Aitareyabrahmana 2.21

2.21

The morning recitation is the head of the sacrifice; the upāṃśu and antaryāma [cups] are the out-breath and the in-breath; speech is the thunderbolt. The hotṛ should not release speech when the upāṃśu and antaryāma [cups] have not been offered. If the hotṛ were to release speech when the upāṃśu and antaryāma [cups] have not been offered, he would sever the breaths of the sacrificer with the thunderbolt of speech. If anyone should say of him then: 'He has severed the breaths of the sacrificer with the thunderbolt of speech; breath will abandon him,' it would surely happen so. Therefore the hotṛ should not release speech when the upāṃśu and antaryāma [cups] have not been offered. He should address the upāṃśu [cup]: 'Restrain breath! Hail to you, who are easily invoked, for Sūrya!' He should breathe out towards it: 'O breath, restrain my breath!' He should address the antaryāma [cup]: 'Restrain in-breath! Hail to you, who are easily invoked, for Sūrya!' He should breathe in towards it: 'O in-breath, restrain my in-breath!' Touching the upāṃśusavana pressing-stone with: 'For diffused breath, to you!' he releases speech. The upāṃśusavana [stone] is the self; in the self the hotṛ thereby places the breaths and releases speech, possessing full life, for the attainment of full life. He attains full life who knows thus.