Aitareyabrahmana 7.1

7.1

Now follows the division of the sacrificial animal; we shall explain its division: the two jaws with the tongue belong to the prastotṛ; the eagle-shaped breast to the udgātṛ; the neck and the palate to the pratihartṛ; the right hip to the hotṛ priest; the left to the brahman; the right thigh to the maitrāvaruṇa; the left to the brāhmaṇācchaṃsin; the right flank with the shoulder to the adhvaryu; the left to the sub-singers; the left shoulder to the pratiprasthātṛ; the right lower foreleg to the neṣṭṛ; the left to the potṛ; the right upper thigh to the acchāvāka; the left to the āgnīdhra; the right upper foreleg to the ātreya; the left to the sadasya; the seat and the spine to the master of the house; the two right feet to the master of the house's giver of fast-milk; the two left feet to the master of the house's wife's giver of fast-milk; the lip belongs to both in common, [and] the master of the house should apportion it. They carry the tail to the wives; they should give it to a brahmin. The neck-vertebrae and the three ribs belong to the grāvastut; and three ribs and half of the brisket belong to the unnetṛ; and half of the brisket and the lung belong to the slaughterer; if he is not a brahmin, he should give it to a brahmin. The head belongs to the subrahmaṇyā; the hide to him who announces the day's pressing on the morrow; the sacrificial portion belongs to all, or to the hotṛ priest. These thirty-six single parts indeed convey the sacrifice. The bṛhatī consists of thirty-six syllables; the heavenly worlds are connected with the bṛhatī. They thus attain breaths and the heavenly worlds; establishing themselves in breaths and in the heavenly worlds they go forth. This is the animal that leads to heaven when they divide it in this way. Now, as for those who do otherwise, it is just as if thieves or wrongdoers were to tear the animal apart: such is that. Devabhāga, son of Śruta, knew this division of the animal, and without having taught it he departed from this world. A non-human being then taught it to Girija, son of Babhru. From that point onward mortal men study it.