Hymns of the Atharva Veda, by Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1895], at sacred-texts.com
1Let neither fiend of evil name, Alinsa, Vatsapa, desire
Thy pair of husband-wooers which thy mother cleansed when,
thou wast born.
2Palala, Anupalala, Sarku, Koka, Malimlucha, Palijaka Vavri-
vāsas and Asresha, Rikshagriva and Pramilin.
3Approach not, come not hitherward: creep not thou in-between
her thighs.
I set, to guard her, Baja, that which chases him of evil name. p. a337
4Durnāmā and Sunāmā both are eager to converse with her.
We drive away Arāyas: let Sunāmā seek the women-folk,
5The black and hairy Asura, and Stambaja and Tundika,
Arāyas from this girl we drive, from bosom, waist, and parts
below.
6Sniffer, and Feeler, him who eats raw flesh, and him who licks
his lips,
Arāyas with the tails of dogs, the yellow Baja hath destroyed.
7Whoever, in thy brother's shape or father's comes to thee in
sleep,
Let Baja rout and chase them like eunuchs with woman's head-
dress on.
8Whoever steals to thee asleep or thinks to harm thee when
awake,—
These hath it banished, as the Sun travelling round drives shade
away.
9Whoever causeth her to lose her child or bear untimely fruit,—
Destroy him, O thou Plant, destroy the slippery fiend who lusts
for her.
10Those who at evening, with the bray of asses, dance around the
house, Kukshilas, and Kusfilas, and Kakubhas, Srimas,
Karumas,
These with thine odour, O thou Plant, drive far away to every
side.
11Kukundhas and Kukūrabhas who dress themselves in hides and
skins,
Who dance about like eunuchs, who raise a wild clamour in the
wood, all these we banish far away.
12All those who cannot bear the Sun who warms us yonder from
the sky,
Arāyas with the smell of goats, malodorous, with bloody mouths,
the Makakas we drive afar.
13All those who on their shoulders bear a head of monstrous
magnitude,
Who pierce the women's loins with pain,—those demons, Indra
drive away!
14Those, bearing horns upon their hands, who first of all approach
the brides;
Standing in ovens, laughing loud, those who in bushes flash forth
light, all these we banish hence away. p. a338
15Those who have retroverted toes, and heels and faces in the
front,
Khalajas, Sakadhūmajas, Urundas, all the Matmatas, impotent
Kumbhamushkas, these,
Drive thou, O Brāhmanaspati, far from this girl with vigilance.
16Sightless and with distorted eyes, impotent. woman less be they.
O Healing Plant, cast each away who, not her husband, would
approach this woman wedded to her lord.
17The Bristly-haired, the Maniac-haired, the Biter, and the
Groper-fiend,
The Creeper-near, the Copper-hued, the Snouty, and the Saluda,
With foot and heel kick over, as a hasty cow her milking-pan.
18If one should touch thy coming babe or kill thine infant newly
born,
The yellow Plant with mighty bow shall pierce him even to the
heart.
19Those who kill infants unawares, and near the new-made mothers
lie,
Let Pinga chase the amorous Gandharvas as wind chases cloud.
20Let it maintain the genial seed: let the laid embryo rest secure.
Let both strong Healers, to be worn within the girdle, guard the
babe.
21From the Kimīdin, for thy lord and children, Pinga shield thee
well,
From Sāyaka, and Nagnaka, Tangalva, and Pavīnasa.
22From the five-footed, fingerless, from the four-eyed, the double-
faced,
From the Close-creeper, from the Worm, from the Quick-roller
guard her well.
23Those who eat flesh uncooked, and those who eat the bleeding
flesh of men,
Feeders on babes unborn, long-haired, far from this place we
banish these.
24Shy slinkers from the Sun, as slinks a woman from her husband's
sire,
Deep down into the heart of these let Baja and let Pinga pierce.
25Pinga, preserve the babe at birth, make not the boy a female
child.
Let not Egg-eaters mar the germs: drive the Kimidins far away. p. a339
26Sterility, and infants' death, and weeping that announceth
woe,
Dear! lay them on the fiend as thou wouldst pluck a garland
from a tree.