Mythology & Folklore
Atharva Veda 3.7: A charm with an amulet of buck horn to drive away hereditary disease
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1895–96) · From The Hymns of the Atharva-Veda (1895–96)
The fleet-foot Roebuck wears upon his head a healing remedy.
Innate disease he drives away to all directions with his horn.
With his four feet the vigorous Buck hath bounded in pursuit of thee.
Unbind the chronic sickness, Horn! deeply inwoven in the heart.
That which shines younder, like a roof resting on four walls, down on us,— Therewith from out thy body we drive all the chronic malady,
May those twin stars, auspicious, named Releasers, up in yonder sky.
Loose of the chronic malady the uppermost and lowest bond.
Water, indeed, hath power to heal, Water drives malady away.
May water—for it healeth all—free thee from permanent disease.
Hath some prepared decoction brought inveterate disease on thee, I know the balm that healeth it: we drive the malady away.
What time the starlight disappears, what time the gleams of Dawn depart, May evil fortune pass from us, the chronic sickness disappear.
Cite this poem
MLA
Veda, The Rishis of the Atharva. “Atharva Veda 3.7: A charm with an amulet of buck horn to drive away hereditary disease.” Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/atharvaveda-rishis/70/.
Chicago
Veda, The Rishis of the Atharva. “Atharva Veda 3.7: A charm with an amulet of buck horn to drive away hereditary disease.” Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/atharvaveda-rishis/70/.
Read this poem with the Codex →
More by The Rishis of the Atharva Veda
- Atharva Veda 3.22: The taming and training of an elephant for a king to ride on
- Atharva Veda 6.30: A charm to promote the growth of hair
- Atharva Veda 6.138: A woman's imprecation on her unfaithful lover
- Atharva Veda 7.106: A prayer for pardon of sin
- Atharva Veda 19.47: A hymn to Night for protection from fiends, robbers, snakes and wolves