A prayer for God's protection as an armour.

1 Upon the strong is bound the strong shield of God's protection, potent, foe-slaying, served by valiant heroes, a happy and fortunate defence.

2 This protection, foe-slaying, served by many heroes, strong, powerful, victorious, and mighty, goes forth to meet and ruin witchcraft.

3 Therewith the Wise and Mighty One (Indra) routed the powers of evil, therewith He slew the demon Vritra; and heaven and earth and the four regions of the sky are His possession.

4 May this encircling protection, mighty, subduing enemies, keep us secure on every side.

5 This God the Radiant hath declared, God the Provider declared it, God the Lord of Prayer, and God the Light-giver, and God the Mighty. So may the One God, to whom I turn, oppose with saving prayers and banish witchcraft.

6 Whoever for his armour takes this protection, like the sun risen up to heaven, quells witchcraft with superior might.

7 With this protection, as with a thoughtful seer's aid, in every fight have I prevailed; I smite the foes and the fiends.

8 All witchcraft of the Angirases, all witchcraft wrought by the powers of evil, all witchcraft self-originate, and all that others have prepared, may these depart to both remotest spaces, past ninety ample water-floods.

9 May God bind this armour on him, God the Mighty, the All-Pervading, the Light-giver, the Healer, the Radiant, the Creator, the Most High, the Sovereign, the Light of all men; and may all the seers pray for him.

10 Thou art the chief of all the plants, even as a bull among the beasts, a tiger of the beasts of prey. Him whom we sought for have we found, him lying near in wait for us.

11 A tiger verily is he, he is a lion, and a bull, subduer of his foes is he, the man who is armed with this protection.

12 No mortal beings slay him, nor evil spirits; o'er all the regions he is king, the man who is armed with this protection.

14 Kasyapa the seer formed and fashioned thee, Kasyapa raised and sent thee forth. Armed with thee, the champion won in the wrestling-match with man. The shield of boundless might the angels have made a coat of mail.

15 Whoever would destroy thee with rites of consecration, sacrifices, spells, meet him and smite him, O God, with thy hundred-knotted thunderbolt.

16 Verily let this protection, circular, potent, conquering, a happy and fortunate defence, preserve thy children and thy wealth.

17 Brave God, set before us light, peace and security from below, peace and security from above, peace and security from behind.

18 My coat of mail is heaven and earth, my coat of mail is day and sun: a coat of mail may God the Mighty, the Radiant and the Sustainer grant to me.

19 Not all the angels, leagued together, may pierce the vast strong shield which God gives. May that great shield on all sides guard my body, that to full old age my life may be extended.

20 Let the protection of God be upon me to keep me safe from every ill. Be ye all within this shelter, the safeguard of the body, thrice-defended.

21 In this let God lay a store of valour: let the angels draw near, for his long life, to last a hundred autumns, that to full age his days may be extended.

22 Lord of the clan who brings us bliss, fiend-slayer, queller of the foe, may He, the conqueror, never subdued, God the Mighty, bind this protection on thee, the Bountiful, who gives us peace. May He protect thee round about, by night and day on every side.