Book 7: Hymn 56: A charm against poisonous bites and stings

HYMN LVI

A charm against poisonous bites and stings

1Whether it came from viper, from black snake or snake with
transverse stripes,
Or Kankaparvan's bite, this herb hath made the poison power-
less.
2Honey-born, honey-dropping, rich in honey, honeysweet, this
herb,
Is medicine that heals the wound and kills the gnat that bites
and stings.
3Whatever bit, or sucked thy blood, we summon thence away
from thee
The ineffectual poison of the little sharply-stinging gnat.
4Thou here who crookest wicked jaws, thou tortuous, jointless,
limbless thing,
These jaws thou, Brāhmanaspati! shalt bend together like a
reed.
5This scorpion here that creeps along, low on the ground and
powerless— p. a294
I have removed his poison and then utterly demolished him.
6No strength in thy two arms hast thou, nor in thy head, nor in
thy waist:
Then what is that small thing thou so viciously bearest in thy
tail?
7The emmets make a meal of thee and peahens tear and mangle
thee:
All ye are crying out, In sooth the scorpion's poison hath no
strength.
8Thou creature who inflictest wounds both with thy mouth and
with thy tail,
No poison in thy mouth hast thou: what at thy tail's root will
there be?