Hear now the unfolding tale of sacred power and protection, as spoken in the Atharva Veda. In the midst of demons, I stand as the scorching one, fierce as a tiger among cattle. Like a dog before a lion, when they see me, the demons find no refuge. No demon, no thief, no wild forest-dweller can overcome me; thus, wherever I enter a village, the demons perish. In every place I go, this fierce power is mine—evil cannot approach, and demons are driven away. Those who provoke me with words, like flies annoying an elephant, I regard as evildoers among people, short-lived as they are. Let destruction seize anyone who is hostile to me, as a horse-catcher seizes a horse; the one who is angry with me is not freed from the snares. With you, O sacred herb, the Atharvans of old slew the demons; with you, Kaśyapa, Kaṇva, and Agastya drove them away. With your power, we banish Apsarases and Gandharvas. O goat-horned one, let your fragrance destroy all demons. Let the Apsarases depart to the river, to the flowing waters, to the uncertain crossing. Let Gulgulū, Pīlā, Naladyu—fragrant with ox-balm—and Pramandanī, those departed Apsarases, be awakened. Where the aśvattha and banyan trees stand tall with crested tops, let those departed Apsarases awaken. Where the green swings hang, O Arjuna, and the striking posts resound, let the Apsarases awaken there. This herb, the most potent among all, now arrives—goat-horned, kingly, sharp-horned—to drive away all evil. From the dancers with crests, from the lord of Gandharvas and Apsarases, I break their virility and take away their power. Fierce are Indra’s weapons, a hundred-pointed, made of iron and gold; with these, may Indra drive away the Gandharvas who seize offerings and those who lurk below. Drive away those who lurk below, those who bring sorrow, and the spirits in the waters, O sacred plant—destroy all the demons and prevail. The Gandharva, who attaches himself to women, appearing as a dog, a monkey, or a hairy boy, we destroy here with the power of sacred knowledge. Your wives are the Apsarases, and you Gandharvas are their husbands; depart, O immortals, from mortals—do not associate with them. I invoke here the skilled and divine Apsaras, she who bursts forth and brings together, who makes the dice fall in the game. I call upon the Apsaras who searches and scatters, who gathers up the dice. She who dances around, taking the dice from the game—may she, who gathers our dice, win a great prize for us by her skill; may she, full of abundance, come to us, and may others not take this wealth from us. I invoke the joyful and delighted Apsaras, who delights in the dice, bearing brightness and anger. Those who move along the rays of the sun, or along its beams, whom the bull—swift as a steed—circles all the worlds to protect, may he come here, accepting this offering with the steed in the midspace. Together with the steed in the midspace, O steed, protect the calf here; these, your few and many, come near—here is your calf, here let your mind be. Here is the grass, here is the pen, here we tie the calf; as is fitting for you, so may we prosper. Svāhā. On earth, for Agni, let the food be equal and abundant; as on earth for Agni the food is equal, so may there be equal abundance for me—may all show me respect. The earth is the cow, Agni is her calf; may she, with Agni as her calf, yield for me desired food and strength—long life, first offspring, nourishment, and wealth. Svāhā. In the midspace, for Vāyu, let the food be equal and abundant; as in the midspace for Vāyu the food is equal, so may there be equal abundance for me—may all show me respect. The midspace is the cow, Vāyu is her calf; may she, with Vāyu as her calf, yield for me desired food and strength—long life, first offspring, nourishment, and wealth. Svāhā. In heaven, for Āditya, let the food be equal and abundant; as in heaven for Āditya the food is equal, so may there be equal abundance for me—may all show me respect. Heaven is the cow, Āditya is her calf; may she, with Āditya as her calf, yield for me desired food and strength—long life, first offspring, nourishment, and wealth. Svāhā. To the quarters, I have made an offering to the Moon; may it be fulfilled. Just as I have made an offering to the Moon in the directions, so may all bow down to me. The directions are cows, and their calf is the Moon; with that Moon as the calf, may I draw forth desired strength, nourishment, long life, foremost offspring, and wealth—svāhā. Within Agni, Agni moves, having entered—he is the son of the seers, the protector from curses. With reverence and homage I offer to you; may I not share in the divided portion of the gods’ work. O Jātavedas, purified by heart and mind, knowing all the divine works, your seven mouths, O Jātavedas—to them I make offering; may you accept this oblation. Those who offer to Jātavedas from the east, assailing us, may they be turned away by Agni as the priest; I strike them back with a counter-charm. Those who offer from the south, may they be turned away by Yama as the priest; I strike them back with a counter-charm. Those who offer from the west, may they be turned away by Varuṇa as the priest; I strike them back with a counter-charm. Those who offer from the north, may they be turned away by Soma as the priest; I strike them back with a counter-charm. Those who offer from below, may they be turned away by Earth as the priest; I strike them back with a counter-charm. Those who offer from the midspace, may they be turned away by Vāyu as the priest; I strike them back with a counter-charm. Thus, through sacred power, through the might of herbs, through invocation of gods and guardians, all evil is driven away, abundance is secured, and respect is won.