Aitareyabrahmana 3.11

3.11

Solar indeed are these deities, namely the nivid-formulas.
As to their being placed before the uktha-chants at the morning-pressing,
in the middle at the midday-pressing, [and] at the end at the third pressing,
they thereby turn around in accordance with the course of the sun.
Foot by foot the gods gathered the sacrifice; therefore nivid-formulas are recited foot by foot.
When the gods gathered the sacrifice, from that a horse was produced.
Therefore they say: 'One should give a horse to the reciter of the nivid-formulas.'
Moreover, they give the best.
He should not skip a word of a nivid-formula.
If he were to skip a word of a nivid-formula, he would make a hole in the sacrifice;
when the sacrifice leaks through a hole, the sacrificer becomes worse off.
Therefore he should not skip a word of a nivid-formula.
He should not transpose two words of a nivid-formula.
If he were to transpose two words of a nivid-formula, he would confound the sacrifice; the sacrificer would become confounded.
Therefore he should not transpose two words of a nivid-formula.
He should not merge two words of a nivid-formula.
If he were to merge two words of a nivid-formula, he would shorten the life-span of the sacrifice;
the sacrificer would be likely to die.
Therefore he should not merge two words of a nivid-formula.
'Forward this spiritual power, forward this royal power!'—these two alone he should merge,
for the mutual support of spiritual power and royal power.
Therefore spiritual power and royal power are mutually supported.
He should not hold cheap the insertion of a nivid-formula over a triplet or a four-verse passage;
each foot of a nivid-formula corresponds to a verse or a hymn.
Therefore he should not hold cheap the insertion of a nivid-formula over a triplet or a four-verse passage,
for by the nivid-formula the stotra is recited in excess.
Leaving one [verse], he should insert the nivid-formula at the third pressing.
If he were to insert it leaving two, he would strike down the organ of procreation;
he would deprive the offspring of embryos.
Therefore, leaving one [verse] only, he should insert the nivid-formula at the third pressing.
He should not pass beyond the nivid-formula with a hymn.
If he should pass beyond the nivid-formula with a hymn,
he should not return to it again; it is an abandoned dwelling.
Having fetched another hymn addressed to that deity and in that metre, he should insert the nivid-formula in it.
'May we not go away from the path!'—[this] he recites before the hymn.
He indeed strays from the path who is bewildered in the sacrifice.
'O Indra, from the sacrifice of the Soma-presser!'—thereby he does not fall away from the sacrifice.
'Let not the grudging ones stand inside us!'—thereby he wards off those who bear malice.
'The thread that accomplishes the sacrifice, stretched among the gods, / having offered it, may we attain it!'—
offspring indeed is the thread; he thus extends offspring for him.
'Now we invoke the mind with the Soma connected to Narāśaṃsa'—
by mind indeed the sacrifice is stretched out; by mind it is performed.
That is the expiation in that case, the expiation.