Book 8: Hymn 6: A charm to exercise evil spirits who beset women

1Let neither fiend of evil name, Alinsa, Vatsapa, desire Thy pair of husband-wooers which thy mother cleansed when, thou wast born. 2Palala, Anupalala, Sarku, Koka, Malimlucha, Palijaka Vavri- vāsas and Asresha, Rikshagriva and Pramilin. 3Approach not, come not hitherward: creep not thou in-between her thighs. I set, to guard her, Baja, that which chases him of evil name. p. a337 4Durnāmā and Sunāmā both are eager to converse with her. We drive away Arāyas: let Sunāmā seek the women-folk, 5The black and hairy Asura, and Stambaja and Tundika, Arāyas from this girl we drive, from bosom, waist, and parts below. 6Sniffer, and Feeler, him who eats raw flesh, and him who licks his lips, Arāyas with the tails of dogs, the yellow Baja hath destroyed. 7Whoever, in thy brother's shape or father's comes to thee in sleep, Let Baja rout and chase them like eunuchs with woman's head- dress on. 8Whoever steals to thee asleep or thinks to harm thee when awake,— These hath it banished, as the Sun travelling round drives shade away. 9Whoever causeth her to lose her child or bear untimely fruit,— Destroy him, O thou Plant, destroy the slippery fiend who lusts for her. 10Those who at evening, with the bray of asses, dance around the house, Kukshilas, and Kusfilas, and Kakubhas, Srimas,

house, Kukshilas, and Kusfilas, and Kakubhas, Srimas, Karumas, These with thine odour, O thou Plant, drive far away to every side. 11Kukundhas and Kukūrabhas who dress themselves in hides and skins, Who dance about like eunuchs, who raise a wild clamour in the wood, all these we banish far away. 12All those who cannot bear the Sun who warms us yonder from the sky, Arāyas with the smell of goats, malodorous, with bloody mouths, the Makakas we drive afar. 13All those who on their shoulders bear a head of monstrous magnitude, Who pierce the women's loins with pain,—those demons, Indra drive away! 14Those, bearing horns upon their hands, who first of all approach the brides; Standing in ovens, laughing loud, those who in bushes flash forth light, all these we banish hence away. p. a338 15Those who have retroverted toes, and heels and faces in the front, Khalajas, Sakadhūmajas, Urundas, all the Matmatas, impotent Kumbhamushkas, these, Drive thou, O Brāhmanaspati, far from this girl with vigilance. 16Sightless and with distorted eyes, impotent. woman less be they. O Healing Plant, cast each away who, not her husband, would approach this woman wedded to her lord. 17The Bristly-haired, the Maniac-haired, the Biter, and the Groper-fiend, The Creeper-near, the Copper-hued, the Snouty, and the Saluda, With foot and heel kick over, as a hasty cow her milking-pan. 18If one should touch thy coming babe or kill thine infant newly

born, The yellow Plant with mighty bow shall pierce him even to the heart. 19Those who kill infants unawares, and near the new-made mothers lie, Let Pinga chase the amorous Gandharvas as wind chases cloud. 20Let it maintain the genial seed: let the laid embryo rest secure. Let both strong Healers, to be worn within the girdle, guard the babe. 21From the Kimīdin, for thy lord and children, Pinga shield thee well, From Sāyaka, and Nagnaka, Tangalva, and Pavīnasa. 22From the five-footed, fingerless, from the four-eyed, the double- faced, From the Close-creeper, from the Worm, from the Quick-roller guard her well. 23Those who eat flesh uncooked, and those who eat the bleeding flesh of men, Feeders on babes unborn, long-haired, far from this place we banish these. 24Shy slinkers from the Sun, as slinks a woman from her husband's sire, Deep down into the heart of these let Baja and let Pinga pierce. 25Pinga, preserve the babe at birth, make not the boy a female child. Let not Egg-eaters mar the germs: drive the Kimidins far away. p. a339 26Sterility, and infants' death, and weeping that announceth woe, Dear! lay them on the fiend as thou wouldst pluck a garland from a tree.