Aitareyabrahmana 6.26

6.26

Regarding this they say:
'Should one recite the continuous recitation on the sixth day, or should one not recite continuously?'
They say, 'One should recite continuously.'
'How does he recite continuously on other days, and how would he not recite continuously here?'
Moreover they say:
'One should not recite continuously at all.
The heavenly world is indeed the sixth day; the heavenly world is without equal;
scarcely anyone reaches equality in the heavenly world.'
If he were to recite continuously, he would make it equal.
And in that he does not recite continuously, that is the form of the heavenly world.
Therefore one should not recite continuously.
Now, as to why he does not recite continuously:
The stotriya is the body; the Vālakhilyās are the vital breaths.
If he were to recite continuously, he would separate the sacrificer's vital breaths from these two deities.
Whoever should say of him then:
'He has separated the sacrificer's vital breaths from these two deities;
breath will abandon him,' it would certainly happen so.
Therefore one should not recite continuously.
If he should think: 'I have recited the Vālakhilyās; come, let me recite continuously before the dūrohaṇa,'
he should not pursue his desire in that way.
If pride should seize him, let him recite even many hundreds [of verses] after the dūrohaṇa.
Whatever desire he would do it for, that is attained right here:
The Vālakhilyās belong to Indra; their pādas have twelve syllables;
there that desire is attained which is in a hymn to Indra in the jagatī metre.
Then this hymn belongs to Indrā-Varuṇā; the concluding verse belongs to Indrā-Varuṇā.
Therefore one should not recite continuously.
Regarding this they say:
'As indeed the chant, so is the recitation.
The Vālakhilyās are recited transposed; is the chant transposed or not transposed?'
'It is transposed,' he should say, '[connecting] the twelve-syllabled with the eight-syllabled.'
Regarding this they say:
'As indeed the recitation, so is the offering verse.
Three deities are recited: Agni, Indra, and Varuṇa; then he offers with a verse to Indrā-Varuṇā.
How is Agni not excluded?'
Whoever is Agni is Varuṇa.
This too has been spoken by the ṛṣi:
'Since you, O Agni, are born as Varuṇa.'
Thus, in that he offers with a verse to Indrā-Varuṇā, thereby Agni is not excluded, not excluded.