Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 1.6.2.2

1.6.2.2

yajñena ha vai devāḥ | imāṃ jitiṃ jigyuryaiṣāmiyaṃ jitiste hocuḥ kathaṃ na idam manuṣyairanabhyārohyaṃ syāditi te yajñasya rasaṃ dhītvā yathā madhu madhukṛto nirdhayeyurviduhya yajñaṃ yūpena yopayitvā tiro 'bhavanniti tamanveṣṭuṃ dadhrire

'Verily, by means of the sacrifice the gods gained this conquest. When they had conquered, they said, "How may this (celestial region) be made unattainable by men?" They then sipped the sap of the sacrifice, as bees would suck out honey; and having drained the sacrifice and effaced the traces of it with the (sacrificial) post, they concealed themselves.' They (the Rishis) thereupon set about searching for it.