Aitareyabrahmana 7.19: adhyāya 34, khaṇḍaḥ 1-8

7.19

prajāpatir yajñam asṛjata, yajñaṃ sṛṣṭam anu brahmakṣatre asṛjyetām.
brahmakṣatre anu dvayyaḥ prajā asṛjyanta hutādaś cāhutādaś ca,
brahmaivānu hutādaḥ kṣatram anv ahutāda.
etā vai prajā hutādo yad brāhmaṇā,
athaitā ahutādo yad rājanyo vaiśyaḥ śūdras
tābhyo yajña udakrāmat, tam brahmakṣatre anvaitāṃ.
yāny eva brahmaṇa āyudhāni tair brahmānvaid, yāni kṣatrasya taiḥ kṣatram.
etāni vai brahmaṇa āyudhāni yad yajñāyudhāny,
athaitāni kṣatrasyāyudhāni yad aśvarathaḥ kavaca iṣudhanva
taṃ kṣatram ananvāpya nyavartatā,yudhebhyo
ha smāsya vijamānaḥ parāṅ evaity.
athainam brahmānvait, tam āpnot, tam āptvā parastān nirudhyātiṣṭhat.
sa āptaḥ parastān niruddhas tiṣṭhañ jñātvā svāny āyudhāni brahmopāvartata.
tasmād dhāpy etarhi yajño brahmaṇy eva brāhmaṇeṣu pratiṣṭhito
'thainat kṣatram anvāgachat, tad abravīd:
upa māsmin yajñe hvayasveti.
tat tathety abravīt, tad vai nidhāya svāny āyudhāni brahmaṇa
evāyudhair brahmaṇo rūpeṇa brahma bhūtvā yajñam upāvartasveti. tatheti.
tat kṣatraṃ nidhāya svāny āyudhāni brahmaṇa evāyudhair brahmaṇo
rūpeṇa brahma bhūtvā yajñam upāvartata.
tasmād dhāpy etarhi kṣatriyo yajamāno nidhāyaiva svāny āyudhāni
brahmaṇa evāyudhair brahmaṇo rūpeṇa brahma bhūtvā yajñam upāvartate

vii. 19 (xxxiv. 1). Prajāpati created the sacrifice; after the creation of the sacrifice the holy power and the lordly power were created; after the holy power and the lordly power both kinds of offspring were created, those who eat the oblations and those who do not eat the oblations; after the holy power those that eat the oblations, after the lordly power those that do not eat the oblations. The Brahmans are the offspring that eat the oblations; the Rājanya, Vaiçya, and Çūdras those that do not eat the oblations. From them the sacrifice departed; it the holy power and the lordly power pursued; the holy power pursued with the weapons of the holy power; the lordly power with those of the lordly power. The weapons of the holy power are the weapons of the sacrifice; the weapons of the lordly

power are the horse chariot, the corslet, the bow and arrow. The lordly power returned without attaining it; from its weapons it turns away trembling. The holy power followed it and obtained it; having obtained it it kept blocking it from above; it being obtained and blocked from above standing, recognising its own weapons, went up to the holy power. Therefore even now the sacrifice finds support in the holy power and in the Brahmans. The lordly power then followed it; it said 'Do thou call upon me in this sacrifice'. 'Be it so' it replied; 'Lay aside thine own weapons, and with the weapons of the holy power, the form of the holy power, becoming the holy power, do thou come to the sacrifice'. 'Be it so' (it said). Thus the lordly power, having laid aside its own weapons, with the weapons of the holy power, with the form of the holy power, becoming the holy power, went to the sacrifice. Therefore now also the Kṣatriya, as sacrificer, having laid aside his own weapons, with the weapons of the holy power, with the form of the holy power, becoming the holy power, goes to the sacrifice.