Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 15.6.20

15.6.20

catur akṣaram ca padam udaiti /

when the Ājya Stotra (was being sung) it clung (to him); he removed it by the Praüga except from the strophe; when the Mādhyamdina Pavamāna (was being sung) it clung to him; he removed it by the Marutvatīya except from the strophe. In the Niṣkevalya he begins with the strophe; that is as one in freedom from fear having removed death, like one having been set free. They say, 'There is a Niṣkevalya here, and a Niṣkevalya there in the Mahāvrata. There are recited there (metres) increasing by four; how here are they obtained?' There are even more realized here; the strophe and antistrophe, recited together, make up the seven increasing by four, and there is a four-syllable foot left over. They are cattle; these cattle he confers upon the sacrificer. The Agniṣṭoma is the Virāj; they make up a hundred and ninety strophes; he attains clearly the symbol of the Agniṣṭoma in that he uses a Virāj as offering verse. 'Drink the Soma, O Indra, let it delight thee', having left over this quarter verse he takes breath in at the half verse of the Virāj; the Virāj is prosperity and proper food; thus he finds support in the Virāj as prosperity and proper food. He says *vaṣaṭ* with the second half verse of the Virāj; verily thus he places the sacrificer in the world of heaven. He says the second *vaṣaṭ*, for the healing of the libations, for the support of the libations.