Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VI/Hymn 85

85. For relief from yákṣma.

[Atharvan (yakṣmanāçanakāmaḥ).—vānaspatyam. ānuṣṭubham.]

Found also in Pāipp. xix. Used by Kāuç. (26. 33-37) in a healing rite, with vi. 109, 127 and others; in 37 with the direction mantroktam badhnāti; and reckoned (note to 26. 1) to the takmanāçana gaṇa. And the first half of vs. 2 is part of a verse given entire in 6. 17.

Translated: Griffith, i. 291; Bloomfield, 39, 505.

1. The varaṇá, this divine forest-tree, shall ward off (vāray-); the yákṣma that has entered into this man—that have the gods warded off.

The verse is repeated as x. 3. 5. An amulet made of varaṇá is used, as the comm. points out. ⌊Similar word-play at iv. 7. 1—see note.⌋ The deficiency of a syllable in a is not noticed by the Anukr.

2. With the word (vácas) of Indra, of Mitra, and of Varuṇa, with the voice (vā́c) of all the gods, do we ward off thy yákṣma.

3. As Vritra stopped (stambh) these waters [when] going in all directions, so, by means of Agni Vāiçvānara, do I ward off thy yákṣma.

For viçvádhā yatī́s, in b, the comm. reads viçvadhāyanīs. Ppp. combines, in a, vṛtrāi ’mā ’paḥ.