Sukta 56

Mantra 1

विषभैषज्यम्। तिरश्चिराजेरसितात् पृदाकोः परि संभृतम्। तत् कङ्कपर्वणो विषमियं वीरुदनीनशत्

Poison gathered round about—(poison) of the striped one, of the black one, of the spotted one, of the knot-jointed—this herb hath driven it away.

Mantra 2

इयं वीरुन्मधुजाता मधुश्चुन्मधुला मधूः । सा विह्रुतस्य भेषज्यथो मशकजम्भनी

This herb is honey-born, honey-dropping, honey-rich, honey-sweet: she is a remedy for the disordered; and moreover a crusher of the mosquito.

Mantra 3

यतो दष्टं यतो धीतं ततस्ते निर्ह्वयामसि । अर्भस्य तृप्रदंशिनो मशकस्यारसं विषम्

Whencesoever it was bitten, whencesoever it was lodged—thence we call it forth: the sapless poison of the tiny, sharp-biting mosquito.

Mantra 4

अयं यो वक्रो विपरुर्व्यऽङ्गो मुखानि वक्रा वृजिना कृणोषि । तानि त्वं ब्रह्मणस्पत इषीकामिव सं नमः

This crooked, twisted-jointed, disjointed thing, that with crooked mouths works injury—those (mouths) do thou, O Lord of sacred speech, bend wholly down, as one (bends) a reed: (to thee) be reverence.

Mantra 5

अरसस्य शर्कोटस्य नीचीनस्योपसर्पतः । विषं ह्य१स्यादिष्यथो एनमजीजभम्

Of the sapless Śarkota, the low-creeping thing that steals upon one—its venom verily, when I have marked it out, then have I crushed and made it powerless.

Mantra 6

न ते बाह्वोर्बलमस्ति न शीर्षे नोत मध्यतः । अथ किं पापयामुया पुच्छे बिभर्ष्यर्भकम्

No strength is thine in arms, none in the head, nor yet within the middle: then what, with that evil thing, dost thou bear in thy tail—a paltry trifle?

Mantra 7

अदन्ति त्वा पिपीलिका वि वृश्चन्ति मयूर्यः । सर्वे भल ब्रवाथ शार्कोटमरसं विषम्

The ants devour thee; the peahens cut thee piecemeal. Cry all ‘Well done!’—the Śārkoṭa, sapless, mere poison.

Mantra 8

य उभाभ्यां प्रहरसि पुच्छेन चास्येऽन च । आस्ये३ न ते विषं किमु ते पुच्छधावसत्

Thou that strikest with both, with tail and also with mouth—within thy mouth is no venom: what venom then is thine, O tail-rushing one?