Aitareyabrahmana 7.16

7.16

At his [sacrifice], Viśvāmitra was the hotṛ priest, Jamadagni the adhvaryu priest, Vasiṣṭha the brahman priest, and Ayāsya the udgātṛ priest. When he had been brought near, they found no one to bind him [to the stake]. Ajīgarta Sauyavasi said: 'Give me another hundred [cows], and I will bind him.' They gave him another hundred; he bound him. When he had been brought near, bound, propitiated, and circumambulated with fire, they found no one to slaughter him. Ajīgarta Sauyavasi said: 'Give me another hundred [cows], and I will slaughter him.' They gave him another hundred. He came forward, whetting his knife. Then Śunaḥśepa considered: 'They will slaughter me just like a non-human! Come, let me run to the deities.' He ran first to Prajāpati among the deities, with this verse: 'Of whom now, of which of the immortals...?' Prajāpati said to him: 'Agni is indeed nearest among the gods; run to him.' He ran to Agni with this verse: 'Of Agni, of the first of the immortals, we...'. Agni said to him: 'Savitṛ indeed rules over impulses; run to him.' He ran to Savitṛ with this triplet: 'Unto thee, divine Savitṛ...'. Savitṛ said to him: 'You are bound for King Varuṇa; run to him.' He ran to King Varuṇa with the subsequent thirty-one [verses]. Varuṇa said to him: 'Agni is the mouth of the gods, the most kindly; praise him now, and then we will release you.' He praised Agni with the subsequent twenty-two [verses]. Agni said to him: 'Praise the All-Gods now, and then we will release you.' He praised the All-Gods with this verse: 'Homage to the great, homage to the small...'. The All-Gods said to him: 'Indra is indeed the most vigorous, strongest, most enduring, best, and most resourceful of the gods; praise him now, and then we will release you.' He praised Indra with the hymn, 'Even if indeed true, O Soma-drinker...' and with the fifteen [verses] of the subsequent [hymn]. Praised by him, Indra, pleased in mind, gave him a golden chariot. He acknowledged it with this [verse]: 'Constantly, O Indra...'. Indra said to him: 'Praise the Aśvins now, and then we will release you.' He praised the Aśvins with the subsequent triplet. The Aśvins said to him: 'Praise Uṣas now, and then we will release you.' He praised Uṣas with the subsequent triplet. As each verse was uttered, a bond was loosed from him, and the belly of the descendant of Ikṣvāku grew smaller; when the very last verse was uttered, the bond was loosed, and the descendant of Ikṣvāku was free of illness.