Aitareya-Aranyaka: First Aranyaka, Second Adhyâya, Second Khanda

1. He recites the hymn, asat su me garitah sabhivegah (Rv. X, 2 7, 1), (and in it the word) satyadhvritam, the destroyer of truth. Verily, that day is truth, and as endowed with the word satya, truth, the form of this day is perfect.

2. That hymn is composed by Vasukra. Verily, Vasukra is Brahman, and that day is Brahman. Thus he obtains Brahman by means of Brahman.

3. Here they say: “Why then is that Marutvatiya hymn completed by the hymn of Vasukra?” Surely because no other Rishi but Vasukra brought out a Marutvatiya hymn, or divided it properly. Therefore that Marutvatiya hymn is completed by the hymn of Vasukra.

4. That hymn, asat su me, is not definitely addressed to any deity, and is therefore supposed to be addressed to Pragâpati. Verily, Pragâpati is indefinite, and therefore the hymn serves to win Pragâpati.

5. Once in the hymn (Rv. X, 27, 22) he defines Indra (indraya sunvat); therefore it does not fall off from its form, as connected with Indra.

6. He recites the hymn (Rv. VI, 17, 1) piba somam abhi yam ugra tardah.

7. In the verse Pirvam gavyam mahi grinana indra the word mahi, great, occurs. Endowed with the word mahat, the form of this day is perfect.

8. That hymn is composed by Bharadvâga, and Bharadvâga was he who knew most, who lived longest, and performed the greatest austerities among the Rishis, and by this hymn he drove away evil. Therefore if he recites the hymn of Bharadvâga, then, after having driven away evil, he becomes learned, long-lived, and full of austerities.

9. He recites the hymn kaya, subha savayasah sanilah (Rv. I, 165, 1).

10. In the verse a sasate prati haryanty uktha (Rv. I, 165, 4) the word uktha occurs. Verily, that day (the mahdvrata) is uktha (hymn). Endowed with the word uktha, the form of this day becomes perfect.

11. That hymn is called Kayasubhiya. Verily, that hymn, which is called Kayasubhiya, is mutual understanding and it is lasting. By means of it Indra, Agastya, and the Maruts came to a mutual understanding. Therefore, if he recites the Kayasubhiya hymn, it serves for mutual understanding.

12. The same hymn is also long life. Therefore, if the sacrificer is dear to the Hotri, let him recite the Kayasubhiya hymn for him.

13. He recites the hymn marutvan indra vrishabo ranaya (Rv. III, 47, 1).

14. In it the words indra vrishabha (powerful) occur. Verily, powerful is a form of Indra, this day belongs to Indra, and this is the perfect form of that day.

15. That hymn is composed by Visvâmitra. Verily, Visvâmitra was the friend (mitra) of all (visva).

16. Everybody is the friend of him who knows this, and for whom a Hotri priest who knows this, recites this hymn.

17. The next hymn, ganishtha ugrah sahase turaya (Rv. I, 73, 1), forms a Nividdhana, and, according to the one-day (ekaha) ceremonial, is perfect in form. On that day much is done now and then which has to be hidden, and has to be atoned for (by recitation of hymns). Atonement is rest, the one-day sacrifice. Therefore at the end of the year (on the last day but one of the sacrifice that lasts a whole year) the sacrificers rest on this atonement as their rest.

He who knows this rests firm, and they also for whom a Hotri priest who knows this, recites this hymn.

18. These, if recited straight on, are ninety-seven verses. The ninety are three Virâg, each consisting of thirty, and then the seven verses which are over. Whatever is the praise of the seven, is the praise of ninety also.

19. By repeating the first and last verses three times each, they become one hundred and one verses.

20. There are five fingers, of four joints each, two pits (in the elbow and the arm), the arm, the eye, the shoulder-blade; this makes twenty-five. The other three parts have likewise twenty-five each one. That makes a hundred, and the trunk is the one hundred and first.

21. Hundred is life, health, strength, brightness. The sacrificer as the one hundred and first rests in life, health, strength, and brightness.

22. These verses become Trishtubh, for the noonday-libation consists of Trishtubh verses.