Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 11.45

11.45

Next, the Antarikṣa [sāman]. The Asuras pierced the gods who had gone to the atmosphere (antarikṣa). They desired: 'May we, having conquered from the atmosphere by means of the atmosphere, ascend to the heavenly world.' They saw this sāman. With it they praised. Then indeed, having conquered from the atmosphere by means of the atmosphere, they ascended to the heavenly world. That is the Antarikṣa-nature of the Antarikṣa. It is a victory-giving, heaven-procuring sāman. He conquers, he goes to heaven, who knows thus. This day is the atmosphere. The atmosphere is swaying, as it were. In that its finale (nidhana) is in the middle, it is for support. On both sides of it a pāda is adorned with stobhas—that is the characteristic form of the atmosphere. For this atmosphere is supported on both sides, as it were, by these two worlds. Therefore this sāman is not to be omitted from this day. This day is the atmosphere; this sāman is the atmosphere. Having praised, he ascends the day itself with it. And because the gods, having conquered from the atmosphere by means of the atmosphere with this sāman, ascended to the heavenly world, therefore it is called Antarikṣa.