Hear now the sacred tale as revealed in these ancient verses. In the beginning, there arose a fervent prayer to dispel all that was fierce or harmful within the body, in the hair, or in any part of being. With words as weapons, the supplicants sought to destroy every trace of evil, calling upon the god Savitṛ to lay low all that threatened them. They named those who walked with the foot of a lynx, the strong, the cow-thief, the destroyer—whatever was ill-marked or evil—they invoked a driving away of such beings from their midst. Then, their voices turned to Indra, asking that the piercers and over-piercers, those who would harm them with arrows from every side, be kept far away. They prayed that all missiles, whether divine or human, might fall harmlessly away, scattered so that their enemies would be confounded. Whether the threat came from their own kin, strangers, relatives, or outsiders, they called upon Rudra to scatter all enemies with his arrows. Whoever was a rival or harbored hatred, the supplicants invoked all the gods to destroy such a one, seeking that their prayers become a shield within. As sacrifice was offered, they begged Soma, the god, for graciousness, and the Maruts for mercy, so that no hostile force might overpower them, nor any evil or hateful act befall. Should anyone raise a weapon against the sinful, they called upon Mitra and Varuṇa to drive that threat far away. From every direction, Varuṇa was asked to spread his great shield and ward off all danger and harm, for the one so protected is mighty and unconquered, ever victorious, his friends never slain or defeated. They invited mighty Indra, the giver of well-being and slayer of obstacles, to enter their city, drinking Soma and bestowing fearlessness. Indra was implored to scatter obstacles, subdue the hostile, and send their attackers into darkness. He was asked to break the jaws of adversaries, to disperse the wrath of enemies, and to drive away the minds and intent of the jealous, removing all coverings and opening the greater path to safety. Turning to the radiance of dawn, they wished that the golden hue of the heart might follow the rising sun, enveloping themselves with the color of the red cow for long life, so that they may remain unaging and never pale. They surrounded themselves with the hues of divine red cows, each with its own form and age, placing golden color among the white and in the turmeric plants. The tale then turned to the healing herb, born at night, dark and black, a dye for the night and a remedy for what is leprous and gray. They called upon the black herb to destroy leprosy and grayness, to restore color, and to remove white blemishes from bone, flesh, or skin—marks even made by Brahman. The story recalled how the eagle was born first, and from it came bile; then, the demoness, conquered in battle, shaped the trees and made the first remedy for leprosy, restoring uniformity to the skin. The herb’s mother and father were called Uniform, and the dark one, raised from the earth, was invoked to restore forms anew. Where fire and water once entered and burned, where the bearers of law made obeisance, there was the highest origin, and the wise one was asked to remove fever. Whether fever was flame or burning, spark or its origin, it was called Hrūḍu, god of the green, and was asked to depart. Whether fever was Sorrow or the absence of Sorrow, or the son of King Varuṇa, it was still Hrūḍu, and the wise one was invoked to remove it. Homage was given to all forms of fever—cold, fierce, burning, recurring daily, every third day, or on alternate days—so that all might be pacified. They prayed that weapons and the stone of Yama be far away, that generosity, Indra, Bhaga, and Savitṛ might be their friends. The Maruts were called to grant broad protection, to be gracious and merciful, bringing joy to their children. They spoke of the three times seven, ageless ones on the far shore, whose vitality would help them cross over all destroyers and obstacles of decay. The unsuccessful and the destroyers, though they turned in every direction, could not withstand or endure, scattered like reeds. The call was made to move forward, to fill the houses, and to invite Indra and the first-conquered, the city-dwellers, to come. Finally, Agni, the god of fire, was invoked to advance and drive away demons and evil-doers, burning up the double-tongued, the sorcerers, and the malicious. Agni was asked to burn up all sorcerers and sorceresses with black streaks, purifying all with his divine flame. Thus, through prayer, invocation, and the power of the gods and sacred herbs, the people sought protection, healing, and victory over all that was harmful, trusting in the divine to envelop them with radiance, strength, and well-being.