I, 7. Against sorcerers and demons.

1
The sorcerer (yātudhāna) that vaunts himself and the Kimīdin do thou, O Agni, convey hither! For thou, O god, when lauded, becomest the destroyer of the demon.

2
Partake of the ghee, of the sesame-oil, O Agni Gātavedas, that standest on high, conquerest by thyself! Make the sorcerers howl!

3
The sorcerers and the devouring (atrin) Kimīdin shall howl! Do ye, moreover, O Agni and Indra, receive graciously this our oblation!

4
Agni shall be the first to seize them, Indra with his (strong) arms shall drive them away! Every wizard, as soon as he comes, shall proclaim himself, saying, 'I am he'!

5
We would see thy might, O Gātavedas; disclose to us the wizards, O thou that beholdest men! May they all, driven forth by thy fire, disclosing themselves, come to this spot!

6
Seize hold, O Gātavedas: for our good thou wast born! Become our messenger, O Agni, and make the sorcerers howl!

7
Do thou, O Agni, drag hither the sorcerers, bound in shackles; then Indra with his thunderbolt shall cut off their heads!

I, 8. Against sorcerers and demons.

1
May this oblation carry hither the sorcerers, as a river (carries) foam! The man or the woman who has performed this (sorcery), that person shall here proclaim himself!

2
This vaunting (sorcerer) has come hither: receive him with alacrity! O Brihaspati, put him into subjection; O Agni and Soma, pierce him through!

3
Slay the offspring of the sorcerer, O soma-drinking (Indra), and subject (him)! Make drop out the farther and the nearer eye of the braggart (demon)!

4
Wherever, O Agni Gātavedas, thou perceivest the brood of these hidden devourers (atrin), do thou, mightily strengthened by our charm, slay them: slay their (brood), O Agni, piercing them a hundredfold!

I, 16. Charm with lead, against demons and sorcerers.

1
Against the devouring demons who, in the night of the full-moon, have arisen in throngs, may Agni, the strong, the slayer of the sorcerers, give us courage!

2
To the lead Varuna gives blessing, to the lead Agni gives help. Indra gave me the lead: unfailingly it dispels sorcery.

3
This (lead) overcomes the vishkandha, this smites the devouring demons (atrin); with this I have overwhelmed all the brood of the Pisākas.

4
If thou slayest our cow, if our horse or our domestic, we pierce thee with the lead, so that thou shalt not slay our heroes.

VI, 2. The soma-oblation directed against Demons (rakshas).

1
Press the soma, ye priests, and rinse it (for renewed pressing), in behalf of Indra who shall listen to the song of the worshipper, and to my call!

2
Do thou, O doughty (Indra), whom the drops of soma enter as birds a tree, beat off the hostile brood of the Rakshas!

3
Press ye the soma for Indra, the soma-drinker, who wields the thunderbolt! A youthful victor and ruler is he, praised by many men.

II, 14. Charm against a variety of female demons, conceived as hostile to men, cattle, and home.

1
Nissālā, the bold, the greedy demon (?dhishana), and (the female demon) with long-drawn howl, the bloodthirsty; all the daughters of Kanda, the Sadānvās do we destroy.

2
We drive you out of the stable, out of the axle (of the wagon), and the body of the wagon; we chase you, O ye daughters of Magundī, from the house.

3
In yonder house below, there the grudging demons (arāyī) shall exist; there ruin shall prevail, and all the witches!

4
May (Rudra), the lord of beings, and Indra. drive forth from here the Sadānvās; those that am seated on the foundation of the house Indra shall overcome with his thunderbolt!

5
Whether ye belong to (the demons) of inherited disease, whether ye have been dispatched by men, or whether ye have originated from the Dasyus (demon-like aborigines), vanish from here, O ye Sadānvās!

6
About their dwelling-places I did swiftly course, as if on a race-course. I have won all contests with you: vanish from here, O ye Sadānvās!

III, 9. Against vishkandha and kābava (hostile demons).

1
Of karsapha and visapha heaven is the father and earth the mother. As, ye gods, ye have brought on (the trouble), thus do ye again remove it!

2
Without fastening the), (the protecting plants?) held fast, thus it has been arranged by Manu. The vishkandha do I render impotent, like one who gelds cattle.

3
A talisman tied to a reddish thread the active (seers) then do fasten on: may the fastenings render impotent the eager, fiery kābava!

4
And since, O ye eager (demons), ye walk like gods by the wile of the Asuras, the fastening (of the amulet) is destructive to the kābava, as the ape to the dog.

5
I revile thee, the kābava, unto misfortune, (and) shall work harm for thee. Accompanied with curses ye shall go out like swift chariots!

6
A hundred and one vishkandha are spread out along the earth; for these at the beginning they brought out thee, the amulet, that destroys vishkandha.

IV, 20. Charm with a certain plant (sadampushpā) which exposes demons and enemies.

1
He sees here, he sees yonder, he sees in the distance, he sees--the sky, the atmosphere as well as the earth, all that, O goddess, he sees.

2
The three heavens, the three earths, and these six directions severally; all creatures may I see through thee, O divine plant!

3
Thou art verily the eyeball of the divine eagle; thou didst ascend the earth as a weary woman a palanquin.

4
The thousand-eyed god shall put this plant into my right hand: with that do I see every one, the Sūdra as well as the Ārya.

5
Reveal (all) forms, do not hide thy own self; moreover, do thou, O thousand-eyed (plant), look the Kimīdins in the face!

6
Reveal to me the wizards, and reveal the witches, reveal all the Pisākas: for this purpose do I take hold of thee, O plant!

7
Thou art the eye of Kasyapa, and the eye of the four-eyed bitch. Like the sun, moving in the bright day, make thou the Pisāka evident to me!

8
1 have dragged out from his retreat the sorcerer and the Kimīdin. Through this (charm) do I see every one, the Sūdra as well as the Ārya.

9
Him that flies in the air, him that moves across the sky, him that regards the earth as his resort, that Pisāka do thou reveal (to me)!

IV, 17. Charm with the apāmārga-plant, against sorcery, demons, and enemies.

1
We take hold, O victorious one, of thee, the mistress of remedies. I have made thee a thing of thousandfold strength for ever), one, O plant!

2
Her, the unfailingly victorious one, that wards off curses, that is powerful and defensive; (her and) all the plants have I assembled, intending that she shall save us from this (trouble)!

3
The woman who has cursed us with a curse, who has arranged dire misfortune (for us), who has taken hold of our children, to rob them of their strength may she eat (her own) offspring!

4
The magic spell which they have put into the unburned vessel, that which they have put into the blue and red thread, that which they have put into raw flesh, with these slay thou those that have prepared the spell!

5
Evil dreams, troubled life, Rakshas, gruesomeness, and grudging demons (arāyī), all the evil-named, 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 apāmārga, do we wipe out (apa mrigmahe) with thee.

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

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

IV, 18. Charm with the apāmārga-plant, against sorcerers and demons.

1
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 (apāmārga), that hast a thousand homes, upon the (demons) visikha ('crestless'), and vigrīva ('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 apāmārga-plant shall wipe out (apa mārshtu) 'inherited ills, and curses; yea, it shall wipe out all witches, and all grudging demons (arāyī)!

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

IV, 19. Mystic power of the apāmārga-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 Brāhmana thou hast been blest, by Kanva, the descendant of Nrishad. 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
When of yore, in the beginning, the gods drove out the Asuras with thee, then, O plant, thou wast begotten as apāmārga ('wiping out').

5
Thou cuttest to pieces (vibhindatī), and hast a hundred branches; vibhindant ('cutting to pieces') is thy father's 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!

Continued...

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

1
With fruit turned backward thou verily didst grow, O apāmārga: 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 apāmārga, whose face is turned to every side, do we wipe them out (apa mrigmahe).

3
If we have sat together with one who has black teeth, or diseased nails, or one who is deformed, with thee, O apāmārga, 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 Sadra, prepared by a Rāga, 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 it against him, that it may slay him that fashions the spell.

6
Pratikīna (' Back-hurler'), the descendant of Angiras, is our overseer and officiator (purohita): do thou drive back again (pratīkīh) 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 we have come upon tile 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 braying 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!

17
As the wind the trees, crush down and fell (the enemy), leave them neither cow, nor horse, nor serving-man! Turn from here upon those that have fabricated thee, O spell, awaken them to childlessness!

18
The spell or the magic which they have buried against thee in the sacrificial straw (barhis), in the field, (or) in the burial-ground, or if with superior skill they have practised sorcery against thee, that art simple and innocent, in thy household fire,--

19
The hostile, insidious instrument which they have brought hither has been discovered; that which has been dug in we have detected. It shall go whence it has been brought hither; there, like a horse, it shall disport itself, and slay the offspring of him that has fashioned the spell!

20
Swords of good brass are in our house: we know how many joints thou hast, O spell! Be sure to rise, go away from hence! O stranger, what seekest thou here?

21
I shall hew off, O spell, thy neck, and thy feet: run away! May Indra and Agni, to whom belong the children (of men), protect us!

22
King Soma, who guards and pities us, and the lords of the beings shall take pity on us!

23
May Bhava and Sarva cast the lightning, the divine missile, upon him that performs evil, fashions a spell, and does wrong!

24
If thou art come two-footed, (or) four-footed, prepared by the fashioner of the spell, multiform, do thou, having become eight-footed, again go away from here, O misfortune!

25
Anointed, ornamented, and well equipped, go away, carrying every misfortune! Know, O spell, thy maker, as a daughter her own father!

26
Go away, O spell, do not stand still, track (the enemy) as a wounded (animal)! He is the game, thou the hunter: he is not able to put thee down.

27
Him that first hurls (the arrow), the other, laying on in defence, slays with the arrow, and while the first deals the blow, the other returns the blow.

28
Hear, verily, this speech of mine, and then return whence thou camest, against the one that fashioned thee!

29
Slaughter of an innocent is heinous, O spell: do not slay our cow, horse, or serving-man! Wherever thou hast been put down, thence thee do we remove. Be lighter than a leaf!

30
If ye are enveloped in darkness, covered as if by a net--we tear all spells out from here, send them back again to him that fashioned them.

31
The offspring of them that fashion the spell, practise magic, or plot against us, crush thou, O spell, leave none of them! Slay those that fashion the spell!

32
As the sun is released from darkness, abandons the night, and the streaks of the dawn, thus every misery, (every) device prepared by the fashioner of the spell, (every) misfortune, do I leave behind, as an elephant the dust.

V, 31. Charm to repel sorceries or spells.

1
The spell which they have put for thee into an unburned vessel, that which they have put into mixed grain, that which they have put into raw meat, that do I hurl back again.

2
The spell which they have put for thee into a cock, or that which (they have put) into a goat, into a crested animal, that which they have put into a sheep, that do I hurl back again.

3
The spell which they have put for thee into solipeds, into animals with teeth on both sides, that which they have put into an ass, that do I hurl back again.

4
The magic which they have put for thee into moveable property, or into personal possession, the spell which they have put into the field, that do I hurl back again.

5
The spell which evil-scheming persons have put for thee into the gārhapatya-fire, or into the housefire, that which they have put -into the house, that do I hurl back again.

6
The spell which they have put for thee into the assembly-hall, that which (they have put) into the gaming-place, that which they have put into the dice, that do I hurl back again.

7
The spell which they have put for thee into the army, that which they have put into the arrow and the weapon, that which they have put into the drum, that do I hurl back again.

8
The spell which they have placed down for thee in the well, or have buried in the burial-ground, that which they have put into (thy) home, that do I hurl back again.

9
That which they have put for thee into human bones, that which (they have put) into the funeral fire, to the consuming, burning, flesh-eating fire do I hurl that back again.

10
By an unbeaten path he has brought it (the spell) hither, by a (beaten) path we drive it out from here. The fool in his folly has prepared (the spell) aorainst those that are surely wise.

11
He that has undertaken it has not been able to accomplish it: he broke his foot, his toe. He, luckless, performed an auspicious act for us, that are lucky.

12
Him that fashions spells, practises magic, digs after roots, sends out curses, Indra, shall slay with his mighty weapon, Agni shall pierce with his hurled (arrow)!

V, 14. Charm to repel sorceries or spells.

1
An eagle found thee out, a boar dug thee out with his snout. Seek thou, O plant, to injure him that seeks to injure (us), strike down him that prepares spells (against us'!

2
Strike down the wizards, strike down him that prepares spells (against us); slay thou, moreover, O plant, him that seeks to injure us!

3
Cutting out from the skin (of the enemy) as if (from the skin) of an antelope, do ye, O gods, fasten the spell upon him that prepares it, as (one fastens) an ornament!

4
Take hold by the hand and lead away the spell back to him that prepares it! Place it in his very presence, so that it shall slay him that prepares the spell!

5
The spells shall take effect upon him that prepares the spells, the curse upon him that pronounces the curse! As a chariot with easy-going wheels, the spell shall turn back upon him that prepares the spell!

6
Whether a woman, or whether a man has prepared the spell for evil, we lead that spell to him as a horse with the halter.

7
Whether thou hast been prepared by the gods, or hast been prepared by men, we lead thee back with the help of Indra as an ally.

8
O Agni gainer of battles, do thou gain the battles! With a counter-charm do we hurl back the spell upon him that prepares the spell.

9
Hold ready, (O plant,) thy weapon, and strike him, slay the very one that has prepared (the spell)! We do not whet thee for the destruction of him that has not practised (spells).

10
Go as a son to his father, bite like an adder that has been stepped upon. Return thou, O spell, to him that prepares the spell, as one who overcomes his fetters!

11
As the shy deer, the antelope, goes out to the mating (buck), thus the spell shall reach him that prepares it!

12
Straighter than an arrow may it (the spell) fly against him, O ye heaven and earth; may that spell take hold again of him that prepares it, as (a hunter)
of his game!

13
Like fire (the spell) shall progress in the teeth of obstacles, like water along its course! As a chariot with easy-going wheels the spell shall turn back upon him that prepares the spell!

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