Aitareyabrahmana 3.3

3.3

This praüga [śastra] is indeed the hymn of the vital breaths. He recites seven deities. Seven indeed are the vital breaths in the head; thus he places the vital breaths in the head. 'Why should he who is his hotṛ priest care about the good or evil of the sacrificer?' they used to say. 'Right here he may do with him as he wishes.' Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of breath,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to Vāyu confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of breath. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of in-breath and out-breath,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to Indra and Vāyu confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of in-breath and out-breath. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of sight,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to Mitra and Varuṇa confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of sight. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of hearing,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to the Aśvins confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of hearing. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of virility,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to Indra confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of virility. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of his limbs,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to the All-gods confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of limbs. Whomever he should wish: 'Let me deprive him of speech,' he should recite his [hymn] addressed to Sarasvatī confusedly. He should skip a verse or a quarter-verse; thereby it is confused. He thus deprives him of speech. But whomever he should wish: 'Let me enrich him with all limbs, with his whole self,' he should recite this for him in regular order, straight and orderly. Thus he enriches him with all limbs, with his whole self. He thrives with all limbs, with his whole self, who knows thus.