Atharvaveda Samhita — Kanda 8 — Chapter 3

AV 8 3.1

रक्षोहणं वाजिनम् आ जिघर्मि मित्रं प्रथिष्ठम् उप यामि शर्म । शिशानो अग्निः क्रतुभिः समिद्धः स नो दिवा स रिषः पातु नक्तम्

rakṣohaṇaṃ vājinam ā jigharmi mitraṃ prathiṣṭham upa yāmi śarma | śiśāno agniḥ kratubhiḥ samiddhaḥ sa no divā sa riṣaḥ pātu naktam

I besprinkle the demon-slaying, vigorous one; I approach Mitra, the widest shelter. Agni, sharpening himself, kindled with (our) purposes — may he guard us by day, may he guard us from harm by night.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.2

अयोदंष्ट्रो अर्चिषा यातुधानान् उप स्पृश जातवेदः समिद्धः । आ जिह्वया मूरदेवान् रभस्व क्रव्यादो वृष्ट्वापि धत्स्वासन्

ayodaṃṣṭro arciṣā yātudhānān upa spṛśa jātavedaḥ samiddhaḥ | ā jihvayā mūradevān rabhasva kravyādo vṛṣṭvāpi dhatsvāsan

With iron teeth, touch the sorcerers with your flame, O Jātavedas, when kindled; seize the idol-worshipping (or: foolish-god) ones with your tongue; having chewed the flesh-eaters, put (them) in your mouth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 8 3.3

उभोभयाविन्न् उप धेहि दंष्ट्रौ हिंस्रः शिशानो ऽवरं परं च । उतान्तरिक्षे परि याह्य् अग्ने जम्भैः सं धेह्य् अभि यातुधानान्

ubhobhayāvinn upa dhehi daṃṣṭrau hiṃsraḥ śiśāno 'varaṃ paraṃ ca | utāntarikṣe pari yāhy agne jambhaiḥ saṃ dhehy abhi yātudhānān

O you who have both, set both your fangs (to work), the injuring one, whetting the nearer and the farther; and go about in the mid-air, Agni; close your jaws upon the sorcerers.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 8 3.4

अग्ने त्वचं यातुधानस्य भिन्धि हिंस्राशनिर् हरसा हन्त्व् एनम् । प्र पर्वाणि जातवेदः शृणीहि क्रव्यात् क्रविष्णुर् वि चिनोत्व् एनम्

agne tvacaṃ yātudhānasya bhindhi hiṃsrāśanir harasā hantv enam | pra parvāṇi jātavedaḥ śṛṇīhi kravyāt kraviṣṇur vi cinotv enam

Agni, split the skin of the sorcerer; let the injuring thunderbolt slay him with its heat; tear apart his joints, O Jātavedas; let the flesh-eater, greedy for flesh, pick him apart.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.5

यत्रेदानीं पश्यसि जातवेदस् तिष्ठन्तम् अग्न उत वा चरन्तम् । उतान्तरिक्षे पतन्तं यातुधानं तम् अस्ता विध्य शर्वा शिशानः

yatredānīṃ paśyasi jātavedas tiṣṭhantam agna uta vā carantam | utāntarikṣe patantaṃ yātudhānaṃ tam astā vidhya śarvā śiśānaḥ

Wherever you now see him standing, Agni Jātavedas, or moving about, or the sorcerer flying in the mid-air — pierce him as an archer, whetting the shaft.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.6

यज्ञैर् इषूः संनममानो अग्ने इवाचा शल्याꣳ अशनिभिर् दिहानः । ताभिर् विध्य हृदये यातुधानान् प्रतीचो बाहून् प्रति भङ्ग्ध्य् एषाम्

yajñair iṣūḥ saṃnamamāno agne ivācā śalyāṁ aśanibhir dihānaḥ | tābhir vidhya hṛdaye yātudhānān pratīco bāhūn prati bhaṅgdhy eṣām

Bending your arrows with sacrifices, Agni, smearing the points with speech, with thunderbolts — with them pierce the sorcerers in the heart; break back their arms as they turn to face (you).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 8 3.7

उतारब्धान्त् स्पृनुहि जातवेद उतारेभाणाꣳ ऋष्टिभिर् यातुधानान् । अग्ने पूर्वो नि जहि शोशुचान आमादः क्ष्विङ्कास् तम् अदन्त्व् एनीः

utārabdhānt spṛnuhi jātaveda utārebhāṇāṁ ṛṣṭibhir yātudhānān | agne pūrvo ni jahi śośucāna āmādaḥ kṣviṅkās tam adantv enīḥ

And tear away those who are seized, Jātavedas, and the sorcerers who seize, with your spears; Agni, blazing, strike (them) down first; let the raw-eating, speckled jays devour him.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 8 3.8

इह प्र ब्रूहि यतमः सो अग्ने यातुधानो य इदं कृणोति । तम् आ रभस्व समिधा यविष्ठ नृचक्षसश् चक्षुषे रन्धयैनम्

iha pra brūhi yatamaḥ so agne yātudhāno ya idaṃ kṛṇoti | tam ā rabhasva samidhā yaviṣṭha nṛcakṣasaś cakṣuṣe randhayainam

Declare here, Agni, which one he is, the sorcerer who does this; seize him with the firewood, O youngest; make him subject to the eye of him who looks upon men.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.9

तीक्ष्णेनाग्ने चक्षुषा रक्ष यज्ञं प्राञ्चं वसुभ्यः प्र णय प्रचेतः । हिंस्रं रक्षांस्य् अभि शोशुचानं मा त्वा दभन् यातुधाना नृचक्षः

tīkṣṇenāgne cakṣuṣā rakṣa yajñaṃ prāñcaṃ vasubhyaḥ pra ṇaya pracetaḥ | hiṃsraṃ rakṣāṃsy abhi śośucānaṃ mā tvā dabhan yātudhānā nṛcakṣaḥ

With sharp eye, Agni, guard the sacrifice; lead it forward, eastward, to the Vasus, O wise one; (you) the injurer, blazing against the demons — let not the sorcerers deceive you, O you who look upon men.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.10

नृचक्षा रक्षः परि पश्य विक्षु तस्य त्रीणि प्रति शृणीह्य् अग्रा । तस्याग्ने पृष्टीर् हरसा शृणीहि त्रेधा मूलं यातुधानस्य वृश्च

nṛcakṣā rakṣaḥ pari paśya vikṣu tasya trīṇi prati śṛṇīhy agrā | tasyāgne pṛṣṭīr harasā śṛṇīhi tredhā mūlaṃ yātudhānasya vṛśca

Looking upon men, look about for the demon among the settlements; break off his three points; break his ribs with your heat, Agni; cut the root of the sorcerer threefold.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.11

त्रिर् यातुधानः प्रसितिं त एत्व् ऋतं यो अग्ने अनृतेन हन्ति । तम् अर्चिषा स्फूर्जयन् जातवेदः समक्षम् एनम् गृणते नि युङ्ग्धि

trir yātudhānaḥ prasitiṃ ta etv ṛtaṃ yo agne anṛtena hanti | tam arciṣā sphūrjayan jātavedaḥ samakṣam enam gṛṇate ni yuṅgdhi

Thrice let the sorcerer come into thy trap, he who, O Agni, slays truth with untruth. Roaring at him with thy flame, O Jātavedas, bind him down before the eyes of the singer.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.12

यद् अग्ने अद्य मिथुना शपातो यद् वाचस् तृष्टं जनयन्त रेभाः । मन्योर् मनसः शरव्या जायते या तया विध्य हृदये यातुधानान्

yad agne adya mithunā śapāto yad vācas tṛṣṭaṃ janayanta rebhāḥ | manyor manasaḥ śaravyā jāyate yā tayā vidhya hṛdaye yātudhānān

Whatever the two curse at each other today, O Agni, whatever harshness of speech the rebhas (singers) engender — the arrow that is born of wrath, of mind: with that pierce the sorcerers in the heart.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.13

परा शृणीहि तपसा यातुधानान् पराग्ने रक्षो हरसा शृणीहि । परार्चिषा मूरदेवान् छृणीहि परासुतृपः शोशुचतः शृणीहि

parā śṛṇīhi tapasā yātudhānān parāgne rakṣo harasā śṛṇīhi | parārciṣā mūradevān chṛṇīhi parāsutṛpaḥ śośucataḥ śṛṇīhi

Shatter away the sorcerers with thy heat; away, O Agni, shatter the demon with thy blaze; away with thy flame shatter the dull-witted gods' worshippers; away shatter the life-devourers as thou blazest.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.14

पराद्य देवा वृजिनं शृणन्तु प्रत्यग् एनं शपथा यन्तु सृष्टाः । वाचास्तेनं शरव ऋछन्तु मर्मन् विश्वस्यैतु प्रसितिं यातुधानः

parādya devā vṛjinaṃ śṛṇantu pratyag enaṃ śapathā yantu sṛṣṭāḥ | vācāstenaṃ śarava ṛchantu marman viśvasyaitu prasitiṃ yātudhānaḥ

Let the gods today shatter the crooked one away; let the curses, once let loose, go back against him; let arrows reach the thief of speech in his vital spot; let the sorcerer come into the trap of everyone.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.15

यः पौरुषेयेण क्रविषा समङ्क्ते यो अश्व्येन पशुना यातुधानः । यो अघ्न्याया भरति क्षीरम् अग्ने तेषां शीर्षाणि हरसापि वृश्च

yaḥ pauruṣeyeṇa kraviṣā samaṅkte yo aśvyena paśunā yātudhānaḥ | yo aghnyāyā bharati kṣīram agne teṣāṃ śīrṣāṇi harasāpi vṛśca

The sorcerer who smears himself with human flesh, who (does so) with the flesh of a horse or of a beast, who carries off the milk of the inviolable cow — O Agni, cut off their heads with thy blaze.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.16

विषं गवां यातुधाना भरन्ताम् आ वृश्चन्ताम् अदितये दुरेवाः । परैणान् देवः सविता ददातु परा भागम् ओषधीनां जयन्ताम्

viṣaṃ gavāṃ yātudhānā bharantām ā vṛścantām aditaye durevāḥ | paraiṇān devaḥ savitā dadātu parā bhāgam oṣadhīnāṃ jayantām

Let the sorcerers take the poison of the cows; let the ill-going ones be cut off for Aditi; let the god Savitṛ give them away; let them lose their share of the plants.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 8 3.17

संवत्सरीणं पय उस्रियायास् तस्य माशीद् यातुधानो नृचक्षः । पीयूषम् अग्ने यतमस् तितृप्सात् तं प्रत्यञ्चम् अर्चिषा विध्य मर्मणि

saṃvatsarīṇaṃ paya usriyāyās tasya māśīd yātudhāno nṛcakṣaḥ | pīyūṣam agne yatamas titṛpsāt taṃ pratyañcam arciṣā vidhya marmaṇi

The year-old milk of the ruddy cow — let not the man-eyeing sorcerer partake of it. Whichever one would sate himself on the beestings, O Agni, pierce him, turned back, with thy flame in his vital spot.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.18

सनाद् अग्ने मृणसि यातुधानान् न त्वा रक्षांसि पृतनासु जिग्युः । सहमूरान् अनु दह क्रव्यादो मा ते हेत्या मुक्षत दैव्यायाः

sanād agne mṛṇasi yātudhānān na tvā rakṣāṃsi pṛtanāsu jigyuḥ | sahamūrān anu daha kravyādo mā te hetyā mukṣata daivyāyāḥ

From of old, O Agni, thou crushest the sorcerers; the demons have not conquered thee in battles. Burn up the flesh-eaters along with their roots; let them not escape thy divine missile.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.19

त्वं नो अग्ने अधराद् उदक्तस् त्वं पश्चाद् उत रक्षा पुरस्तात् । प्रति त्ये ते अजरासस् तपिष्ठा अघशंसं शोशुचतो दहन्तु

tvaṃ no agne adharād udaktas tvaṃ paścād uta rakṣā purastāt | prati tye te ajarāsas tapiṣṭhā aghaśaṃsaṃ śośucato dahantu

Do thou, O Agni, (guard) us from below, from above; guard thou from behind and from in front. Let those unaging, most burning (flames) of thine, blazing, burn against the evil-speaker.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.20

पश्चात् पुरस्ताद् अधराद् उतोत्तरात् कविः काव्येन परि पाह्य् अग्ने । सखा सखायम् अजरो जरिम्ने अग्ने मर्ताꣳ अमर्त्यस् त्वं नः

paścāt purastād adharād utottarāt kaviḥ kāvyena pari pāhy agne | sakhā sakhāyam ajaro jarimne agne martāṁ amartyas tvaṃ naḥ

From behind, from in front, from below and from above, as a seer with seer's skill guard (us) all about, O Agni. As friend the friend, unaging, (guard us) unto old age; O Agni, immortal, (guard) us mortals.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 8 3.21

तद् अग्ने चक्षुः प्रति धेहि रेभे शफारुजो येन पश्यसि यातुधानान् । अथर्ववज् ज्योतिषा दैव्येन सत्यं धूर्वन्तम् अचितं न्योष

tad agne cakṣuḥ prati dhehi rebhe śaphārujo yena paśyasi yātudhānān | atharvavaj jyotiṣā daivyena satyaṃ dhūrvantam acitaṃ nyoṣa

Set that eye, O Agni, upon the singer, the hoof-breaking eye, by which thou seest the sorcerers. Like Atharvan, with the divine light burn down the unnoticed one who harms the truth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 8 3.22

परि त्वाग्ने पुरं वयं विप्रं सहस्य धीमहि । धृषद्वर्णं दिवेदिवे हन्तारं भङ्गुरावतः

pari tvāgne puraṃ vayaṃ vipraṃ sahasya dhīmahi | dhṛṣadvarṇaṃ divedive hantāraṃ bhaṅgurāvataḥ

Thee, O Agni, may we set about (us) as a stronghold, thee the inspired one, O mighty one, of bold colour, day by day, the slayer of the treacherous one.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.23

विषेण भङ्गुरावतः प्रति स्म रक्षसो जहि । अग्ने तिग्मेन शोचिषा तपुरग्राभिर् अर्चिभिः

viṣeṇa bhaṅgurāvataḥ prati sma rakṣaso jahi | agne tigmena śociṣā tapuragrābhir arcibhiḥ

With poison smite back the demons of the treacherous one, O Agni, with thy sharp flame, with thy flames whose tips are burning heat.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.24

वि ज्योतिषा बृहता भात्य् अग्निर् आविर् विश्वानि कृणुते महित्वा । प्रादेवीर् मायाः सहते दुरेवाः शिशीते शृङ्गे रक्षोभ्यो विनिक्षे

vi jyotiṣā bṛhatā bhāty agnir āvir viśvāni kṛṇute mahitvā | prādevīr māyāḥ sahate durevāḥ śiśīte śṛṅge rakṣobhyo vinikṣe

Agni shines out with lofty light, he makes all things manifest by his greatness; he overcomes the godless arts, the ill-going ones; he whets his two horns to gore the demons.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.25

ये ते शृङ्गे अजरे जातवेदस् तिग्महेती ब्रह्मसंशिते । ताभ्यां दुर्हार्दम् अभिदासन्तं किमीदिनं । प्रत्यञ्चम् अर्चिषा जातवेदो वि निक्ष्व

ye te śṛṅge ajare jātavedas tigmahetī brahmasaṃśite | tābhyāṃ durhārdam abhidāsantaṃ kimīdinaṃ | pratyañcam arciṣā jātavedo vi nikṣva

Those two horns of thine, O Jātavedas, unaging, with sharp missiles, whetted by the sacred word — with those two gore the malignant one, the assailing kimīdin; turned back with thy flame, O Jātavedas, gore him.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 8 3.26

अग्नी रक्षांसि सेधति शुक्रशोचिर् अमर्त्यः । शुचिः पावक ईड्यः

agnī rakṣāṃsi sedhati śukraśocir amartyaḥ | śuciḥ pāvaka īḍyaḥ

Agni drives off the demons, he of bright flame, immortal, pure, purifying, to be praised.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition