Aitareyabrahmana 3.2.p29

3.2.p29

this of ours.’ ‘Be it so’ (they said). They gave her a share then; therefore herein is recited (the verse) ‘Since many a time he hath conquered, enduring.’ The dear wife, the favourite, Prāsahā by name, of Indra, is his host; her father-in-law is Prajāpati named Who. Therefore he who desires the victory of a host standing away from it at half distance, should cut a grass blade at both ends, and throw it towards the other host, saying ‘Prāsahā, Ka seeth thee.’ Then, just as in this world, a daughter-in-law keeps hiding in modesty before her father-in-law, so also the host keeps shrinking away in confusion, where one knowing thus, having cut a grass blade at both ends, hurls it against the other host (saying) ‘Prāsahā, Ka seeth thee.’ To them said Indra ‘You may have a share here also.’ The gods replied ‘Let the Virāj of thirty-three syllables be the offering verse of the Niṣkevalya.’ The gods are thirty-three, eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Ādityas, Prajāpati and the vaṣaṭ call; he makes the gods share the syllables; syllable by syllable the gods drink in turn; verily thus with a vessel of the gods the gods are satisfied. If he desire of a man ‘Let him be without an abode’, let him use for him as offering verse a Gāyatrī, a Triṣṭubh or some other metre, not a Virāj, and say the vaṣaṭ call; verily thus he makes him without an abode. If he desire of a man ‘Let him have an abode’, he should use for him as offering verse a Virāj ‘Drink the Soma, O Indra; let it delight thee’; verily thus with it he makes him have an abode.