Aitareyabrahmana 4.7

4.7

Prajāpati gave his daughter Sūryā Sāvitrī to King Soma. All the gods came as suitors for her. For her he arranged this wedding gift of a thousand [verses] which they call this āśvina [śastra]. That which is less than a thousand is indeed not an āśvina. Therefore one should recite a thousand or more. Having eaten clarified butter, he should recite. Just as here a cart or a chariot moves when anointed, even so he moves when anointed. He should call out like a bird about to fly up. On that point the gods did not agree: 'Let this be mine, let this be mine!' Having reached an agreement, they said: 'Let us run a race for it. Whichever of us wins, to him it shall belong.' They made the Sun the goal from Agni the householder. Therefore the beginning verse of the āśvina belongs to Agni: 'Agni is the hotṛ priest, the householder, he is the king.' Regarding this, some say: 'One should begin with: "I think Agni to be my father, Agni my friend"; with the very first verse, "The bright, adorable [orb] of the sun in the sky", he reaches the goal.' That should not be regarded. If someone were to say of him there: 'He began with "Agni, Agni"; he will fall into fire'—so it would certainly happen. Therefore he should begin with this very verse: 'Agni is the hotṛ priest, the householder, he is the king.' It contains the word 'householder', it contains procreation, it is soothing, possessing the full lifespan, for the attainment of a full lifespan. He attains a full lifespan who knows thus.