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Atharvaveda - VIII 7 from Hymn to all magic and medicinal plants
Identifier
015850
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
The Atharvaveda translated by Maurice Bloomfield
The plants that are brown and those that are white
the red ones and the speckled ones
the sable and the black plants
all these do we invoke.
May they protect this man from disease
the herbs whose father is the sky, whose mother is the earth
whose root is the ocean
The waters and the heavenly plants are foremost
they have driven out from every limb thy disease
Consequent on demons
The plants that spread forth, those that are bushy
those that have a single sheath, those that creep along
do I address
I call on thy behalf the plants that have shoots, those that have stalks
those that divide their branches, those that are derived from all gods,
the strong plants that furnish life to man.
With the might that is yours, ye mighty ones
with the power and strength that is yours,
with that, do ye, O plants
rescue this man from disease..
Honied are the roots of these herbs
honied their tops
honied their middle
honied their leaves,
honied their blossoms
they share in honey, are the food of immortality
May they yield ghee and food.
As many in number and in kind the plants here are upon the earth
may they, furnished with a thousand leaves, release me from death and misery.
The plants spreading over the earth, whose king is the tree
The plants that grow upon the mountains and in the plains
shall be for us rich in milk,
auspicious, comforting to the heart
All plants together, shall note my words
that we may bring this man into safety out of misfortune
The boar knows, the ichneumon knows the healing plants
Those that the serpents and Gandharvas know I call hither for help
The plants which the eagles and the heavenly falcons know
which the birds and the winged creatures know
which all wild animals know
I call hither for help
As many plants as the human physicians know to contain a remedy
so many, endowed with every healing quality, do I apply to thee
Those that have flowers
Those that have blossoms
Those that bear fruit
And those without fruit
as if from the same mother they shall suck sap
to exempt this man from injury.