Hymns of the Atharva-Veda — SBE Vol. 42 (Clarendon Press, 1897) — second scan

and grudging demons (arayi), all the evilnamed, evil-speaking (powers), these do we drive out from us.

6. Death from hunger, and death from thirst, poverty in cattle, and failure of offspring, all that, O apamarga, do we wipe out (apa mr^'mahe) with thee.

7. Death from thirst, and death from hunger, moreover, ill-luck at dice, all that, O apamarga, do we wipe out with thee.

8. The apamarga is sole ruler over all plants, with it do we wipe mishap from thee : do thou then live exempt from disease !

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IV, 1 8. Charm with the apdmarga-plant, against sorcerers and demons.

i. Night is like unto the sun, the (starry) night is similar to day. The truth do I engage for help : the enchantments shall be devoid of force !

2. He, O ye gods, who prepares a spell, and carries it to the house of one that knows not (of it), upon him the spell, returning, shall fasten itself like a suckling calf upon its mother !

3. The person that prepares evil at home, and desires with it to harm another, she is consumed by fire, and many stones fall upon her with a loud crash.

4. Bestow curses, O thou (apamarga), that hast a thousand homes, upon the (demons) vmkha (' crestless '), and vigriva (' crooked-neck ') ! Turn back the spell upon him that has performed it, as a beloved maid (is brought) to her lover !

5. With this plant I have put to naught all spells, those that they have put into thy field, thy cattle, and into thy domestics.

6. He that has undertaken them has not been able to accomplish them : he broke his foot, his toe. He performed a lucky act for us, but for himself an injury.

7. The apâmarga-plant shall wipe out (apa marshal) inherited ills, and curses ; yea, it shall wipe out all witches, and all grudging demons (arayi) !

8. Having wiped out all sorcerers, and all grudging demons, with thee, O apamarga, we wipe all that (evil) out.

III. IMPRECATIONS AGAINST DEMONS, ETC. 7 1

IV, 19. Mystic power of the apamarga-plant, against demons and sorcerers.

1. On the one hand thou deprivest of kin, on the other thou now procurest kinfolk. Do thou, moreover, cut the offspring of him that practises spells, as a reed that springs up in the rain !

2. By a Brahma^a thou hast been blest, by Ka/zva, the descendant of Nrzshad. Thou goest like a strong army ; where thou hast arrived, O plant, there there is no fear.

3. Thou goest at the head of the plants, spreading lustre, as if with a light. Thou art on the one hand the protector of the weak, on the other the slayer of the Rakshas.

4.

like a strong army ; where thou hast arrived, O plant, there there is no fear.

3. Thou goest at the head of the plants, spreading lustre, as if with a light. Thou art on the one hand the protector of the weak, on the other the slayer of the Rakshas.

4. When of yore, in the beginning, the gods drove out the Asuras with thee, then, O plant, thou wast begotten as apimarga (' wiping out ').

5. Thou cuttest to pieces (vibhindatl), and hast a hundred branches; vibhindant ('cutting to pieces') is thy fathers name. Do thou (turn) against, and cut to pieces (vi bhindhi) him that is hostile towards us !

6. Non-being arose from the earth, that goes to heaven, (as) a great expansion. Thence, verily, that, spreading vapours, shall turn against the performer (of spells) !

7. Thou didst grow backward, thou hast fruit which is turned backward. Ward off from me all curses, ward off very far destructive weapons !

8. Protect me with a hundredfold, guard me with a thousandfold (strength)! Indra, the strong, shall put strength into thee, O prince of plants !

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VII, 65. Charm with the apamârga-plant, against curses, and the consequences of sinful deeds.

1. With fruit turned backward thou verily didst grow, O apâmarga : do thou drive all curses quite far away from here !

2. The evil deeds and foul, or the sinful acts which we have committed, with thee, O apamarga, whose face is turned to every side, do we wipe them out (apa m^mahe).

3. If we have sat together with one who has black teeth, or diseased nails, or one who is deformed, with thee, O apamdrga, we wipe all that out (apa mrigmahe).

X, 1. Charm to repel sorceries or spells.

1. The (spell) which they skilfully prepare, as a bride for the wedding, the multiform (spell), fashioned by hand, shall go to a distance : we drive it away !

2. The (spell) that has been brought forward by the fashioner of the spell, that is endowed with head, endowed with nose, endowed with ears, and multiform, shall go to a distance : we drive it away !

3. (The spell) that has been prepared by a 6udra, prepared by a Ra^a, prepared by a woman, prepared by Brahmans, as a wife rejected by her husband, shall recoil upon her fabricator, (and) his kin !

4. With this herb have I destroyed all spells, that which they have put into thy field, into thy cattle, and into thy men.

5. Evil be to him that prepares evil, the curse shall recoil upon him that utters curses : back do we hurl

III. IMPRECATIONS AGAINST DEMONS, ETC.

I destroyed all spells, that which they have put into thy field, into thy cattle, and into thy men.

5. Evil be to him that prepares evil, the curse shall recoil upon him that utters curses : back do we hurl

III. IMPRECATIONS AGAINST DEMONS, ETC. J$ it against him, that it may slay him that fashions the spell.

6. Prati^tna (' Back-hurler '), the descendant of Angiras, is our overseer and officiator (purohita) : do thou drive back again (prati/£i>£) the spells, and slay yonder fashioners of the spells !

7. He that has said to thee (the spell) : ' go on'!
upon that enemy, that antagonist do thou turn,
O spell : do not seek out us, that are harmless !

8. He that has fitted together thy joints with skill, as the wagoner (Ribhu) the joints of a chariot, to him go, there is thy course : this person here shall remain unknown to thee !

9. They that have prepared thee and taken hold of thee, the cunning wizards — this is what cures it, destroys the spell, drives it back the opposite way : with it do we bathe thee.

10. Since wre have come upon the wretched (spell), as upon (a cow) with a dead calf, flooded away (by a river), may all evil go away from me, and may possessions come to me !

11. If (thy enemies) have made (offerings) to thy Fathers, or have called thy name at the sacrifice, may these herbs free thee from every indigenous evil !

12. From the sin of the gods, and that of the fathers, from mentions of (thy) name, from (evil schemes) concocted at home, may the herbs free thee with might, through (this) charm, (and these) stanzas, (that are) the milk of the Rishis !

13. As the wind stirs up the dust from the earth, and the cloud from the atmosphere, thus may all misfortune, driven by my charm, go away from me !

14. Stride away (O spell), like a loudly brayingp. 74 she-ass, that has been loosened (from the tether) ; reach those that have fabricated thee, driven from here by (my) forceful charm !

15. ' This is the way, O spell/ with these words do we lead thee. Thee that hast been sent out against us do we send back again. Go this way like a crushing army, with heavy carts, thou that art multiform, and crowned by a crest (?) !

16. In the distance there is light for thee, hitherward there is no road for thee ; away from us take thy course ! By another road cross thou ninety navigable streams, hard to cross! Do not injure, go away !

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