$2 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
2, Break them, crush them, close in upon them:
the amulet shall be thy van-guard in front! With
the varaza the Devas (gods) did ward off (avara-
yanta) the onslaught of the Asuras (demons) day
after day.
3. This thousand-eyed, yellow, golden varaza-
amulet is a universal cure; it shall lay low thy
enemies: be thou the first to injure those that hate
thee !
4. This varaza will ward off (vdrayishyate) the
spell that has been spread against thee; this will
protect thee from human danger, this will protect
thee from all evil !
5. This divine tree, the varaza, shall shut out
(varayatai)! The gods, too, have shut out (avivaran)
the disease that has entered into this (man).
6. If when asleep thou shalt behold an evil
dream; as often as a wild beast shall run an
inauspicious course; from (ominous) sneezing, and
from the evil shriek of a bird, this varaza-amulet
will protect thee (varayishyate).
7. From Arati (grudge), Nirvzti (misfortune), from
sorcery, and from danger; from death and over-
strong weapons the varaza will protect thee.
8. The sin that my mother, that my father, that
my brothers and my sister have committed; the sin
that we (ourselves) have committed, from that this
divine tree will protect us.
9. Through the varaza are confused my enemies
and my (rival) kin. To untraversed gloom they have
gone: they shall go to the nethermost darkness !
10, (May) I (be) unharmed, with cows unharmed,
long-lived, with undiminished men! This varaza-
amulet shall guard me in every region (of space)!
Iii. Imprecations Against Demons, Etc, 83
11. This varaza upon my breast, the kingly,
divine tree, shall smite asunder my enemies, as Indra
the Dasyus, the Asuras (demons)!
12. Long-lived, a hundred autumns old, do I wear
this varaza: kingdom and rule, cattle and strength,
this shall bestow upon me!
13. As the wind breaks with might the trees, the
lords of the forest, thus do thou break my rivals,
those formerly born, and the latter born! The
varaza shall watch over thee!
14. As the wind and the fire consume the trees,
the lords of the forest, thus do thou consume my
rivals, those formerly born, and the latter born!
The varaza shall watch over thee!
15. As, ruined by the wind, the trees lie prostrate,
thus do thou ruin and prostrate my rivals, those
formerly born, and the latter born! The varaza
shall watch over thee!
16. Do thou cut off, O varaza, before their
appointed time and before old age, those that aim
to injure him in his cattle, and threaten his sove-
reignty |
17. As the sun is resplendent, as in him brilliance
has been deposited, thus shall the amulet of varaza
hold fast for me reputation and prosperity, shall
sprinkle me with brilliance, and anoint me with
splendour !
18. As splendour is in the moon, and in the sun,
the beholder of men, thus shall the amulet of varaza
hold fast, &c.
19. As splendour is in the earth, as in this Gata-
vedas (the fire), thus shall the amulet of varaza hold
fast, &c.
20. As splendour is in the maiden, as in this
84 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
appointed chariot, thus shall the amulet of varaza hold fast, &c.
21. As splendour is in the soma-draught, as splen-
dour is in the honey-mixture (for guests), thus shall
the amulet of varaza hold fast, &c.
22. As splendour is in the agnihotra-oblation, as
splendour is in the call vashad, thus shall the amulet
of varaza hold fast, &c.
23. As splendour is in the sacrificer, as (splendour)
has been deposited in the sacrifice, thus shall the
amulet of varaza hold fast, &c.
24. As splendour is in Pragapati, as in this Para-
meshZhin (the lord on high), thus shall the amulet of
varava hold fast, &c.
25. As immortality is in the gods, as truth has
been deposited in them, thus shall the amulet of
varaza hold fast, &c.
X, 6. Praise of the virtues of amulet of khadira- wood in the shape of a ploughshare.'
1. The head of the hostile rival, of the enemy that hates me, do I cut off with might.
2. This amulet, produced by the ploughshare,
will prepare an armour for me: full of stirred drink
it has come to me, together with sap and lustre.
3. If the skilful workman has injured thee with
his hand or with his knife, the living bright waters
_ Shall purify thee from that, (so that thou shalt be)
bright !
4. This amulet has a golden wreath, bestows
faith and sacrifice and might; in our house as a
guest it shall dwell!
5. Before it (the amulet as a guest) ghee, surd
Iii Imprecations Against Demons, Etc. 85
(liquor), honey, and every kind of food we place.
The amulet having gone to the gods shall, as a
father for his sons, plan for us growing good, more
and more day after day!
6. The amulet which Brzhaspati tied, the plough-
share dripping with ghee, the strong khadira, unto
strength, that Agni did fasten on; that yields him
ghee more and more day after day: with it those
that hate me do thou slay!
7. This amulet which Brzhaspati tied ... that
Indra did fasten on, for strength and heroism; that
yields him might more and more, &c.
8. The amulet which Brvzhaspati tied . . . that
Soma did fasten on unto perfect hearing and seeing ;
that verily yields him lustre more and more, &c.
9. The amulet which Brzhaspati tied... that
Sarya did fasten on, with that he conquered these
directions of space; that yields him prosperity more
and more, &c.
10. The amulet which Brvzhaspati tied ... wear-
ing that amulet Xandramas (the moon) conquered
the golden cities of the Asuras and the Danavas;
that yields him fortune more and more, &c.
11. The amulet which Brzhaspati tied for swift
Vata (wind), that yields him strength more and
more, &c.
12. The amulet which Brzhaspati tied for swift
Vata, with that amulet, O Asvins, do ye guard this
plough-land; that yields the two physicians (the
Asvins) might more and more, &c.
13. The amulet which Brzhaspati tied for swift
Vata, wearing that, Savitar through it conquered
this light; that yields him abundance more and
more, &c.
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14. The amulet which Brvzhaspati tied for swift
Vata, wearing that, the waters ever run undimin-
ished; that verily yields them ambrosia more and
more, &c. ,
15. The amulet which Bvzhaspati tied for swift
Vata, that comforting amulet king Varuza did
fasten on; that verily yields him truth more and
more, &c.
16. The amulet which Bvzhaspati tied for swift
Vata, wearing that the gods did conquer all the
worlds in battle; that verily yields them conquest
more and more, &c.
17. The amulet which Brzhaspati tied for swift
Vata, that comforting amulet the divinities did
fasten on; that verily yields them all more and
more, &c.
18. The seasons did fasten it on; the divisions
(of the year) did fasten it on. Since the year did
fasten it on, it guards every being.
19. The intermediate directions did fasten it on;
the directions did fasten it on. The amulet created
by Pragdpati has subjected those that hate me.
20. The Atharvans did tie it on, the descendants
of the Atharvans did tie it on; with these allied,
the Angiras cleft the castles of the Dasyus. With
it those that hate me do thou slay!
21. That Dhatar did fasten on: (then) he shaped the being. With it those that hate me do thou slay!
22. The amulet which Brvzhaspati tied for the
gods, destructive of the Asuras, that has come to
me together with sap and lustre.
23. The amulet ... has come to me together
with cows, goats, and sheep, together with food and
offspring.
Ill IMPRECATIONS AGAINST DEMONS, ETC. 87
24. The amulet ... has come to me together
with rice and barley, together with might and pros-
perity.
25. The amulet... has come to me with a stream of honey and ghee together with sweet drink.
26. The amulet ... has come to me together
with nourishment and milk, together with goods and fortune.
27. The amulet ... has come to me. together
with brilliance and strength, together with glory and
reputation.
28. The amulet .. . has come to me together with all kinds of prosperity.
29. This amulet the gods shall give me unto
prosperity, the mighty amulet that strengthens
sovereignty and injures the rivals!
30. An (amulet) auspicious for me thou shalt
fasten upon (me), together with brahma (spiritual
exaltation) and brilliance! Free from rivals, slaying
rivals, it has subjected my rivals.
31. This god-born amulet, the sap milked from
which these three worlds revere, shall render me
superior to him that hates me; it shall ascend upon
my head unto excellence !
32. [The amulet upon which the gods, the Fathers,
and men ever live, shall ascend upon my head unto
excellence!
33. As the seed grows in the field, in the furrow
drawn by the ploughshare, thus in me offspring,
cattle, and every kind of food shall grow up!
34. Upon whom, O thou amulet that prosperest the
sacrifice, | have fastened thee (that art) propitious,
him, O amulet, that yieldest a hundredfold sacrificial
reward, thou shalt inspire unto excellence!
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35. This fire-wood that has been laid on together
with the oblations do thou, Agni, gladly accept:
may we in this kindled Gatavedas (fire), through
(this) charm, find favour, well-being, offspring, sight,
and cattle!
IV, 16. Prayer to Varuza for protection against treacherous designs.
1. The great guardian among these (gods) sees
as if from anear. He that thinketh he is moving
stealthily—all this the gods know.
2. Ifa man stands, walks, or sneaks about, if he
goes slinking away, if he goes into his hiding-place ;
if two persons sit together and scheme, king Varuza
is there as a third, and knows it.
3. Both this earth here belongs to king Varuza,
and also yonder broad sky whose boundaries are far
away. Moreover these two oceans are the loins of
Varuza; yea, he is hidden in this small (drop of)
water.
4. He that should flee beyond the heaven far
away would not be free from king Varuza. His
spies come hither (to the earth) from heaven, with
a thousand eyes do they watch over the earth.
5. King Varuza sees through all that is between
heaven and earth, and all that is beyond. He has
counted the winkings of men’s eyes. As a (winning)
gamester puts down his dice, thus does he establish
these (laws).
6. May all thy fateful toils which, seven by seven,
threefold, lie spread out, ensnare him that speaks
falsehood: him that speaks the truth they shall
let go!
Iii. Imprecations Against Demons, Etc. 89
7. With a hundred snares, O Varuza, surround
him, let the liar not go free from thee, O thou
that observest men! The rogue shall sit, his belly
hanging loose, like a cask without hoops, bursting
all about!
8. With (the snare of) Varuza which is fastened
lengthwise, and that which (is fastened) broadwise, ©
with the indigenous and the foreign, with the divine
and the human,—
9. With all these snares do I fetter thee, O N. N.,
descended from N. N., the son of the woman N. N.:
all these do I design for thee.
II], 12. Imprecation against enemies thwarting holy work.
I. Heaven and earth, the broad atmosphere, the
goddess of the field, and the wonderful, far-striding
(Vishzu) ; moreover, the broad atmosphere guarded
by Vata (the wind): may these here be inflamed,
when I am inflamed!
2. Hear this, O ye revered gods! Let Bharad-
vaga recite for me songs of praise! May he who
injures this our plan be bound in the fetter (of
disease) and joined to misfortune!
3. Hear, O soma-drinking Indra, what with
burning heart I shout to thee! I cleave, as one
cleaves a tree with an axe, him that injures this
our plan. |
4. With (the aid of) thrice eighty sAman-singers,
with (the aid of) the Adityas, Vasus, and Angiras—
may our father’s sacrifices and gifts to the priests
aid us—do I seize this one with fateful fervour.
5. May heaven and earth look after me, may all the gods support me! O ye Angiras, O ye fathers
gO HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA. a a i lene en rene
devoted to Soma, may he who does harm enter into misfortune !
6. He who perchance despises us, O ye Maruts,
he who abuses the holy practice which is being
performed by us, may his evil deeds be firebrands
to him, may the heavens surround with fire the
hater of holy practices!
7. Thy seven in-breathings and thy eight mar-
rows, these do I cut for thee by means of my charm.
Thou shalt go to the seat of Yama, fitly prepared,
with Agni as thy guide! ,
8. I set thy footstep upon the kindled fire. May
Agni surround thy body, may thy voice enter into
breath |