Book 4: Hymn 7: A charm to make a poisonous plant innocuous

1So may this water guard us on the bank of Varanāvati. Therein hath Amrit been infused: with that I ward thy poison off. 2Weak is the poison of the East, weak is the poison of the North, So too this poison of the South counts as a cake of curds and meal. 3When he hath made of thee a cake, broad, steaming, swelling up with fat, And even in hunger eaten thee, then gripe him not, thou hideous one! 4Intoxicater! like a shaft we make thy spirit fly away, Like a pot boiling on the fire, we with our word remove thee hence. 5We set around thee with the spell as 'twere a gathered arma- ment. Stay quiet like a rooted tree. Dug up with mattocks, gripe not thou. 6For coverings men have bartered thee, for skins of deer and woven cloths. Thou art a thing of sale, O Plant. Dug up with mattocks, gripe not thou! 7None have attained to those of old, those who wrought holy acts for you. Let them not harm our heroes here. Therefore I set before you this.