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Hymns of the Atharva Veda, by Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1895], at sacred-texts.com


p. a111

HYMN VII

A charm to make a poisonous plant innocuous

1So may this water guard us on the bank of Varanāvati.
  Therein hath Amrit been infused: with that I ward thy poison
   off.
2Weak is the poison of the East, weak is the poison of the North,
  So too this poison of the South counts as a cake of curds and
   meal.
3When he hath made of thee a cake, broad, steaming, swelling up
   with fat,
  And even in hunger eaten thee, then gripe him not, thou hideous
   one!
4Intoxicater! like a shaft we make thy spirit fly away, Like a pot
   boiling on the fire, we with our word remove thee hence.
5We set around thee with the spell as 'twere a gathered arma-
   ment.
  Stay quiet like a rooted tree. Dug up with mattocks, gripe not
   thou.
6For coverings men have bartered thee, for skins of deer and
   woven cloths.
  Thou art a thing of sale, O Plant. Dug up with mattocks, gripe
   not thou!
7None have attained to those of old, those who wrought holy acts
   for you.
  Let them not harm our heroes here. Therefore I set before you
   this.


Next: Hymn 8: A benediction at the consecration of a King