Aitareyabrahmana 8.8

8.8

atha yad audumbary āsandī bhavaty audumbaraś camasa udumbaraśākhorg
vā annādyam udumbara;
ūrjam evāsniṃs tad annādyaṃ dadhāty
atha yad dadhi madhu ghṛtam bhavaty, apāṃ sa oṣadhīnāṃ raso;
'pām evāsmiṃs tad oṣadhīnāṃ rasaṃ dadhāty
atha yad ātapavarṣyā āpo bhavanti,
tejaś ca ha vai brahmavarcasaṃ cātapavarṣyā āpas;
teja evāsmiṃs tad brahmavarcasaṃ ca dadhāty
atha yac chaṣpāṇi ca tokmāni ca bhavantīrāyai tat puṣṭyai
rūpam atho prajātya;
irām evāsmiṃs tat puṣṭiṃ dadhāty atho prajātim
atha yat surā bhavati, kṣatrarūpaṃ tad atho annasya rasaḥ;
kṣatrarūpam evāsmiṃs tad dadhāty atho annasya rasam
atha yad dūrvā bhavati, kṣatraṃ vā etad oṣadhīnāṃ
yad dūrvā kṣatraṃ rājanyo.
nitata iva hīha kṣatriyo rāṣṭre vasan bhavati pratiṣṭhita iva,
nitateva dūrvāvarodhair bhūmyām pratiṣṭhiteva.
tad yad dūrvā bhavaty,
oṣadhīnām evāsmiṃs tat kṣatraṃ dadhāty atho pratiṣṭhām
etāni ha vai yāny asmād ījānād vyutkrāntāni bhavanti,
tāny evāsmiṃs tad dadhāti, tair evainaṃ tat samardhayaty
athāsmai surākaṃsaṃ hasta ādadhāti
svādiṣṭhayā madiṣṭhayā pavasva soma dhārayā \ indrāya pātave suta
ity ādhāya śāntiṃ vācayati
nānā hi vāṃ devahitaṃ sadas kṛtam mā saṃ sṛkṣāthām parame vyomani \
surā tvam asi śuṣmiṇī soma eṣa rājā mainaṃ hiṃsiṣṭaṃ
svāṃ yonim āvisantāv iti
somapīthasya caiṣā surāpīthasya ca vyāvṛttiḥ
pitvā yaṃ rātim manyeta tasmā enām prayachet, tad dhi mitrasya rūpaṃ
mitra evaināṃ tad antataḥ pratiṣṭhāpayati, tathā hi mitre pratitiṣṭhati
pratitiṣṭhati ya evaṃ veda

viii. 8 (xxxvii. 4). In that the throne is of Udumbara, the goblet of Udumbara, and there is a branch of Udumbara, and the Udumbara is strength and the eating of food, verily thus he confers upon him strength and the eating of food. In that there is curd, honey, and ghee, and it is the sap of the plants and the waters, verily thus he confers upon him the sap of plants and the waters. In that there are waters of rain in sunshine, and the waters of rain in sunshine are brilliance and splendour, verily thus he confers on him brilliance and splendour. In that there are grass and green barley, and these are a symbol of refreshment and growth, and also of propagation, verily thus he confers upon him refreshment and growth and also propagation. In that there is Surā, and this is

a symbol of the lordly power, and also the sap of food, verily thus he confers upon him the symbol of lordly power and also the sap of food. In that there is Dūrvā grass, the Dūrvā is the lordly power of the plants, the Rājanya is the lordly power, for the Kṣatriya dwelling in the kingdom is fastened here as it were, and supported as it were; the Dūrvā is fastened as it were to the ground with descending growths, and is supported as it were. Thus in that there is Dūrvā grass, verily thus he confers upon him the lordly power of the plants and also a support. Those that have departed from him after sacrificing he thus confers upon him; verily thus he makes him prosper with them. Then he places in his hand a bowl of Surā with

‘With thy sweetest, most intoxicating
Stream be thou purified, O Soma,
Pressed for Indra to drink.’

Having placed it with (this verse), he makes him recite the expiation

‘Separate for you is the place made by the gods,
Be ye not united in the highest heaven,
Surā thou art, the impetuous; he is king Soma;
Harm him not, when entering your own place of birth.’

This is the discrimination of the drinking of Soma and of Surā. Having drank he should give it to him whom he deems generous, for that is a symbol of friendship; verily thus at the end he establishes it in a friend; for he thus finds support in a friend. He finds support who knows thus.