Shatapatha Brahmana 10.5.3.9

10.5.3.9

tadidaṃ karma sṛṣṭamāvirabubhūṣat niruktataram mūrtataraṃ tadātmānamanvaicattattapo'tapyata tatprāmūrcattatṣaṭtriṃśataṃ sahasrāṇyapaśyadātmano'gnīnarkānkarmamayānkarmacitaste karmaṇaivādhīyanta karmaṇācīyanta karmaṇaiṣu grahā agṛhyanta karmaṇāstuvata karmaṇāśaṃsanyatkiṃ ca yajñe karma kriyate yatkiṃ ca yajñiyaṃ karma karmaṇaiva teṣu tatkarmamayeṣu karmacitsu karmamayamakriyata tadyatkiṃ cemāni bhūtāni karma kurvate teṣāmeva sā kṛtistānevādadhati tāṃścinvanti teṣu grahāngṛhṇanti teṣu stuvate teṣu śaṃsantyetāvatī vai karmaṇo vibhūtiretāvatī visṛṣṭiretāvatkarma ṣaṭtriṃśa

This Work, 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 work, built up of (or by) work: by work they were established, and by work built up; by work the cups were drawn thereat; by work they chanted and recited hymns on them,--whatever rite is performed at the sacrifice, whatever sacrificial rite there is, that was performed by work alone, as a work-performance, on those (fires) composed of work, and built up of work. And whatever beings here work by work 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 Work, of that extent its creation,--so great is Work: thirty-six thousand Arka-fires; and each of these as great as that former (fire-altar) was.