Aitareyabrahmana 5.19

5.19

The hymn 'apūrvyā purutamāny asmā', [with the words] 'mahe vīrāya tavase turāya'—containing [the word] 'great' (mahat), on the eighth day, is the characteristic of the eighth day. / The hymn 'tāṃ su te kīrtim maghavan mahitvā'—containing [the word] 'great', on the eighth day, is the characteristic of the eighth day. / The hymn 'tvam mahām̐ indra yo ha śuṣmaiḥ'—containing [the word] 'great', on the eighth day, is the characteristic of the eighth day. / The hymn 'tvam mahām̐ indra tubhyaṃ ha kṣāḥ'—containing [the word] 'great', on the eighth day, is the characteristic of the eighth day. / And that is in the triṣṭubh [metre]. / By means of that firm-footed [hymn] he supports the soma pressing; by this he does not fall from his proper place. / The hymn 'divaś cid asya varimā vi paprathe', [with the words] 'indraṃ na mahnā'—containing [the word] 'great', on the eighth day, is the characteristic of the eighth day. / And that is in the jagatī [metre]. / For the jagatī verses carry the midday [pressing] of this three-day period. / That metre indeed carries [it] in which the nivid is inserted. / Therefore he inserts the nivid in the jagatī verses. / Paired hymns are recited, in the triṣṭubh and jagatī [metres]. / Cattle are a copulative pair, and the chandoma days are cattle, for the attainment of cattle. / Hymns containing [the word] 'great' are recited. / The intermediate space is great, for the attainment of the intermediate space. / Hymns in groups of five each are recited. / The paṅkti consists of five lines; the sacrifice is fivefold; cattle are fivefold; the chandoma days are cattle, for the attainment of cattle. / They, being twofold, five and five other, amount to ten. / That is the virāj possessing ten syllables. / The virāj is food; cattle are food; the chandoma days are cattle, for the attainment of cattle. / 'viśvo devasya netuḥ' and 'tat savitur vareṇyam', [along with] 'ā viśvadevaṃ satpatim', are the introductory and following verses of the Vaiśvadeva [śastra]. / In the day belonging to the bṛhatī, on the eighth day, it is the characteristic of the eighth day. / 'hiraṇyapāṇim ūtaye' is the [hymn] addressed to Savitṛ; containing [words expressive of] rising up, on the eighth day, it is the characteristic of the eighth day. / 'mahī dyauḥ pṛthivī ca naḥ' is the [hymn] addressed to Heaven and Earth; containing [the word] 'great', on the eighth day, it is the characteristic of the eighth day. / 'yuvānā pitarā punaḥ' is the [hymn] addressed to the Ṛbhus; containing [the word] 'again' (punar), on the eighth day, it is the characteristic of the eighth day. / 'imā nu kam bhuvanā sīṣadhāma'—he recites two-verse hymns. / Man is two-footed, cattle are four-footed; the chandoma days are cattle, for the attainment of cattle. / In that he recites two-verse hymns, he thereby firmly establishes the two-footed sacrificer in the four-footed cattle. / 'devānām id avo mahat' is the Vaiśvadeva hymn; containing [the word] 'great', on the eighth day, it is the characteristic of the eighth day. / And those are in the gāyatrī [metre]. / This three-day period has the gāyatrī for its third pressing. / 'ṛtāvānaṃ vaiśvānaram' is the introductory verse of the Āgnimāruta [śastra]; [with the words] 'agnir vaiśvānaro mahān'—containing [the word] 'great', on the eighth day, it is the characteristic of the eighth day. / 'krīḷaṃ vaḥ śardho mārutam' is the [hymn] addressed to the Maruts; [with the words] 'jambhe rasasya vāvṛdhe'—containing [the word] 'increasing' (vṛdhat), on the eighth day, it is the characteristic of the eighth day. / 'jātavedase sunavāma somam' is the unchanging verse addressed to Jātavedas; / 'agne mṛḷa mahām̐ asi' is the hymn addressed to Jātavedas; containing [the word] 'great', on the eighth day, it is the characteristic of the eighth day. / And those are in the gāyatrī [metre]. / This three-day period has the gāyatrī for its third pressing; this three-day period.