Atharva Veda · 160 of 724

HYMN XXIII

A charm against parasitic worms 1. I have called Heaven and Earth to aid, have called divine   Sarasvati,   Indra and Agni have I called: Let these destroy the worm, I    prayed. 2. O Indra, Lord of Treasures, kill the worms that prey upon this    boy.   All the malignant spirits have been smitten by my potent spell.   We utterly destroy the worm, the worm that creeps around the    eyes.   The worm that crawls about the nose, the worm that gets bet-    ween the teeth. 3. Two of like colour, two unlike, two coloured black, two    coloured red.   The tawny and the tawny-eared, Vulture and Wolf, all these    are killed. 4. Worms that are white about the sides, those that are black with    black-hued arms,   All that show various tints and hues, these worms we utterly    destroy. 5. Eastward the Sun is mounting, seen of all, destroying thing    unseen,   Crushing and killing all the worms invisible and visible. 6. Let the Yevāshas, Kaskashas, Ejatkas, Sipavitnukas,   Let both the worm that we can see, and that we see not, be    destroyed. 7. Slain the Yevāsha of the worms, slain too is the Nadaniman.   I have reduced them all to dust like vetches with the pounding-    stone. 8. The worm Sāranga, white of hue, three-headed, with a triple    hump,   I split and tear his ribs away, I wrench off every head he has. 9. I kill you, worms, as Atri, as Kanva and Jamadagni killed.   I crush the worms to pieces with a spell that erst Agastya used. 10. The King of worms hath been destroyed, he who was lord of    these is slain.   Slain is the worm whose mother, whose brother and sister have    been slain. 11. Destroyed are his dependants, who those dwell around him are    destroyed,   And all the worms that seem to be the little ones are done to    death 12. Of every worm and insect, of the female and the male alike,   I crush the head to pieces with a stone and burn the face with    fire.