A charm to overthrow a rival and gain strength, dignity, long life, children, and general prosperity

Hymns of the Atharva Veda, by Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1895], at sacred-texts.com

HYMN V

A charm to overthrow a rival and gain strength, dignity, long life, children, and general prosperity

1Ye are the power of Indra, ye the force and strength of Indra,
   ye his hero might and manliness.
  I join you with the bonds of Prayer to the victorious enterprise.
6For the victorious enterprise let all creation stand by me. For
   me ye, Waters, are prepared. p. 15
7Ye are the share of Agni. Grant, O heavenly Waters unto us the
  Waters' brilliant energy.
  By statute of Prajāpati I set you down for this our world.
15Waters, your ceremonial share of Waters which the waters hold,
   which aids our sacrifice to Gods,
  This as a remnant here I leave. Do not thou wash it clean away.
  With this we let the man go by who hates us and whom we
   abhor.
  Him would I fain o'erthrow and slay with this our ceremonial
   act, with this our prayer, our thunder-bolt.
22Whatever evil I have done within this last triennium,
  From all that woe and misery let the waters shield and guard
   me well.
23Onward I urge your gathered floods: enter your own abiding-
   place,
  Uninjured and with all your strength. Let nothing bend or bow
   us down.
24May the pure Waters cleanse us from defilement,
  Fair to behold remove our sin and trouble, and bear away ill-
   dream and all pollution.
25Thou art the step of Vishnu, rival-slayer, sharpened by earth,
   aglow with fire of Agni,
  Earth have I ranged: from earth we bar him who hates us and
   whom we hate.
26Ours is superior place and ours is conquest: may I in all fights
   tread down spite and malice.
  Let him not live, let vital breath desert him.
36With this I here invest the power and splendour, the life of that
   man and his vital breathing, the son of such a sire and such a
   woman, here do I overthrow and cast him downward.
37I follow Sūrya's course in heaven, the course that takes him to
   the South.
  May that bestow upon me wealth and glory of a Brāhman's
   rank.
38I turn me to the regions bright with splendour.
  May they bestow upon me wealth and glory of a Brāhman's
   rank.
39I turn me to the Rishis Seven. May they, etc.
40I turn me unto Prayer. May that, etc.
41I turn me unto Brāhmans. May they etc. p. 16
42We hunt that man, we beat him down and slay him with our
   murderous blows.
  We with the spell have hurried him to Parameshthin's opened
   jaws.
43Let the shot missile catch him with Vaisvānara's two mighty
   fangs.
  This offering, and the mightiest Goddess, the Fuel, eat him up!
44Thou art the bound of Varuna the King.
  Bind, such an one, the son of such a woman, in vital breath and
   in the food that feeds him.
45All food of thine, O Lord of Life, that lies, upon the face of
   earth,
  Thereof bestow thou upon us. O Lord of Life, Prajāpati!
46Celestial Waters have I sought: with juice have I besprinkled
   them.
  With milk, O Agni, have I come; bestow upon me splendid
   strength.
47Give me the boon of splendid strength; give, Agni! progeny
   and life.
  May the Gods know this prayer of mine, may Indra with the
  Rishis know.
48What curse soever couples launch against us, whatever bitter
   speech the chatterers utter,
  With Manyu's arrow, offspring of the spirit, transfix thou to the
   heart the Yātudhānas,
49Destroy the Yātudhānas with thy fervour, consume the demons
   with thy wrath, O Agni.
  Destroy the fool's gods with thy fiery splendour, destroy the
   blazing ones, the insatiable.
50Well-skilled, against this man I hurl the Water's bolt with four
   spikes, to cleave his head asunder.
  May it destroy all members of his body. Let the whole host of
  Gods approve my purpose.