Aitareyabrahmana 4.4.p2

4.4.p2

iv. 23 (xix. 1). Prajāpati felt desire ‘May I be propagated, may I become greater.’ He practised fervour; he, having practised fervour, saw the twelve-day (rite) in the limbs and the breaths of his self; he meted it out from the limbs and the breaths of his self twelvefold; he grasped it, and sacrificed with it. Then indeed he prospered himself, he was propagated with offspring and cattle. He prospers himself, he is propagated with offspring and cattle who knows thus. He felt desire, ‘How can I now, having encircled the twelve-day (rite) with the Gāyatrī on all sides, prosper with all prosperity?’ It he encircled in front with brilliance, in the middle with the metres, at the last with the syllables; having encircled the twelve-day (rite) with the Gāyatrī on all sides he prospers with all prosperity. With all prosperity he prospers, who knows thus. He who knows the Gāyatrī as possessed of wings, of eyes, of light, and of brilliance, goes to the world of heaven with the Gāyatrī as possessed of wings, of eyes, of light, and of brilliance; the twelve-day (rite) is the Gāyatrī as possessed of wings, of eyes, of light, and of brilliance. The two Atirātras on either side are the wings; the two Agniṣṭomas within are the two eyes; the eight Ukthyas in the middle are the body. With the Gāyatrī as possessed of wings, of eyes, of light, and of brilliance, he goes to the world of heaven, who knows thus.