Aitareyabrahmana 2.1

2.1

By means of the sacrifice, the gods went upwards to the heavenly world. They feared: 'Seeing this [track] of ours, human beings and ṛṣis will discern it.' They blocked it with the sacrificial post (yūpa); because they blocked it (ayopayan) with the sacrificial post, that is the nature of the sacrificial post (yūpatva). Having erected it with its top pointing downward, they rose upwards. Then human beings and ṛṣis came upon the sacrificial site of the gods: 'We will seek something belonging to the sacrifice for discerning [it].' They found only the sacrificial post erected with its top pointing downward. They knew: 'By this the gods blocked the sacrifice.' Having dug it up, they erected it upright; then they clearly discerned the sacrifice, [and] clearly discerned the heavenly world. Therefore, when the sacrificial post is erected upright, it is for discerning the sacrifice, for revealing the heavenly world. The sacrificial post is a thunderbolt (vajra); it should be made eight-cornered. An eight-cornered weapon is the thunderbolt. He hurls that deadly blow at whichever rival enemy of his is to be struck down, in order to fell him. The sacrificial post is a thunderbolt; raised up, it stands as a deadly blow against an enemy. Therefore, even nowadays, he who hates [another] feels displeasure, having seen: 'This is that one's sacrificial post; this is that one's sacrificial post.' One desiring the heavenly world should make a sacrificial post of khadira wood. By a sacrificial post of khadira wood the gods conquered the heavenly world; in that very way the sacrificer conquers the heavenly world by a sacrificial post of khadira wood. One desiring proper food and desiring nourishment should make a sacrificial post of bilva wood. Year after year the bilva tree is seized [with fruit]; that is the form of proper food. It is covered with branches from the root up; that is [the form] of nourishment. He nourishes both offspring and cattle, who knowing thus makes a sacrificial post of bilva wood. And as to why [it should be made] of bilva wood: bilva is light, so they say; he becomes a light among his own people, he becomes the best among his own people, who knows thus. One desiring splendour and desiring priestly lustre should make a sacrificial post of palāśa wood. Splendour and priestly lustre among trees is the palāśa. He becomes full of splendour and full of priestly lustre, who knowing thus makes a sacrificial post of palāśa wood. And as to why [it should be made] of palāśa wood: the palāśa is the source of all trees; therefore they speak of the leaf (palāśa) of any tree as 'the leaf of this [tree], the leaf of that [tree]'. The desire of all trees is attained for him, who knows thus.