Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 1.9.3.10

1.9.3.10

tadu tatpṛthivyāṃ viṣṇurvyakraṃsta | gāyatreṇa candasā tato nirbhakto yo 'smāndveṣṭi yaṃ ca vayaṃ dviṣmo 'ntarikṣe viṣṇurvyakraṃsta traiṣṭubhena candasā tato nirbhakto yo 'smāndveṣṭi yaṃ ca vayaṃ dviṣmo divi viṣṇurvyakraṃsta jāgatena candasā tato nirbhakto yo 'smāndveṣṭi yaṃ ca vayaṃ dviṣma ityevamimāṃllokāntsamāruhyāthaiṣā gatireṣā pratiṣṭhā ya eṣa tapati tasya ye raśmayaste sukṛto'tha yatparam bhāḥ prajāpatirvā sa svargo vā lokastadevamimāṃllokāntsamāruhyāthaitāṃ gatimetāṃ pratiṣṭhāṃ gacati parastāttvevārvāṅ krameta ya ito 'nuśāsanaṃ cikīrṣeddūyaṃ tadyasmātparastādarvāṅ kramate 1.9.3'pasaraṇato ha vā agre devā jayanto 'jayan | divamevāgre 'thedamantarikṣamatheto 'napasaraṇātsapatnānanudanta tatho evaiṣa etadapasaraṇata evāgre jayañjayati divamevāgre 'thedamantarikṣamatheto 'napasaraṇātsapatnānnudata iyaṃ vai pṛthivī pratiṣṭhā tadasyāmevaitatpratiṣṭhāyāṃ pratitiṣṭhati

Hence (he strides thrice) with the texts (Vâg. S. II, 25 a-c), 'On the earth Vishnu strode by means of the gâyatrî metre: excluded therefrom is he who hates us, and whom we hate!' 'In the air Vishnu strode by means of the trishtubh metre: excluded therefrom is he who hates us, and whom we hate!' 'In the sky Vishnu strode by means of the gagatî metre: excluded therefrom is he who hates us, and whom we hate!' When one has thus ascended these worlds, that is the goal, that the safe refuge: the rays of him (the sun) who burns there, are the righteous (departed); and what highest light there is, that is Pragâpati or the heavenly world. Having then in this way ascended these worlds, he reaches that goal, that safe refuge. Now he who wishes to give instructions from hence, should come hitherwards from above. Twofold is the reason why he should come hitherwards from above: