Atharvaveda 10.1
Atharvavedasaṃhitā 10.1
- Language
- Sanskrit
10.1.1
yā́ṃ kalpáyanti vahatáu vadhū́m iva viśvárūpāṃ hástakr̥tāṃ cikitsávaḥ |
sā́rā́d etv ápa nudāma enām ||1||
She whom the adepts {cikitsú) prepare, all-formed, hand-made, like a bride at a wedding—let her go far off; we push her away.
10.1.2
śīrṣaṇvátī nasvátī karṇíṇī kr̥tyākŕ̥tā sáṃbhr̥tā viśvárūpā |
sā́rā́d etv ápa nudāma enām ||2||
Having a head, having a nose, having ears, put together, all-formed, by the witchcraft-maker—let her go far off; we push her away.
10.1.3
śūdrákr̥tā rā́jakr̥tā strī́kr̥tā brahmábhiḥ kr̥tā́ |
jāyā́ pátyā nuttéva kartā́raṃ bándhv r̥chatu ||3||
Çūdra-made, king-made, woman-made, made by Brahmans (brahmán), like a wife expelled (nuttá) by her husband, let her go to her maker, as connection.
10.1.4
anáyāhám óṣadhyā sárvāḥ kr̥tyā́ adūduṣam |
yā́ṃ kṣétre cakrúr yā́ṃ góṣu yā́ṃ vā te púruṣeṣu ||4||
With this herb have I spoiled all witchcrafts—what one they have made in the field, what in the kine, or what in thy men.
10.1.5
aghám astv aghakŕ̥te śapáthaḥ śapathīyaté |
pratyák pratipráhiṇmo yáthā kr̥tyākŕ̥taṃ hánat ||5||
Let evil be to the evil-doer, a curse to the curser; backward we send [her] forth back, that she may slay the witchcraft-maker.
10.1.6
pratīcī́na āṅgirasó 'dhyakṣo naḥ puróhitaḥ |
pratī́cīḥ kr̥tyā́ ākŕ̥tyāmū́n kr̥tyākŕ̥to jahi ||6||
Opposed [is] the Ān̄girasa, our appointed (puróhita) overseer; do thou, having turned the witchcrafts in the opposite direction, slay yonder witchcraft-makers.
10.1.7
yás tvovā́ca párehī́ti pratikū́lam udāyyàm |
táṃ kr̥tye 'bhinívartasva mā́smā́n icho anāgásaḥ ||7||
He who said to thee "go forth," against the current, up-stream, him, O witchcraft, do thou return against; seek not us who are innocent.
10.1.8
yás te párūṃṣi saṃdadháu ráthasyeva rbhúr dhiyā́ |
táṃ gacha tátra té 'yanam ájñātas te 'yáṃ jánaḥ ||8||
He who put together thy joints, as an ṛbhú [those] of a chariot with skill (dhī́), unto him go thou; there is thy going; this person is unknown to thee.
10.1.9
yé tvā kr̥tvā́lebhiré vidvalā́ abhicāríṇaḥ |
śaṃbhv ìdáṃ kr̥tyādū́ṣaṇaṃ prativartmá punaḥsaráṃ téna tvā snapayāmasi ||9||
They who, having made, took hold of thee, cunning sorcerers—this is a healthful (çambhú) spoiler of witchcraft, counteracting, reverting; therewith do we bathe thee.
10.1.10
yád durbhágāṃ prásnapitāṃ mr̥távatsām upeyimá |
ápaitu sárvaṃ mát pāpáṃ dráviṇaṃ mópa tiṣṭhatu ||10||
In that we have come upon the ill-portioned one (fem.), bathed forth, whose young (-vatsá) is dead—let all ill (pāpá) go away from me; let property come unto (upa-sthā) me.
10.1.11
yát te pitŕ̥bhyo dádato yajñé vā nā́ma jagr̥húḥ |
saṃdeśyā̀t sárvasmāt pāpā́d imā́ muñcantu tváuṣadhīḥ ||11||
In that they have taken (grah) the name of thee giving to the Fathers, or at the sacrifice—let these plants free thee from all ill that is designed (? saṁdeçyà).
10.1.12
devainasā́t pítryān nāmagrāhā́t saṃdeśyā̀d abhiníṣkr̥tāt |
muñcántu tvā vīrúdho vīryeṇa bráhmaṇā r̥gbhíḥ páyasā ŕ̥ṣīṇām ||12||
From sin against the gods, against the Fathers, from name-taking, that is designed, that is devised against [any one], let the plants free thee by their energy (vīryà), with spell (bráhman), with verses, with milk of the seers.
10.1.13
yáthā vā́taś cyāváyati bhū́myā reṇúm antárikṣāc cābhrám |
evā́ mát sárvaṃ durbhūtáṃ bráhmanuttam ápāyati ||13||
As the wind sets in motion the dust from the earth and the cloud (abhrá) from the atmosphere, so from me may everything of evil nature go away, pushed by the spell (bráhman).
10.1.14
ápa krāma nā́nadatī vínaddhā gardabhī́va |
kartr̥̄́n nakṣasvetó nuttā́ bráhmaṇā vīryā̀vatā ||14||
Step away, making much noise, like an unfastened she-ass; attain thy makers, pushed hence by an energetic spell.
10.1.15
ayáṃ pánthāḥ kr̥tyéti tvā nayāmo 'bhipráhitāṃ práti tvā prá hiṇmaḥ |
ténābhí yāhi bhañjaty ánasvatīva vāhínī viśvárūpā kurūtínī ||15||
Saying "this is the road, O witchcraft," we conduct thee; thee that wast sent forth against [us] we send forth back again; by that [road] go against [them], breaking, like a draft-cow with a cart, all-formed, wearing a wreath (? kurūṭín).
10.1.16
párāk te jyótir ápathaṃ te arvā́g anyátrāsmád áyanā kr̥ṇuṣva |
páreṇehi navatíṃ nāvyā̀ áti durgā́ḥ srotyā́ mā́ kṣaṇiṣṭhāḥ párehi ||16||
Offward is light for thee, hitherward is no road for thee; make thy goings elsewhere than [toward] us; go thou by a distant [road] beyond ninety difficult navigable streams; do not wound thyself; go away.
10.1.17
vā́ta iva vr̥kṣā́n ní mr̥ṇīhi pādáya mā́ gā́m áśvaṃ púruṣam úc chiṣa eṣām |
kartr̥̄́n nivŕ̥tyetáḥ kr̥tye 'prajāstvā́ya bodhaya ||17||
As the wind the trees, do thou crush (mṛ) down, cause to fall; do not leave of them cow, horse, man; turning back, O witchcraft, from here to thy makers, awaken them unto childlessness.
10.1.18
yā́ṃ te barhíṣi yā́ṃ śmaśāné kṣétre kr̥tyā́ṃ valagáṃ vā nicakhnúḥ |
agnáu vā tvā gā́rhapatye 'bhicerúḥ pā́kaṃ sántaṃ dhī́ratarā anāgásam ||18||
What [witchcraft] they buried for thee in the barhís, what in the cemetery, [what] witchcraft or secret spell (valagá) in the field, or practised against thee in the householders' fire—they, being wiser, [against thee] who art simple, innocent.
10.1.19
upā́hr̥tam ánubuddhaṃ níkhātaṃ váiraṃ tsāry ánv avidāma kártram |
tád etu yáta ā́bhr̥taṃ tátrā́śva iva ví vartatāṃ hántu kr̥tyākŕ̥taḥ prajā́m ||19||
We have found out (anu-vid) the hostile sneaking magic (? kártra) that was applied, perceived (? anu-budh), buried: let that go whence it was brought; there let it roll about like a horse; let it slay the progeny of the witchcraft -maker.
10.1.20
svāyasā́ asáyaḥ santi no gr̥hé vidmā́ te kr̥tye yatidhā́ párūṃṣi |
út tiṣṭhaivá párehītó 'jñāte kím ihéchasi ||20||
There are knives of good metal in our house; we know thy joints, O witchcraft, how many they are; just stand up; go away from here; unknown one, what seekest thou here?
10.1.21
grīvā́s te kr̥tye pā́dau cā́pi kartsyāmi nír drava |
indrāgnī́ asmā́n rakṣatāṃ yáu prajā́nāṃ prajā́vatī ||21||
Thy neck-bones (grīvā́), O witchcraft, and thy (two) feet I will cut up; run thou out; let Indra-and-Agni defend us, they who are of progeny rich in progeny.
10.1.22
sómo rā́jādhipā́ mr̥ḍitā́ ca bhūtásya naḥ pátayo mr̥ḍayantu ||22||
King Soma [is] our over-ruler and favorer (mṛḍitṛ́); let the lords of being favor us.
10.1.23
bhavāśarvā́v asyatāṃ pāpakŕ̥te kr̥tyākŕ̥te |
duṣkŕ̥te vidyútaṃ devahetím ||23||
Let Bhava-and-Çarva hurl (as) at the evil-doer, the witchcraft-maker, the ill-doer, the missile of the gods, the lightning.
10.1.24
yády eyátha dvipádī cátuṣpadī kr̥tyākŕ̥tā sáṃbhr̥tā viśvárūpā |
sétó 'ṣṭā́padī bhūtvā́ púnaḥ párehi duchune ||24||
If thou camest [as] biped, as quadruped, put together by the witchcraft-maker, all-formed, do thou, becoming octoped, go away again from here, O misfortune!
10.1.25
abhyàktā́ktā svàraṃkr̥tā sárvaṃ bhárantī duritáṃ párehi |
jānīhi kr̥tye kartā́raṃ duhitéva pitáraṃ svám ||25||
Anointed, smeared, well-adorned, bearing all difficulty, go thou away; recognize (jñā), O witchcraft, thy maker, as a daughter her own father.
10.1.26
párehi kr̥tye mā́ tiṣṭho viddhásyeva padáṃ naya |
mr̥gáḥ sá mr̥gayús tváṃ ná tvā níkartum arhati ||26||
Go away, O witchcraft; stand not; lead, as it were, the track of one pierced; it is a deer, thou a deer-hunter; it is unable to put thee down.
10.1.27
utá hanti pūrvāsínaṃ pratyādā́yā́para íṣvā |
utá pū́rvasya nighnató ní hanty áparaḥ práti ||27||
Also the after one (ápara) slays with an arrow, fitting it (?), the one shooting (-āsin) in front; also of the front one, smiting down, the after one smites down in return.
10.1.28
etád dhí śr̥ṇú me vácó 'thehi yáta eyátha |
yás tvā cakā́ra táṃ práti ||28||
Hear thou, verily, these words of mine; then go whence thou camest, to meet him who made thee.
10.1.29
anāgohatyā́ vái bhīmā́ kr̥tye mā́ no gā́m áśvaṃ púruṣaṃ vadhīḥ |
yátrayatrā́si níhitā tátas tvót thāpayāmasi parṇā́l lághīyasī bhava ||29||
The slaying of an innocent person is indeed fearful, O witchcraft; slay thou not our cow, horse, man; wheresoever thou art set down, from there we make thee stand up; become thou lighter than a leaf.
10.1.30
yádi sthá támasā́vr̥tā jā́lenabhíhitā iva |
sárvāḥ saṃlúpyetáḥ kr̥tyā́ḥ púnaḥ kartré prá hiṇmasi ||30||
If ye are covered (ā-vṛ) with darkness, like those who are girt (abhi-dhā) with a net—having torn up (sam-lup) all witchcrafts from here, we send them forth again to the maker.
10.1.31
kr̥tyākŕ̥to valagíno 'bhiniṣkāríṇaḥ prajā́m |
mr̥ṇīhí kr̥tye móc chiṣo 'mū́n kr̥tyākŕ̥to jahi ||31||
The progeny of the witchcraft-maker, of him of secret spells, of him that devises against [others], O witchcraft, do thou kill; do not leave [them alive]; slay yonder witchcraft-makers.
10.1.32
yáthā sū́ryo mucyáte támasas pári rā́triṃ jáhāty uṣásaśca ketū́n |
evā́háṃ sárvaṃ durbhūtáṃ kártraṃ kr̥tyākŕ̥tā kr̥táṃ hastī́va rájo duritáṃ jahāmi ||32||
As the sun is freed out of darkness, [and] quits the night and the ensigns of the dawn, so do I quit all evil-natured magic made by the witchcraft-maker, as an elephant the difficult haze (? rájas).
Translations (3)
- Atharva-Veda Saṃhitā (HOS 7–8) — William Dwight Whitney 1905, English
- The Hymns of the Atharvaveda — Ralph T. H. Griffith 1895, English
- Hymns of the Atharva-Veda (SBE 42) — Maurice Bloomfield 1897, English
Commentaries (2)
- Atharvavedasaṃhitābhāṣya — Mādhavācārya, Sanskrit
- Atharvavedabhāṣya (Sāyaṇa) — Sāyaṇa, Sanskrit
Linked texts (15)
- A Vedic Concordance — Maurice Bloomfield, English
- Aṅgirasī — Sanskrit
- Kṛtyānirharaṇasūkta — Sanskrit
- Vedic Index of Names and Subjects — Arthur A. Macdonell & A. Berriedale Keith, English
- The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads — Arthur Berriedale Keith, English
- Altindische Grammatik — Jacob Wackernagel & Albert Debrunner, German
- Die Religion des Veda — Hermann Oldenberg, German
- Vedic Mythology — Arthur Anthony Macdonell, English
- The History and Culture of the Indian People — R. C. Majumdar & A. D. Pusalker, English
- Original Sanskrit Texts on the Origin and History of the People of India, their Religion and Institutions — John Muir, English
- La religion védique d'après les hymnes du Rig-Véda — Abel Bergaigne, French
- The Religions of India — Edward Washburn Hopkins, English
- Die Hymnen des Rigveda, Bd. I: Metrische und textgeschichtliche Prolegomena — Hermann Oldenberg, German
- Vaiṣṇavism, Śaivism and Minor Religious Systems — R. G. Bhandarkar, English
- Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power in the Indian Theory of Government — Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, English