Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 30.6.14

30.6.14

vāla mātrā u hi ime prāṇā asambhinnāḥ / (soma: hotraka śastrāṇi(tṛtīya savanam))

Evayāmarut (hymn ) makes to move when born; he repeats *o*; stumbling as it were one moves when first desirous to walk; verily thus from the immortal metre he propagates him for immortality; they obtain immortality who perform the sixth day (rite). Having recited the strophe and antistrophe, he recites the Vālakhilyās; the strophe and antistrophe are the body, the Vālakhilyās the breaths; these breaths are not separated (from the body). They say ‘Why are they (called) Vālakhilyās?’ That which is not in contact in two fields, they call Khila; these breaths are a hair (*vāla*) in breadth and are not separated; therefore are they Vālakhilyās.