Among the gods, where immortality reigns and truth is firmly established, there exists a jewel of protection. May this sacred jewel grant me fame and prosperity, endow me with brilliance, and unite me with renown. In the realm of divine chariots, the first belongs to Indra, the second to the gods, and the third to Varuṇa. The lowest chariot is that of the serpents, while the stationary one is Aradatha’s. The flame is embodied by darbha grass, the tree and the horse’s hair serve as coverings, and the roughness is another layer, binding the chariot together. Strike down the white-footed serpent, both former and latter; let the fierce poison of the serpents, leaping up like a thunderbolt and with the hardness of wood, be destroyed. The noiseless one, sinking and rising, speaks again; let the poison of the serpents, fierce as a bolt and leaping up, be destroyed. Paidva, the serpent-slayer, strikes the black, the white, and the grey ones alike. Paidva splits the head of the chariot’s yoke, destroying the venomous. Paidva, go forth—you are the first; we follow after you. May you scatter the serpents from our path. This Paidva was born for this purpose; this is his domain. Here are the footprints of the horse, the destroyer of serpents and possessor of strength. What is bound does not break apart, and what is unbound does not come together. In this field dwell two serpents, male and female, both venomous. Here are the venomous serpents, both near and far. With a club, I strike the scorpion, the serpent, and the one who comes wielding a staff. This is the remedy for the evil serpent, for both native and foreign. Indra has made the serpent powerless for me, and Paidva has rendered it harmless. We honor Paidva, steadfast and firm in his abode, while the venomous ones, the destroyers, sit shining behind. Their life-force and poison are lost, slain by Indra, the wielder of the bolt. Indra has struck, and so have we. Slain are the venomous, the long-living; crushed are the destroyers. Strike the black one with the ladle, the white one with darbha grass. On the mountain slopes, the Kirāta maiden, with her companions, digs the remedy with golden spades. The young healer has come, spotted and unconquered; he paralyzes both the native and foreign serpents, and the scorpions alike. Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, Wind, and Parjanya have made the serpent powerless for me. Indra has subdued the serpent and the destroyer—the native, venomous, black, and ten-fanged ones. Indra struck down the first great begetter; among those who thirsted, who had the essence, and who lacked the sap? He seized their heads together, like a cluster of berries, and crossing to the river’s middle, expelled the serpent’s poison. Let the rivers carry away the poison of all the serpents—the slain, the long-defeated, the crushed, the scattered. Among the plants, I choose the best, as one selects fertile fields. As a skilled driver leads the horse, so let the poison depart. Whatever poison lies in fire, in the sun, in the earth, or in the plants—let the poisons called kāndā and kanaknaka depart from you. Those born from fire, from plants, from serpents, from waters, and from lightning—of all these great and manifold serpents, we pay homage with reverence. You are called Taudī, you are called Ghṛtācī; I have set your step below as a destroyer of poison. Drive out the poison from limb to limb, remove it from the heart; let its downward force depart from you. Far away has the poison gone, fleeing eastward. Agni has burned up the serpent’s poison, Soma has carried it away; the poison has followed the fang into immortality. You possess the strength, might, power, and heroism of Indra. For victory and union, I yoke you with the unions of prayer. You possess Indra’s strength and heroism; for victory and union, I yoke you with the unions of sovereignty. You possess Indra’s strength and heroism; for victory and union, I yoke you with the unions of Indra. You possess Indra’s strength and heroism; for victory and union, I yoke you with the unions of Soma. You possess Indra’s strength and heroism; for victory and union, I yoke you with the unions of the waters. You possess Indra’s strength and heroism; for victory and union, may all beings stand by you, and may the waters be yoked to me. You are the portion of Agni, the brightness of the waters. O divine waters, bestow brilliance upon us. By Prajapati’s ordinance, I establish him in this world. You are the portion of Indra, the brightness of the waters; O divine waters, bestow brilliance upon us. By Prajapati’s ordinance, I establish him in this world. You are the portion of Soma, the brightness of the waters; O divine waters, bestow brilliance upon us. By Prajapati’s ordinance, I establish him in this world. You are the portion of Varuṇa, the pure essence of the waters. O divine waters, bestow your radiance upon us. By Prajapati’s ordinance, settle here for this world. You are the portion of Mitra and Varuṇa, the pure essence of the waters. O divine waters, bestow your radiance upon us. By Prajapati’s ordinance, settle here for this world. You are the portion of Yama, the pure essence of the waters. O divine waters, bestow your radiance upon us. By Prajapati’s ordinance, settle here for this world. You are the portion of the Ancestors, the pure essence of the waters. O divine waters, bestow your radiance upon us. By Prajapati’s ordinance, settle here for this world.