Kauṣītaki (Śāṅkhāyana) Brāhmaṇa 2.p15

2.p15

Thus also declared Vṛṣaśuṣma Vātāvata, one of the men of old, when lying worn out, having seen these two offerings being offered at night, ‘At night verily they offer the two offerings.’ ‘For it is at night (they offer)’ he said, ‘and we shall proclaim, having gone to yonder world, to the fathers, and they will believe us in it, that the Agnihotra which used to be performed on successive days is now performed on one day out of two, in the night only.’ That also declared the maiden seized of the Gandharva, ‘In the night verily they offer both offerings’. ‘For it is at night (they offer)’ she declared. At the twilight should he offer. Night and day are the flood that takes all; the two twilights are the fordable crossings of it; just as a man may cross the flood by the two fordable crossings, so is it in that he offers at the twilight. Again night and day are the missile of the god that goes on its way eager to kill; the two twilights are the two wings; just as with wings it may swiftly perform a journey, so is it in that he offers at the twilight. Again, night and day are the encircling arms of death; just as a man, who is about to grasp with encircling arms, may be evaded in the interval (between the arms), so is it in that he offers at the twilight. Kauṣītaki used to declare ‘In the evening, after sunset, before the darkness, at this time should he offer; this is the time of the going to the gods; grasping it he reaches safely the world of heaven. In the morning, before sunrise, when the darkness has been smitten away, at this time should he offer; this is the time of the going to the gods; grasping it he reaches safely the world of heaven. He that at another time offers the Agnihotra, the dark and the dappled rend apart his Agnihotra; the dappled is day,