Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book II/Hymn 18

18. For relief from demons and foes.

[Cātana (sapatnakṣayakāmaḥ).—āgneyam. dvāipadam; sāmnībārhatam.]

⌊Not metrical.⌋ Ppp. has some similar phrases in ii. The hymn belongs to the cātanāni (Kāuç. 8. 25: the comm. regards only the last three verses as cātana, because vs. 3 is the one whose pratīka is cited in the Kāuç. text; but it is perhaps more likely that arāyakṣayaṇam is an oversight for bhrātṛvyakṣ-); it is used by itself also in one of the witchcraft rites (ābhicārikāṇi), while adding fuel of reeds to the fire (48. 1).

Translated: Weber, xiii. 180; Griffith, i. 61.

1. Adversary-destroying art thou; adversary-expulsion mayest thou give me: hail!

'Adversary' is lit. 'nephew' or 'brother's son' (bhrātṛvyd). The Ppp. phrases are after this model: bhātṛvyakṣīṇam asi bhrātṛvyajambhanam asi svāhā, and concern successively the piçācas, sadānvās, and bhrātṛvyas. The Anukr. supports the comm. in regarding the hymn as addressed to Agni, and agrees with Kāuç. in regard to the accompanying action, saying: sapatnakṣayaṇīḥ samidha ādhāyā ’gnim prārthanīyam aprārthayat. ⌊Instead of "destroying" W. has interlined "destruction."⌋

2. Rival-destroying art thou; rival-expulsion mayest thou give me: hail!

3. Wizard- (? arā́ya-) destroying art thou; wizard-expulsion mayest thou give me: hail!

4. Piçācá-destroying art thou; piçācá-expulsion mayest thou give me: hail!

5. Sadā́nvā-destroy'mg art thou; sadā́nvā-expulsion mayest thou give me: hail!

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