Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 10.5.3.7

10.5.3.7

taccakṣuḥ śrotramasṛjata tadidaṃ śrotraṃ sṛṣṭamāvirabubhūṣanniruktataram mūrtataraṃ tadātmānamanvaicattattapo'tapyata tatprāmūrcattatṣaṭtriṃśataṃ sahasrāṇyapaśyadātmano'gnīnarkāṇcrotramayāñcrotracitaste śrotreṇaivādhīyanta śrotreṇācīyanta śrotreṇaiṣu grahā agṛhyanta śrotreṇāstuvata śrotreṇāśaṃsanyatkiṃ ca yajñe karma kriyate yatkiṃ ca yajñiyaṃ karma śrotreṇaiva teṣu tacrotramayeṣu śrotracitsu śrotramayamakriyata tadyatkiṃ cemāni bhūtāni śrotreṇa śṛṇvanti teṣāmeva sā kṛtistānevādadhati tāṃścinvanti teṣu grahāngṛhṇanti teṣu stuvate teṣu śaṃsantyetāvatī vai śrotrasya vibhūtiretāvatī visṛṣṭiretāvacrotraṃ ṣaṭtriṃśa

That Eye created the Ear. This Ear, when created, wished to become manifest,--more defined, more substantial: it sought after a self. It practised austerity: it acquired consistency. It beheld thirty-six thousand Arka-fires of its own self, composed of the ear, built up of the ear: by means of the ear they were established, and by means of the ear built up; by the ear the cups were drawn thereat; by means of the ear they chanted and recited hymns on them,--whatever rite is performed at the sacrifice, whatever sacrificial rite there is, that was performed by the ear alone, as an ear-performance, on those (fires) composed of ear, and built up of the ear. And whatever beings here hear with the ear that was done regarding those (fires):--they establish them and build, them up; they draw the cups for them; they chant on them and recite hymns on them,--of that extent was the development of the Ear, of that extent its creation,--so great is the Ear: thirty-six thousand Arka-fires; and each of these as great as that former (fire-altar) was.