Hymn 1

1 Let the evil plot depart; far away we drive it, that which wicked hands have made, fair to look upon, as skilled men fashion a bride amid her wedding train.

2 Though complete, with head and nose and ears, fair to see and wrought with cunning, let it depart afar; far away we drive it.

3 Whether devised by a servant or a prince, by priests or by women, let it go back to its maker, as kin return to kin, like a dame sent away by her lord.

4 With this healing herb, God's provision, I have undone all their evil arts, the harm they have designed against thy field, thy cattle, or thy people.

5 Let ill fall on him who does ill; on him who curses, let the curse fall. We turn the plot back, that it may slay the man who contrived the wickedness; for the evil plot encompasses none but its authors.

6 Against it comes the Angirasa, the priest whose eye is over us. Turn back all their wicked schemes, and bring to nothing those who practise evil arts.

7 To whoever said to thee, "Go forth against the foe, up the stream," to him, O evil design, go thou back. Pursue not us, the innocent.

8 He who devised thy shape in thought, as a deft joiner builds a car, to him go: thither lies thy way. This man is wholly unknown to thee.

9 The cunning men who fashioned thee and held thee fast, this remedy cures and spoils their scheming; it turns it back the way it came. By this we send thee away.

10 When we have found it drowned and drenched, like a hapless cow whose calf has died, let all my woe depart, and let abundant provision come to me.

11 If, when they gave thy parents aught, they named thee, or at the offering, from all their purposed evil may these healing herbs deliver thee.

12 From the mention of thy name, from sin against the fathers or against the pious, these herbs of healing shall release thee, by prayer, by power, by holy words, by the milk of the sages.

13 As the wind stirs the dust from the earth and drives the rain-cloud from the sky, so, chased and banished by the prayer, all misery departs from me.

14 Go with a resonant cry; depart, like a she-ass whose cords are loosed. Go to those who made thee; hence, away! Go, driven by the power of the word.

15 This is thy path, we say, and we guide thee; we drive thee back, thou who wast sent against us. Go by this pathway, breaking loose for onslaught like a host complete with chariots and horses.

16 No path leads hither for thee to travel. Turn from us; far off is thy light yonder. Fly hence across the ninety floods, the rivers hard to pass. Begone, and be not wounded.

17 As the wind the trees, so smite and overthrow them; leave not cow, horse or man of them surviving. Return, O evil design, to those who made thee; wake them from sleep to find themselves childless.

Hymn 2

1 Who framed the heels of man? Who fashioned the flesh of him? Who formed and fixed his ankles? Who made the openings and the well-moulded fingers? Who gave him foot-soles and a central station?

2 Whence did they make the ankles that are beneath, and the knee-bones of man above them? What led them onward to the construction of the legs? Who planned and formed the articulations of the knees?

3 A fourfold frame is fixed with ends connected, and above the knees a yielding belly. The hips and thighs, who was their maker, those props whereby the trunk grew firmly established?

4 Who was it, and by what means, that fastened the chest of man and the neck together? Who fixed his breasts? Who formed his elbows? Who joined together ribs and shoulders?

5 Who put together both his arms and said, "Let him show manly strength"? Who and what was he who set the shoulder-blades upon the trunk?

6 Who pierced the seven openings in the head? Who made these ears, these nostrils, eyes and mouth, through whose surpassing might in all directions bipeds and quadrupeds have power of motion?

7 He set within the jaws the tongue that reaches far, and placed thereon speech, the mighty gift. He is near to living creatures, whom the waters clothe. Who hath understood it?

8 Who was he, first of all, who fashioned his skull and brain and occiput and forehead, the structure that the two jaws of man support? Who was it that raised him up to the heavens?

9 Whence does man receive both pleasant and unpleasant things, things of varied sort, sleep and alarm, fatigue, enjoyments and delights?

10 Whence is there found in man want, evil, suffering, distress? Whence come success, prosperity, opulence, thought and utterance?

11 Who stored in him floods turned in all directions, moving diverse and formed to flow in rivers, hasty, red, copper-hued and purple, running all ways in man, upward and downward?

12 Who gave him visible form and shape? Who gave him magnitude and name? Who gave him motion and consciousness? Who furnished man with feet?

13 Who wove the vital air in him, who filled him with the downward breath? Who bestowed on man the general pervading air?

14 What One God placed devotion in man? Who gave him truth and falsehood? Whence came death and life?

15 Who wrapped a garment round him? Who arranged the life he has to live? Who granted him the boon of speech? Who gave this fleetness to his feet?

16 Through whom did He spread waters out? Through whom did He make the day to shine? Through whom did He kindle the dawn and give the gift of eventide?

17 Who set the seed in him and said, "Still be the thread of life spun out"? Who gave him intellect besides? Who gave him voice and power of gesture?

18 Through whom did He adorn the earth, through whom did He encompass heaven? Whose might made man surpass the mountains and created things?

19 Through whom does he seek the rain-giving cloud, and the Soma of piercing sight? Through whom belief and devotion? Through whom was spirit laid in him?

20 What leads him to the learned teacher? What leads him to his Lord, the Most High? How does he gain this light of fire? By whom has the year been measured out?

21 It is God who leads man to the learned teacher; it is God who leads him to his Lord, the Most High. By God's gift man wins the fire here; God has measured out the year.

22 Through whom does he abide among the angels? Through whom among the heavenly hosts? Why is this other called a star? Why is this called the Real Power?

23 By God's leave he dwells among the righteous, by God's leave among the heavenly hosts; God has named this other a star; God alone is called the Real Power.

24 By whom was this our earth disposed? By whom was heaven placed over it? By whom was this expanse of air raised on high and stretched across?

25 By God was this earth disposed; by God the sky was arranged above; by God this expanse of air was lifted on high and stretched across.

26 God joined his head and heart together, as with a needle, and the pure wind moved from on high above his brain.

27 That is indeed the head, the well-closed casket entrusted to the angels. May spirit and food and vital air protect that head from injury.

28 Stationed on high, God encompasses all regions, spread aloft and stretched transversely. He who knows the creation of God, even the fort whence man is named,

29 yea, who knows that fort of God, girt about with His gift of life, on him God bestows sight, progeny and life.

30 Sight leaves him not, breath quits him not before life's natural decay, who knows the fort of God, the fort whence man is named.

31 The stronghold made by God, impregnable, with circles eight and portals nine, contains a golden treasure-chest, heavenly, girt with light.

32 Men deep in the knowledge of God know the living soul which dwells in the golden treasure-chest that has three spokes and three supports.

33 God encompasses the golden fortress, never subdued, bright with excessive brilliancy, compassed with glory round about.

Hymn 3

1 Here is my healing herb, the Varana, strong in act, God's provision against harm. With this grasp thy troubles; may it lift from thee those who would injure thee.

2 Break up the plots against thee, grasp them and destroy them. This herb shall go before and lead thee. By the favour of God, from morn to morn, the righteous have warded off the enchantment of the rebellious.

3 This herb, this Varana, heals all diseases, bright with a thousand eyes and golden glister. May it conquer and cast down thy foes; be thou the first to resist the men who hate thee.

4 This will stay the evil wrought against thee, will guard thee from the fear of man; from all distress and misery this Varana, by God's leave, will shield thee well.

5 This heavenly plant is a guard against ills of many kinds. By God's command consumption, which had seized this man, was stayed and driven off.

6 If in thy sleep thou seest an evil vision, as oft as the beast repeats his loathed approaches, this herb, this Varana, with God's leave, will guard thee from fear at a sneeze and from the bird's ill-omened message.

7 From mischief, from malignity, from enchantment, from alarm, from death, from the stroke of a stronger foe, the Varana, by God's leave, will guard thee well.

8 Each sinful act that we have done, my mother, my father, and my friends, from all the guilt may God, our Lord, be our guard and sure defence.

9 Affrighted, let my rivals near akin to me pass to the region void of light; to deepest darkness let them go.

10 Safe are my cattle, safe am I, long-lived, with all my people around. May God guard me well on every side.

11 This Varana is on my breast, the sovereign, heavenly plant. Let it afflict my foes as God overthrew the rebellious and the wicked.

12 Through a hundred autumns, long to live, I wear this Varana. May God bestow on me great strength, cattle, and sovereignty and power.

13 As the wind with its might breaks down the trees, the lords of the wood, so break and rend my rivals, born before me and born after. Let God protect thee well.

14 As fire and wind devour the trees, the lords of the wood, even so devour my rivals, born before me and born after. Let God protect thee well.

15 As, shattered by the tempest, trees lie withering, ruined on the ground, so overthrow my rivals, crush them down and ruin them, those born before and after. Let God protect thee well.

16 Cut them in pieces before their destined term of life, those who would hurt his cattle, those who would harm the realm he rules.

17 As the sun shines with brightest sheen, as splendour has been stored in it by God, so may God give me prosperity and fame. With lustre may He sprinkle me, and anoint me with magnificence.

18 As glory dwells in the moon, and in the sun that views mankind, so may God give me prosperity and fame.

19 As glory dwells in the earth, and in the fire here, so may God give me prosperity and fame.

20 As glory dwells in a maiden, and in this well-constructed car, so may God give me prosperity and fame.

21 As glory dwells in the draught of Soma and the honeyed drink, His provision, so may God give me prosperity and fame.

22 As glory dwells in the offering made for God's sake, and in the hallowing word, so may God give me prosperity and fame.

23 As glory is bestowed upon the patron and this offering, so may God give me prosperity and fame.

24 As glory dwells in the Lord of Life and in this Supreme Lord, so may God give me prosperity and fame.

25 As life everlasting and truth have been established by God, so may God give me prosperity and fame. With lustre may He sprinkle me, and anoint me with magnificence.

Hymn 4

1 The first of all is the chariot of the Mighty, next is the chariot of the angels, the third is that of the All-Seeing alone. The last, the serpents' chariot, struck the pillar and then sped away.

2 Their lustre is the darbha-grass, its young shoots are their horse's tail; the reed's plume is their chariot-seat.

3 Strike out, white courser, with thy foot; strike both with fore and hinder foot. Stay the dire poison of the snakes, and make it weak as soaking wood.

4 Loud neighing he has dived below, and rising up again replied; he has stayed the dire poison of the snakes and made it weak as soaking wood.

5 Paidva kills Kasarnila, kills both the white serpent and the black. Paidva has struck and cleft in twain the heads of Ratharvi and the viper.

6 Go onward, horse of Pedu, go thou first; we follow after thee. Cast aside the serpents from the pathway whereon we tread.

7 Here was the horse of Pedu born; this is the way that takes him hence. These are the tracks the courser left, the mighty slayer of snakes.

8 Let him not close the opened mouth, nor open that which now is closed. Two snakes are in this field, and both, female and male, are powerless.

9 Powerless are the serpents here, those that are near and those afar. I kill the scorpion with a club, and with a staff the new-come snake.

10 This is the remedy against Aghasva and the adder, both. By God's might the vicious snake has been subdued and tamed for me.

11 We fix our thoughts on Pedu's horse, strong, offspring of a steadfast line. Behind our backs the vipers crouch down and lie in wait for us.

12 Bereft of life and poison they lie slain by the might of God; by His help we have slaughtered them.

13 The transverse-streaked snakes have been slain, and the vipers crushed and brayed to bits. Slay Darvi in the darbha-grass, Karikrata, and the White and the Black.

14 The young maid of the Kirata race, a little damsel, digs the drug; she digs it with shovels wrought of gold on the high ridges of the hills.

15 Hither the young unconquered leech who slays the speckled snake has come; he demolishes adder and scorpion, both of them.

16 The sun and wind and rain-cloud, by God's command, have given the serpent up to me.

17 By God's might he has been given up to me, the female viper and the male, the adder, him with stripes athwart, Kasarnila, Dasonasi.

18 O serpent, God has destroyed the sire who first engendered thee; and when these snakes are pierced and bored, what sap and vigour will be theirs?

19 Their heads have I seized firmly, as a fisher grasps the spotted prey; waded half through the stream and washed the poison of the serpents off.

20 Let the floods hurry on and bear the poison of all snakes afar. The transverse-streaked snakes have been slain, and the vipers crushed and brayed to bits.

21 As from the healing plants I deftly pick the fibres out and guide them skilfully like mares, so let thy venom, snake, depart.

22 All poison that the sun and fire, all that the earth and plants contain, poison of most effectual power, let all thy venom pass away.

23 Serpents which fire or plants have generated, those which have sprung from waters or the lightning, whose mighty broods are found in many places, from these serpents we seek refuge in God.

24 Thou art called a maid, Taudi; Ghritachi is thy name. Thy place is underneath my foot. I take the poison-killing remedy.

25 From every member drive away the venom, and avoid the heart. Then let the poison's burning heat pass downward and away from thee.

26 The bane has fled afar. It wept, and asked the poison how it fared.

27 God has found the venom of the serpent and drawn it out. Back to the biter the poison has returned, and the snake has died.

Hymn 5

1 You are the power of the Mighty, you the force and strength of the Mighty, his heroic might and manliness. I join you with the bonds of prayer to the victorious enterprise.

2 You are the power of the Mighty, you the force and strength of the Mighty, his heroic might and manliness. I join you with the bonds of royal power to the victorious enterprise.

3 You are the power of the Mighty, you the force and strength of the Mighty, his heroic might and manliness. I join you with the bonds of the Mighty's strength to the victorious enterprise.

4 You are the power of the Mighty, you the force and strength of the Mighty, his heroic might and manliness. I join you with the bonds of God's provision to the victorious enterprise.

5 You are the power of the Mighty, you the force and strength of the Mighty, his heroic might and manliness. I join you with the bonds of the waters to the victorious enterprise.

6 For the victorious enterprise let all creation stand by me. For me, O waters, you are prepared.

7 You are the portion of the Light. Grant us, O waters, the brilliant energy of the waters. By the decree of the Creator I set you down for this our world.

8 You are the portion of the Mighty. Grant us, O waters, the brilliant energy of the waters. By the decree of the Creator I set you down for this our world.

9 You are the portion of God's provision. Grant us, O waters, the brilliant energy of the waters. By the decree of the Creator I set you down for this our world.

10 You are the portion of the All-Seeing. Grant us, O waters, the brilliant energy of the waters. By the decree of the Creator I set you down for this our world.

11 You are the portion of the Friend. Grant us, O waters, the brilliant energy of the waters. By the decree of the Creator I set you down for this our world.

12 You are the portion of the All-Seeing. Grant us, O waters, the brilliant energy of the waters. By the decree of the Creator I set you down for this our world.

13 You are the portion of the appointed term of death. Grant us, O waters, the brilliant energy of the waters. By the decree of the Creator I set you down for this our world.

14 You are the portion of the Light-giver. Grant us, O waters, the brilliant energy of the waters. By the decree of the Creator I set you down for this our world.

15 O waters, your share of waters, which the waters hold, which aids our devotion to God, this as a remnant here I leave. Do not wash it clean away. With this we let the man go by who hates us and whom we abhor. Him would I fain overthrow with this our act of devotion, with this our prayer.

16 O waters, your wave that the waters hold, which aids our devotion to God, this as a remnant here I leave. Do not wash it clean away.

17 O waters, your calf that the waters hold, which aids our devotion to God, this as a remnant here I leave. Do not wash it clean away.

18 O waters, your bull that the waters hold, which aids our devotion to God, this as a remnant here I leave. Do not wash it clean away.

19 O waters, your germ of golden light that the waters hold, which aids our devotion to God, this as a remnant here I leave. Do not wash it clean away.

20 O waters, your speckled heavenly stone that the waters hold, which aids our devotion to God, this as a remnant here I leave. Do not wash it clean away.

21 O waters, your thunderbolt that the waters hold, which aids our devotion to God, this as a remnant here I leave. Do not wash it clean away.

22 Whatever evil I have done within this last three years, from all that woe and misery let the waters shield and guard me well, by God's leave.

23 Onward I urge your gathered floods; enter your own abiding place, uninjured and with all your strength. Let nothing bend or bow us down.

24 May the pure waters cleanse us from defilement; fair to behold, may they remove our sin and trouble, and bear away ill dream and all pollution.

25 Thou art the step of the All-Pervading, sharpened by earth, aglow with the light of fire. Earth have I ranged; from earth we bar him who hates us and whom we hate.

26 Ours is the superior place and ours the conquest; may I in all fights tread down spite and malice. Let him not live; let vital breath desert him.

27 Thou art the step of the All-Pervading, sharpened by heaven, aglow with the light of the sun. Heaven have I ranged; from heaven we bar him who hates us and whom we hate.

28 Thou art the step of the All-Pervading, sharpened by the quarters, aglow with the mind. The quarters have I ranged; from the quarters we bar him who hates us and whom we hate.

29 Thou art the step of the All-Pervading, sharpened by the regions, aglow with the wind. The regions have I ranged; from the regions we bar him who hates us and whom we hate.

30 Thou art the step of the All-Pervading, sharpened by the verses of revelation, aglow with the hymn. The verses have I ranged; from the verses we bar him who hates us and whom we hate.

31 Thou art the step of the All-Pervading, sharpened by devotion, aglow with prayer. Devotion have I ranged; from devotion we bar him who hates us and whom we hate.

32 Thou art the step of the All-Pervading, sharpened by the plants, aglow with the moon. The plants have I ranged; from the plants we bar him who hates us and whom we hate.

33 Thou art the step of the All-Pervading, sharpened by the waters, aglow with the All-Seeing. The waters have I ranged; from the waters we bar him who hates us and whom we hate.

34 Thou art the step of the All-Pervading, sharpened by tillage, aglow with food. Tillage have I ranged; from tillage we bar him who hates us and whom we hate.

35 Thou art the step of the All-Pervading, sharpened by the vital breath, aglow with man. The vital breath have I ranged; from the vital breath we bar him who hates us and whom we hate.

36 With this I here invest the power and splendour, the life of that man and his vital breathing, the son of such a sire and such a woman; here do I overthrow and cast him downward.

37 I follow the sun's course in heaven, the course that takes it to the south. May God bestow upon me wealth and the glory of a scholar's rank.

38 I turn me to the regions bright with splendour. May God bestow upon me wealth and the glory of a scholar's rank.

39 I turn me to the seven sages. May God bestow upon me wealth and the glory of a scholar's rank.

40 I turn me unto prayer. May God bestow upon me wealth and the glory of a scholar's rank.

41 I turn me unto the learned. May God bestow upon me wealth and the glory of a scholar's rank.

42 We hunt that man, we beat him down with our blows; with the word we have hurried him to the open jaws of the Lord Most High.

43 Let the shot missile catch him with the two mighty fangs of the Light that belongs to all men. This offering, and the mightiest fuel, devour him!

44 Thou art the bound of the King, the All-Seeing. Bind, such an one, the son of such a woman, in vital breath and in the food that feeds him.

45 All food of thine, O Lord of Life, that lies upon the face of the earth, thereof bestow upon us, O Lord of Life, O Creator.

46 Heavenly waters have I sought; with juice have I besprinkled them; with milk, O God the Light, have I come: bestow upon me splendid strength.

47 Give me the boon of splendid strength; give, O God the Light, progeny and life. May the angels know this prayer of mine, may the Mighty with the sages know it.

48 Whatever curse couples launch against us, whatever bitter speech the chatterers utter, with the arrow of Thy wrath, born of the spirit, transfix to the heart the evildoers.

49 Destroy the evildoers with Thy fervour, consume the wicked with Thy wrath, O God the Light. Destroy the false gods of the fool with Thy fiery splendour; destroy the blazing ones, the insatiable.

50 Well-skilled, against this man I hurl the water's bolt with four spikes, to cleave his head asunder. May it destroy all members of his body. Let the whole host of angels approve my purpose.

Hymn 6

1 With power I cut away the head of my malignant rival, of mine evil-hearted enemy.

2 This citron-wood amulet shall make for me a trusty shield. Filled with the mingled beverage, with sap and vigour it has come.

3 Though the strong-armed carpenter have cleft thee with his hand and axe, pure animating waters shall cleanse thee and make thee bright again.

4 This ornament, decked with a chain of gold, shall give faith, devotion and might, and dwell as guest within our house.

5 To this we give apportioned food, clarified butter, wine and mead. May it provide each boon for us as a father for his sons, again and again, from morn to morn, as we approach the angels' Lord in prayer.

6 The charm which the Lord of Prayer has bound, the fatness-dropping citron-wood, the potent khadira, for strength: this the Light has put on; it yields clarified butter for this man. Again and again, from morn to morn, with this subdue thine enemies.

7 The charm which the Lord of Prayer has bound, the fatness-dropping citron-wood, the potent khadira, for strength: this the Mighty has put on for power and manly puissance. It yields strength to strengthen him, again and again, from morn to morn.

8 The charm which the Lord of Prayer has bound: this the moon has put on for might, for hearing and for sight. It yields him energy indeed, again and again, from morn to morn.

9 The charm which the Lord of Prayer has bound: this the sun has put on; with this it conquered the regions of the sky. It yields him ability, again and again, from morn to morn.