Aitareyabrahmana 3.7

3.7

Three indeed are the vaṣaṭ-calls: the thunderbolt, the coverer of domain, and the empty. The one that he utters loudly and forcefully is the thunderbolt; he strikes down with it each hated rival as a deadly weapon, to overthrow him who is to be overthrown by him. Therefore it should be uttered by one who has a rival. Now, the one that is level, continuous, and not separated from the verse is the coverer of domain; offspring and cattle attend upon it each time. Therefore it should be uttered by one desiring offspring, desiring cattle. Now, that by which he misses the 'ṣaṭ' is the empty; it empties himself, it empties the sacrificer; worse off becomes the caller of the vaṣaṭ, worse off he for whom he calls the vaṣaṭ. Therefore one should not have any hope in it. 'Why should he care for the evil or good fortune of the sacrificer?' used he to say who might be his hotṛ priest: right here he may do with him as he may wish. If he should wish of him: 'Just as he was before sacrificing, so may he be after sacrificing,' he should utter his vaṣaṭ-call in the very same way as he speaks his verse. He thus makes him equal. If he should wish of him: 'May he become worse off,' he should speak his verse louder and make the vaṣaṭ-call more softly. He thus makes him worse off. If he should wish of him: 'May he become better off,' he should speak his verse more softly and make the vaṣaṭ-call louder. He thus places him in prosperity after prosperity. The vaṣaṭ-call must be made continuous with the verse, for continuity. He is joined with offspring and cattle, who knows thus.