याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच कतिभिरयमद्यर्ग्भिर्होतास्मिन् यज्ञे करिष्यतीति ।तिसृभिरिति ।कतमास्तास्तिस्र इति ।पुरोनुवाक्या च याज्या च शस्यैव तृतीया ।किं ताभिर्जयतीति ।यत्किञ्चेदं प्राणभृदिति ॥बृह. ३,१.७ ॥
In plain words
"Yājñavalkya," he said, "with how many verses will the Hotṛ perform today at this sacrifice?" "With three." "Which are those three?" "The verse said before, the offering verse, and the recited verse as the third." "What does one win by them?" "Whatever there is here that bears breath."