HYMN VII

A charm to make a poisonous plant innocuous

So may this water guard us on the bank of Varanavati.
Therein hath Amrit been infused: with that I ward thy poison
off.
Weak 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.
When 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!
Intoxicater! like a shaft we make thy spirit fly away, Like a pot
boiling on the fire, we with our word remove thee hence.
We 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.
For 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!
None 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.