Atharva Veda

The Hymns of the Atharvaveda

Translation by Ralph T.H. Griffith

BOOK I

HYMN XXVIII

A prayer to Agni for the destruction of evil spirits

1          God Agni hath come forth to us, fiend-slayer, chaser of disease,
            Burning the Yātudhānas up, Kimidins, and deceitful ones.

2          Consume the Yātudhānas, God! meet the Kimidins with thy flame:
            Burn up the Yātudhānis as they face thee, thou whose path is black!

3          She who hath cursed us with a curse, or hath conceived a
            murderous sin;
            Or seized our son to take his blood, let her devour the child
            she bare.

4          Let her, the Yātudhāni eat son, sister, and her daughter's, child.
            Now let the twain by turns destroy the wild-haired Yātudhānis-
            and crush down Arāyis to the earth!

Back to Atharvaveda Book 1 Home Page

Back to Atharvaveda Home Page