Aitareyabrahmana 5.18

5.18

That which contains neither 'na' nor 'pra', that which is stationary: that is the characteristic form of the eighth day. For what the second day is, that same is this eighth day again. That which contains 'ūrdhva' (upward), that which contains 'prati' (towards/against), that which contains 'antar' (within), that which contains 'vṛṣan' (bull/virile), that which contains 'vṛdh' (increase); where the deity is expressly mentioned in the middle verse-foot; that wherein the intermediate region is mentioned; that which has Agni twice, that which contains 'mahat' (great), that which has a double invocation, that which contains 'punar' (again), that which contains the present participle of kṛ- (doing); what is the characteristic form of the second day: these indeed are the characteristic forms of the eighth day. 'Agni, your god, in unison with the fires' becomes the ājya [śastra] of the eighth day. Having Agni twice, on the eighth day, it is the characteristic form of the eighth day. And it is in the triṣṭubh [metre]. This three-day period has the triṣṭubh at the morning pressing. 'Where, indeed, those who have increased with reverence', 'Rich in food, increasing wealth, wise', 'The dawns shine out, fair-omened, faultless', 'The willing messengers, not to be harmed, the guardians', 'As much as the speed of the body, as much as the vital power', 'Towards you two as the sun rises, with hymns', 'The milch-cow yielding the desire of the ancient', 'As brahman, O Indra, come to us knowing', 'Agni, standing upright, has reached good will, wealth', 'And may this Sarasvatī, rejoicing, [be ours]': [this is] the praüga [śastra], containing 'prati', containing 'antar', having a double invocation, containing 'ūrdhva'; on the eighth day it is the characteristic form of the eighth day. And it is in the triṣṭubh [metre]. This three-day period has the triṣṭubh at the morning pressing. 'The lord of all men for you', 'Indra alone is the drinker of soma', 'O Indra, come nearer hither', 'Arise, O Brahmaṇaspati', 'Agni the leader', 'You, O Soma, through insight', 'The waters swell', 'Sing the bṛhat to Indra': identical with the second day, the arrangement on the eighth day is the characteristic form of the eighth day. 'Praise the great Indra in whom all' is the hymn; containing 'mahat', on the eighth day, it is the characteristic form of the eighth day. 'Even from great [danger], you, O Indra, when these' is the hymn; containing 'mahat', on the eighth day, it is the characteristic form of the eighth day. 'Drink the soma, pierce that ferocious [foe]' is the hymn; 'The cow-stall, O Indra, being praised as great'—containing 'mahat', on the eighth day, it is the characteristic form of the eighth day. 'Indra the great, like a man, filling the peoples' is the hymn; containing 'mahat', on the eighth day, it is the characteristic form of the eighth day. And it is in the triṣṭubh [metre]. By that [hymn], which has a firm footing, he sustains the soma pressing; he does not fall away from his proper seat by means of it. 'Heaven and earth of one mind with him' is the hymn; 'When he came, making his majestic Indra-power'—containing 'mahat', on the eighth day, it is the characteristic form of the eighth day. And it is in the jagatī [metre]. The jagatīs indeed carry the midday [pressing] of this three-day period. Truly, that metre carries it in which the nivid is inserted. Therefore he inserts the nivid into the jagatī [verses]. Hymns in pairs are recited, in the triṣṭubh and in the jagatī [metres]. Cattle are indeed a copulative pair, and cattle are the chandomas, for obtaining cattle. Hymns containing 'mahat' are recited. The intermediate region is indeed great, for the attainment of the intermediate region. Five hymns are recited. The paṅkti has five feet; the sacrifice is fivefold; cattle are fivefold; cattle are the chandomas, for obtaining cattle. 'Unto you, O hero, we shout aloud' and 'Unto you for the former drinking': the rathantara becomes the pṛṣṭha on the eighth day. Verily, what contains 'ana' is the unchangeable inserted verse. 'You indeed we invoke'—he turns back following the womb of the bṛhat. For by its seat this day belongs to the bṛhat. 'Both may he hear from us' is the sāman pragātha. 'Both what is here today and what was yesterday': on a day belonging to the bṛhat, on the eighth day, it is the characteristic form of the eighth day. 'That courser impelled by the gods' is the unchangeable Tārkṣya [hymn].