Jaiminīya (Talavakāra) Brāhmaṇa 2-8.396

2-8.396

'thereby it is both omitted and not omitted.
Moreover, having reckoned as many days as they might omit, they should perform them after the Atirātra;
thereby too it is both omitted and not omitted.'
Then Bhāllabeya used to say: 'Only the ukthas are to be omitted.
Offspring and cattle, indeed, are the ukthas;
thus they omit offspring and cattle.
Moreover, that is just as if one were to deflate a bellows by foot.'
Regarding this they say: 'It is indeed to be omitted.
Prajāpati, indeed, is this year.
His breaths and joints are these full-moon and new-moon days.
Just as a blown-up bellows would burn, just so does this Prajāpati
cause cattle to burn if not omitted.
When they omit the full-moon and new-moon days, they thereby extend his limbs, breaths, and joints, [thinking:] "Lest the year, burning, harm us."
On the morrow they should make as opening verse: "They urge him forward, the slender ones..."
That is just as if one were to blow up again a deflated bellows.
"They blow the bākura bellows, the threefold honey of the bees"; the year, indeed, is the bākura bellows; the sacrifice is threefold; the Brahmins are the bees; they make this honey.'