Sukta 191

Mantra 1

कङ्कतो न कङ्कतोऽथो सतीनकङ्कतः । द्वाविति प्लुषी इति न्यदृष्टा अलिप्सत ॥

Not the visible stinger, not the visible stinger—nor the hidden stinger; ‘two’, they say, ‘the biting pair’: the unseen ones have fastened themselves down upon us.

Mantra 2

अदृष्टान्हन्त्यायत्यथो हन्ति परायती । अथो अवघ्नती हन्त्यथो पिनष्टि पिंषती ॥

The unseen ones she strikes as she comes, and she strikes as she goes away; she strikes as she smites downward, and she crushes as she grinds—so the affliction is broken in every movement.

Mantra 3

शरासः कुशरासो दर्भासः सैर्या उत । मौञ्जा अदृष्टा वैरिणाः सर्वे साकं न्यलिप्सत ॥

The reed-ones, the kuśa-ones, the darbha-ones, and the sairyā too; the muñja-ones—unseen adversaries—all together have fastened themselves down. May this net of clinging be uncovered and undone.

Mantra 4

नि गावो गोष्ठे असदन्नि मृगासो अविक्षत । नि केतवो जनानां न्यदृष्टा अलिप्सत ॥

Let the luminous powers (the Cows of Light) settle in their true station; let the restless impulses (the wild ones) be stilled. Let the discerning lights in human beings be brought down into calm clarity; let the unseen hostile forces lose their hold and slip away.

Mantra 5

एत उ त्ये प्रत्यदृश्रन्प्रदोषं तस्करा इव । अदृष्टा विश्वदृष्टाः प्रतिबुद्धा अभूतन ॥

These very forces, as though thieves at twilight, have been brought into view and confronted. The unseen are made seen; awakened to the universal sight, they are checked and exposed.

Mantra 6

द्यौर्वः पिता पृथिवी माता सोमो भ्रातादितिः स्वसा । अदृष्टा विश्वदृष्टास्तिष्ठतेलयता सु कम् ॥

Heaven is your Father, Earth your Mother; Soma is your Brother, and Aditi your Sister. O unseen forces now brought under the universal gaze, stand still; be appeased—let there be a true ease and rightness here.

Mantra 7

ये अंस्या ये अङ्ग्याः सूचीका ये प्रकङ्कताः । अदृष्टाः किं चनेह वः सर्वे साकं नि जस्यत ॥

You that pierce and cling—whether you seize by the shoulder, the limbs, or like needles, whether you strike with hidden stings—O unseen ones, you have no place here. All of you together, be driven down and subdued.

Mantra 8

उत्पुरस्तात्सूर्य एति विश्वदृष्टो अदृष्टहा । अदृष्टान्त्सर्वाञ्जम्भयन्त्सर्वाश्च यातुधान्यः ॥

From the front of things the Sun rises—universal in sight, a slayer of the unseen. Crushing all the hidden adversaries, he breaks also every yātu-dhāna power that distorts and devours the being.

Mantra 9

उदपप्तदसौ सूर्यः पुरु विश्वानि जूर्वन् । आदित्यः पर्वतेभ्यो विश्वदृष्टो अदृष्टहा ॥

Up leapt that Sun, wearing down many and all opposing movements. The Āditya rises beyond the mountains—universal in vision, the destroyer of what works unseen.

Mantra 10

सूर्ये विषमा सजामि दृतिं सुरावतो गृहे । सो चिन्नु न मराति नो वयं मरामारे अस्य योजनं हरिष्ठा मधु त्वा मधुला चकार ॥

Into the Sun I cast this poison, into the skin-bag in the house of the wine. Even he does not die—nor do we die; far away be this union with it. O you established in the tawny (light), honey has made you honeyed—sweetness overcomes the bitterness.

Mantra 11

इयत्तिका शकुन्तिका सका जघास ते विषम् । सो चिन्नु न मराति नो वयं मरामारे अस्य योजनं हरिष्ठा मधु त्वा मधुला चकार ॥

Even if the small bird-creatures have swallowed your poison, still they do not die—nor do we die; far away be our joining with it. O established in the golden light, sweetness makes you sweet: the delight-force changes the venom’s consequence.

Mantra 12

त्रिः सप्त विष्पुलिङ्गका विषस्य पुष्यमक्षन् । ताश्चिन्नु न मरन्ति नो वयं मरामारे अस्य योजनं हरिष्ठा मधु त्वा मधुला चकार ॥

Three times seven viṣpuliṅgakā have tasted the growth of poison; yet even they do not die—nor do we die; far away be our joining with it. Established in the golden light, sweetness makes you sweet: the delight-force annuls the venom’s decree.

Mantra 13

नवानां नवतीनां विषस्य रोपुषीणाम् । सर्वासामग्रभं नामारे अस्य योजनं हरिष्ठा मधु त्वा मधुला चकार ॥

Of the nine-and-ninety kinds of poison and their proliferations, I have seized the name of them all. Far away be our joining with it. Established in the golden light, sweetness makes you sweet: the delight-force masters every form of toxicity by knowing it.

Mantra 14

त्रिः सप्त मयूर्यः सप्त स्वसारो अग्रुवः । तास्ते विषं वि जभ्रिर उदकं कुम्भिनीरिव ॥

Thrice seven luminous powers, seven sister-forces moving in front, have carried away your poison and cast it out—like women with water-jars who lift and remove the water: so they draw out the venom from the being.

Mantra 15

इयत्तकः कुषुम्भकस्तकं भिनद्म्यश्मना । ततो विषं प्र वावृते पराचीरनु संवतः ॥

I, Iyattaka, with Kuṣumbhaka, strike and break the source of the poison with the stone; from that breaking the venom turns outward and rolls away, retreating along the lapsing courses of time.

Mantra 16

कुषुम्भकस्तदब्रवीद्गिरेः प्रवर्तमानकः । वृश्चिकस्यारसं विषमरसं वृश्चिक ते विषम् ॥

Kuṣumbhaka spoke this word as he moved forth from the mountain: ‘The scorpion’s poison is without essence, without savour; scorpion, your venom is made tasteless, powerless.’