HYMN XXIII

A charm against leprosy

O Plant, thou sprangest up at night, dusky, dark-coloured,
black in hue!
So, Rajani, re-colour thou these ashy spots, this leprosy.
Expel the leprosy, remove from him the spots and ashy hue:
Let thine own colour come to thee; drive far away the specks of
white.
Dark is the place of thy repose, dark is the place thou dwellest
in:
Dusky and dark, O Plant, art thou: remove from him each
speck and spot.
I with my spell have chased away the pallid sign of leprosy,
Caused by infection, on the skin, sprung from the body, from the
bones.