Shatapatha Brahmana 11.6.3

Ganaka of Videha performed a sacrifice accompanied with numerous gifts to the priests. Setting apart a thousand cows, he said, 'He who is the most learned in sacred writ amongst you, O Brâhmanas, shall drive away these (cows)!'

Yâgñavalkya then said, 'This way (drive) them!' They said, 'Art thou really the most learned in sacred writ amongst us, Yâgñavalkya?' He replied, 'Reverence be to him who is most learned in sacred writ! We are but hankering after cows!'

They then said (to one another), 'Which of us shall question him?' The shrewd Sâkalya said, 'I!' When he (Yâgñavalkya) saw him, he said, 'Have the Brâhmanas made of thee a thing for quenching the firebrand, Sâkalya?'

He said, 'How many gods are there, Yâgñavalkya?'--'Three hundred and three, and three thousand and three,' he replied.--'Yea, so it is!' he said. 'How many gods are there really, Yâgñavalkya?'--'Thirty-three.'--'Yea, so it is!' he said. 'How many gods are there really, Yâgñavalkya?'--'Three.'--'Yea, so it is!' he said. 'How many gods are there really, Yâgñavalkya?'--'Two.'--'Yea, so it is!' he said. 'How many gods are there really, Yâgñavalkya?'--'One and a half.'--'Yea, so it is!' he said. 'How many gods are there really, Yâgñavalkya?'--'One.'--'Yea, so it is!' he said. 'Who are those three hundred and three, and three thousand and three?'

He replied, 'These are their powers, but thirty-three gods indeed there are.'--'Who are those thirty-three? Eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, and twelve Âdityas,--that makes thirty-one; and Indra and Pragâpati make up the thirty-three.'

'Who are the Vasus?'--'Agni, the Earth, Vâyu (the wind), the Air, Âditya (the sun), Heaven, the Moon, and the Stars:--these are the Vasus, for these cause all this (universe) to abide (vas), and hence they are the Vasus.'

'Who are the Rudras?'--'These ten vital airs in man, and the self (spirit) is the eleventh: when these depart from this mortal body, they cause wailing (rud), and hence they are the Rudras.'

'Who are the Âdityas?'--'The twelve months of the year: these are the Âdityas, for they pass whilst laying hold on everything here; and inasmuch as they pass whilst laying hold (â-dâ) on everything here, they are the Âdityas.'

'Who is Indra, and who Pragâpati?'--'Indra, indeed, is thunder, and Pragâpati the sacrifice.'--'What is thunder?'--'The thunderbolt.'--'What is the sacrifice?'--'Cattle.'

'Who are those three gods?'--'These three worlds, for therein all the gods are contained.'--'Who are those two gods?'--'Food and breath. (life).'--'Who is the one and a half?'--'He who is blowing here (Vâyu, the wind).'--'Who is the one god?'--'Breath.'

He (Yâgñavalkya) said, 'Thou hast gone on questioning me beyond the deity, beyond which there must be no questioning: thou shalt die ere such and such a day, and not even thy bones shall reach thy home!' And so, indeed, did he (Sâkalya) die; and robbers carried off his bones, taking them for something else. Wherefore let no man decry any one, for even (by) knowing this, he gets the better of him.