In ancient times, as prayers rose to the heavens, a devotee stood in reverence, seeking strength and protection from the sacred powers that pervade the world. With a heart full of purpose, the devotee invoked the enduring spirit of the darbha grass, saying, “You are enduring, and I am powerful; together, let us, being strong, overcome our rivals.” The prayer continued, asking the darbha to withstand all forms of hostility, to endure the onslaught of battles and ill-willed people, and, through its fortitude, to transform many hearts into friendship. The devotee remembered the divine origin of darbha, the eternal pillar born of the gods and set in the heavens, and prayed that with its aid, food and sustenance might always be secured for the people. Turning to the grass itself, the devotee entreated, “Make me dear, O darbha, to the Brahmin, the royal, the Shudra, and the Arya; may I be beloved to all whom we desire and to all who see us.” The prayer recalled the cosmic acts of creation: the one who, upon being born, made firm the earth, propped up the atmosphere and the sky, and whom, when carried, evil could not touch. The devotee invoked the protection of this darbha, along with Varuna and the shining one, asking for their guardianship. Darbha was praised as the rival-slayer, hundred-jointed and powerful, first among herbs, a protector on all sides, bringing victory in battles and combats. Its virtues were extolled further: thousand-valued, rich in milk, the fire of the waters, king of plants, the divine jewel that grants long life. Smeared with ghee, sweet and nourishing, darbha was seen as the supporter of the earth, unfailing and unshakable, driving away rivals and casting down the lowly. The devotee called upon it to rise with great power. The sacred grass was honored for its role in rituals, entering the earth with strength and sitting beautifully upon the altar, borne by sages as a purifier. The devotee asked, “Purify us from evils.” Darbha, sharp as a king, conqueror of poison, slayer of demons, beloved of all people, was bound to the devotee for old age and well-being, as the fierce strength of the gods. With darbha, heroism was performed; bearing it, the devotee was urged not to fear, but to surpass others in brilliance and shine in all four directions, radiant as the sun. Then, the prayer shifted to another sacred plant: Jangida, the protector. “You are Jangida, Jangida the protector; let Jangida guard all that is ours, both two-footed and four-footed.” The devotee beseeched Jangida to remove all greed and harmful forces, whether fifty-three or a hundred in number, whether done or not done, for Jangida is the essence of energy. Jangida was invoked to drive away poison, missiles, and evil, to destroy all that is harmful. The plant was hailed as the destroyer of witchcraft and hostility, carrying the devotee safely across the spans of life. Its greatness was sought for protection on all sides, for with its strength and vigor it had overcome all spreading and gathering of harm. The gods themselves had thrice pierced and created Jangida, fixing it upon the earth; the ancient Brahmanas knew it as ‘Angira.’ No other herb, neither old nor new, could surpass Jangida, fierce and auspicious, the supreme protector. The devotee pleaded for its grace, recalling how once the fierce ones were devoured and Upendra gave strength. Indra had placed vigor in the fierce plant, empowering it to drive away all diseases and destroy demons. Jangida was invoked to remove wasting, dispersing, consumption, pain of the back, fever of every season, and all poison. The seers, reciting Indra’s name, had given Jangida as the foremost remedy against the destroyer of strength, crafted by the gods. The devotee prayed that Jangida, guardian of wealth, would protect as if over treasure, for the gods and Brahmanas had made it a protector and slayer of enemies. Against evil-hearted, dreadful gazes and harmful intentions, the thousand-eyed Jangida was called upon to destroy them with awareness. Protection was sought from every direction—from sky, earth, midspace, plants, beings, and what is yet to be—for Jangida’s shield. All remedies made by the gods and those that have arisen, all universal medicines, Jangida was asked to make free from poison. The devotee then praised a wondrous jewel, a hundredfold in strength, ever unweakened, full of energy, driving away consumption and demons. Ascending with radiance, the jewel dispelled all misfortune. With its horns, it drove away demons; with its root, it repelled sorcerers; with its middle, it overcame consumption, and no harm could approach it there. All forms of consumption, whether small or great, whether resounding or silent, were driven away by this ever-potent jewel. It generated a hundred heroes, drove away a hundred consumptions, and, having slain all misfortune, it shook off the demons. This jewel, the bull with golden horns, a hundredfold in might, cut off all misfortune and overcame the demons. Even the misfortunes brought by Gandharvas and Apsarases, and those that ever return, the devotee sought to ward off with the hundredfold jewel. Brilliance, given by Agni, was invoked—radiance, fame, vigor, vitality, and strength. The devotee prayed, “May Agni grant me these thirty-three powers.” The prayer continued: “Instill brilliance in my body, along with vigor, vitality, and strength. I accept you for sense, for action, for power, for a life of a hundred autumns.” For nourishment, strength, vigor, endurance, overcoming, and ruling the people, the devotee invoked these blessings for a long and prosperous life. Offerings were made to the seasons, to the divisions of the year, to the months and years, to the supporter and arranger, to the prosperous, and to the lord of beings. Turning to the fragrant guggul, the devotee declared that disease could not overcome, nor a curse reach, one who partakes of its scent. From such a one, diseases fled in all directions, just as deer and horses run away, for where there is guggul, rock salt, or sea salt, ailments could not remain. Such a person was known as the ‘Holder of both ends,’ for the sake of safety. Finally, the devotee called upon the divine, protective kuṣṭha to come from the Himalaya, to destroy all fever and all sorcerers. Thus, with reverence and hope, the devotee entrusted life, health, and well-being to the sacred plants and the divine powers that dwell within them, seeking their blessings for protection, victory, and prosperity in all walks of life.