History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c37.6.5

v3.c37.6.5

24 Indra is called upon to kill male and female *yātudhānas* (evil spirits or sorcerers) and it is added 'may the mūradevas perish bereft of their necks and may they not see the sun rising up from the horizon'. Yāska in commenting on Ṛg. X. 4. 4 explains 'mūra' as 'mūḍha' (stupid)¹⁶⁹³. It is possible to take 'mūra' as meaning 'mortal' or 'perishable' (since the root 'mṛ' assumes the form 'muriya' as in Ṛg. VII. 104. 15). From the above quotations it is clear that the Ṛgvedic poets knew of low people who practised witchcraft, who were mūradevas (i. e. either worshipped perishable objects or were stupid in their cult) and who were the enemies of the Aryans. There are also clear references to enemies who did not look upon Indra as God (Ṛg. X. 27. 6, X. 48. 7, X. 86. 1).