Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 50.269

Now, as to the Yādvāhiṣṭhīya: Agni did not desire to carry the sacrificial offering for the gods across from the ninth day over to the tenth day. The gods desired: "May Agni carry this sacrificial offering across for us." They saw this sāman. With it they praised him: "Sing high to Agni, O bright one, [what is] most conveyable; like a queen, from you wealth, from you victories surge forth. Your gleaming rays are called high, like a pressing-stone; and your thunder is heard like a roar from heaven by itself. Thus have we, seeking goods, worshipped the mighty Agni; may he, skillful, take us across all enmities like a boat." Just as one would ferry across by boat, even so did Agni ferry across this sacrificial offering of theirs from the ninth day to the tenth day. He indeed is able to ferry this across. That the Yādvāhiṣṭhīya is [used] here is solely for the continuity of the sacrifice. For him the sacrifice is extended continuously, Agni ferries across his sacrificial offering, who knows thus. It has the raised iḷā, the form of the Bṛhat on a Bṛhat-day. By that indeed it is rich in form.

Now, the Āsita.

The seers said: "Come, let us win that heavenly world above the falcon,

in which these Atharvans dwell."

Preṇi Saubhāhita, Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra, Asita Devala, and whichever others

consecrated themselves near him. While they were sacrificing for a long time indeed, no one heard of them for many

years.

Then people heard of them: "He is calling for the call to listen, or he is pronouncing the vaṣaṭ-call."

A certain one among the Atharvans, named Udvant, descended cup in hand.

He said to them: "With what desire are you sitting?"

"We wish to win that heavenly world above the falcon, in which these Atharvans dwell."

He said to them: "Do you walk behind a settlement?"

"We do indeed," [they said].

"For what desire?"

"For the road."

"Yes," he said. "That is not at all leading to the heavenly world for you."