Aitareyabrahmana 7.19

7.19

Prajāpati created sacrifice. After sacrifice was created, priesthood and nobility were created. / Following priesthood and nobility, two kinds of creatures were created: the eaters of oblations and the non-eaters of oblations. / Following priesthood, the eaters of oblations; following nobility, the non-eaters of oblations. / These creatures are the eaters of oblations, namely the brāhmaṇas; / and these are the non-eaters of oblations, namely the rājanya, the vaiśya, and the śūdra. / Sacrifice departed from them; priesthood and nobility pursued it. / With whatever were the weapons of priesthood, with those priesthood pursued; with whatever were those of nobility, with those nobility [pursued]. / These are the weapons of priesthood, namely the sacrificial implements; / and these are the weapons of nobility, namely the horse-chariot, the armour, and the bow and arrows. / Nobility turned back without reaching it, turning away, trembling at its weapons. / Then priesthood pursued it; it reached it; having reached it, it stood barring it from beyond. / Reached and barred from beyond, [sacrifice,] recognising its own weapons, approached priesthood. / Therefore, even now sacrifice is established in priesthood, in brāhmaṇas alone. / Then nobility approached it; it said: / 'Invite me to this sacrifice!' / It said: 'So be it; having laid aside your own weapons, having approached sacrifice with the very weapons of priesthood, in the form of priesthood, having become priesthood!' 'So be it!' [nobility replied]. / That nobility, having laid aside its own weapons, approached sacrifice with the very weapons of priesthood, in the form of priesthood, having become priesthood. / Therefore, even now the consecrated sacrificer who is a kṣatriya, having laid aside his own weapons, approaches sacrifice with the very weapons of priesthood, in the form of priesthood, having become priesthood.