Aitareyabrahmana 2.2.p11

2.2.p11

ii. 15 (vii. 5). ‘For the gods that move at morn recite, O Hotṛ’ the Adhvaryu says. Agni, Uṣas, and the Açvins are the gods that move at morn; they come with seven metres each; the gods that move at morn come to the call of him who knows thus. When Prajāpati himself as Hotṛ was about to recite the morning litany, both the gods and the Asuras resorted to the sacrifice, (thinking) ‘For us will he recite, for us.’ He recited for the gods alone; then did the gods prosper, the Asuras were defeated. He prospers himself, the evil rival who hates him who knows thus is defeated. In the morning he recited it for the gods; in that he recited in the morning, that is why the morning litany has its name. It should be recited in the deep of the night, to secure the whole of speech, the whole of the holy power. If a man prospers or attains pre-eminence, his speech as uttered others repeat; therefore should it be recited in the deep of the night; before the utterance of speech must it be recited. If he should recite, when speech has been uttered, verily he would make him a repeater of what has been said by another; therefore in the deep of night should it be recited. Before the speaking of the fowls should he recite; the birds, the fowls, are the mouth of Nirṛti;