Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 12.3.11

12.3.11

mādhyamāḥ sarasvatyām satram āsata /

xii. 3. The Mādhyamas performed a session on the Sarasvatī. Then Kavaṣa sat down in the midst, they said to him, 'Thou art the son of a female slave; we will not eat with you.' He rushing on in anger praised the Sarasvatī with this hymn; she followed after him; thereupon they felt themselves free from passion ; they went after him and said 'O seer, homage be to thee; harm us not; thou art of us the best, seeing that she follows after thee.' Thus they informed him; they removed his anger. This is the greatness of Kavaṣa and the founder of the hymn (is he). In that they go with their wives, (it is because) the Gandharvas as commissioners in the waters guard the Soma of Indra. They love women, and they turn their minds towards them; so it is as if one might take the sacrifice of careless persons. The sacrifice condescends to him who knows thus. He recites twenty (verses); they make up the Virāj; the waters are connected with the Virāj, the Virāj is food, the waters are food; thus by food he causes proper food to abound. (He recites) the first thrice, and the last thrice; they make up twenty-four; the Gāyatrī has twenty-four syllables; the Gāyatrī supports the morning pressing; thus the waters contain the symbol of the morning pressing. So much for the Aponaptriya.