Aitareyabrahmana 7.10

7.10

(tad āhur:
vācāpatnīko 'gnihotraṃ katham eva juhoti
niviṣṭe mṛtā patnī naṣṭā vāgnihotraṃ katham agnihotraṃ juhoti
putrān pautrān naptṝn ity āhur:
asmiṃś ca loke 'muṣmiṃś cāsminm̐l loke
'yaṃ svargo 'svargeṇa svargaṃ lokam ārurohety.
amuṣyaiva lokasya saṃtatiṃ dhārayati yasyaiṣām patnīṃ naichet.
tasmād apatnīkasyādhānaṃ kurvanty
apatnīko 'gnihotraṃ katham agnihotraṃ juhoti.
śrāddha patnī satyaṃ yajamānaḥ.
śraddhā satyaṃ tad iti uttamam mithunaṃ,
śraddhayā satyena mithunena svargām̐l lokāñ jayatīti)

[vii. 10 (xxxii. 9). They say 'Why does a man without a wife offer at command the Agnihotra? 'If one has commenced (the sacrifice), and his wife dies or disappears, how does he offer the Agnihotra?' 'Sons, grandsons, and great grandsons (he wins)' they say, 'in this and yonder world; in this world is yonder (world) of heaven, by that which is not heaven one mounts to the world of heaven.' He maintains the continuity of yonder world. Therefore they perform the piling for one without a wife. How does one without a wife perform the Agnihotra? 'The wife is faith, the sacrificer truth; faith and truth are the highest pair; by faith and truth as a pair he conquers the worlds of heaven' (he should reply).