Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 5.1.3.13

5.1.3.13

atheṣṭā anuyājā bhavanti | avyūḍhe srucāvathaiṣāṃ havirbhiḥ pracaranti so 'nto 'nto vai prajāpatistadantata evaitatprajāpatimujjayatyatha yatpurā pracaredyathā yamadhvānameṣyantsyāttaṃ gatvā sa kva tataḥ syādevaṃ tattasmādeṣāmatra havirbhiḥ pracaranti

And (when) the after-offerings have been performed, and the spoons have not yet been shifted (separated), then they proceed with the (chief) oblations of those (victims). That (point in the performance) is the end, and Pragâpati is the end: thus he wins Pragâpati at the very end. But were he to proceed therewith sooner, it would be just as if a man had already gone the way he still intends to go,--and where would he be after that?--therefore they proceed with their (chief) oblations at that time.