly the Agnīdh utters the offering verse for the cup for (Tvaṣṭṛ) with the wives; the cup for (Tvaṣṭṛ) with the wives is seed; seed is poured inaudibly as it were. He does not say the second vaṣaṭ (thinking) 'The second vaṣaṭ call is a completion; let me not bring seed to completion.' The incomplete state of seed is perfect; therefore he does not say the second vaṣaṭ. Seated on the lap of the Neṣṭṛ he partakes; the Neṣṭṛ represents the wife; Agni places seed in the wives for propagation; verily thus by Agni he places seed in the wives for propagation. He is propagated with offspring and cattle who knows thus. After the fees the Subrahmaṇyā is completed; the Subrahmaṇyā is speech; the fee is food; verily thus in proper food and speech at the end they establish the sacrifice.