Appendix D: Hymns of the Atharva-Veda translated by Maurice Bloomfield

Hymns of the Atharva-Veda translated by Maurice Bloomfield
Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 42
[1897]

This, the 42nd volume of the the Sacred Books of the East, is an anthology of representative hymns from the Arthrva-veda, the fourth Veda. This selection is grouped thematically, so the hymns are not in numeric order.

II, 4. Charm with an amulet derived from the gangida tree, against diseases and demons.
1. Unto long life and great delights, for ever unharmed and vigorous, do we wear the gangida, as an amulet destructive of the vishkandha.
2. From convulsions, from tearing pain, from vishkandha, and from torturing pain, the gangida shall protect us on all sides--an amulet of a thousand virtues!
3. This gangida conquers the vishkandha, and smites the Atrin (devouring demons); may this all-healing gangida protect us from adversity!
4. By means of the invigorating gangida, bestowed by the gods as an amulet, do we conquer in battle the vishkandha and all the Rakshas.
5. May the hemp and may gangida protect me against vishkandha! The one (gangida) is brought hither from the forest, the other (hemp) from the sap of the furrow.
6. Destruction of witchcraft is this amulet, also destruction of hostile powers: may the powerful gangida therefore extend far our lives!






XIX, 34, Charm with an amulet derived from the gangida-tree, against diseases and demons.
1. Thou art an Angiras, O gangida, a protector art thou, O gangida. All two-footed andfour-footed creatures that belong to us the gangida shall protect!
2. The sorceries fifty-three in number, and the hundred performers of sorcery, all these having lost their force, the gangida shall render bereft of strength!
3. Bereft of strength is the gotten-up clamour, bereft of strength are the seven debilitating (charms). Do thou, O gangida, hurl away from here poverty, as an archer an arrow!
4. This gangida is a destroyer of witchcraft, and also a destroyer of hostile powers. May then the powerful gangida extend far our lives!
5. May the greatness of the gangida protect us about on all sides, (the greatness) with which he has overcome the vishkandha (and) the samskandha, (overcoming the powerful (disease) with power!
6. Thrice the gods begot thee that hast grown up upon the earth. The Brahmanas of yore knew thee here by the name of Angiras.
7. Neither the plants of olden times, nor they of recent times, surpass thee; a fierce slayer is the gahaida, and a happy refuge.
8 And when, O gangida of boundless virtue, thou didst spring up in the days of yore, O fierce (plant), Indra at first placed strength in thee.
9. Fierce Indra, verily, put might into thee, O lord of the forest! Dispersing all diseases, slay thou the Rakshas, O plant!
10. The breaking disease and the tearing disease, the balâsa, and the pain in the limbs, the takman that comes every autumn, may the gangida render devoid of force!

XIX, 35. Charm with an amulet derived from the gangida-tree, against diseases and demons.
1. While uttering Indra's name the seers bestowed (upon men) the gangida, which the gods in the beginning had made into a remedy, destructive of the vishkandha.
2 . May that gangida protect us as a treasurer his treasures, he whom the gods and the Brâhmanas made into a refuge that puts to naught the hostile powers!
3. The evil eye of the hostile-minded, (and) the evil-doer I have approached. Do thou, O thousand eyed one, watchfully destroy these! A refuge art thou, O gangida.
4. May the gangida protect me from heaven, protect me from earth, protect (me) from the atmosphere, protect me from the plants, protect me from the past, as well as the future; may he protect us from every direction of space!
5. The sorceries performed by the gods, and also those performed by men, may the all healing gangida render them all devoid of strength!