Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 1.193

1.193

The lowest of the gods was one-syllabled, the highest seven-syllabled. The lowest of the Asuras was nine-syllabled, the highest fifteen-syllabled. The gods desired: 'May we with the lesser wrest away the greater belonging to the Asuras.' With the one-syllabled they wrested away the fifteen-syllabled; with the two-syllabled the fourteen-syllabled; with the three-syllabled the thirteen-syllabled; with the four-syllabled the twelve-syllabled; with the five-syllabled the eleven-syllabled; with the six-syllabled the ten-syllabled; with the seven-syllabled the nine-syllabled; with the eight-syllabled, eight. Because these amounted to sixteen each, that is the sixteen-ness of the Ṣoḍaśin. It amounted to seventeen through the Gāyatrī. Therefore they say: 'Prajāpati is seventeenfold.' Indra indeed wished to slay Vṛtra. He ran up to Prajāpati, saying: 'May I slay Vṛtra.' To him he gave this Ṣoḍaśin as a thunderbolt, having taken what vital power he had, namely the Śakvarī verses. He was not able to slay him. He ran up to him again, saying: 'May I slay Vṛtra.'