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24
HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
upon Indra and Agni: 'they shall crush the worm,' (I said).
2. Slay the worms in this boy, 0 Indra, lord of treasures! Slain are all the evil powers by my fierce imprecation!
3. Him that moves about in the eyes, that moves about in the nose, that gets to the middle of the teeth, that worm do we crush.
4. The two of like colour, the two of different colour; the two black ones, and the two red ones; the brown one, and the brown-eared one; the (one like a) vulture, and the one like a) cuckoo, are slain.
5. The worms with white shoulders, the black ones with white arms, and all those that are variegated, these worms do we crush.
6. In the east rises the sun, seen by all, slaying that which is not seen; slaying the seen and the unseen (worms), and grinding to pieces all the worms.
7. The yevâsha and the kashkasha, the egatka, and the sipavitnuka-the seen worm shall be slain, moreover the unseen shall be slain!
8. Slain of the worms is the yevâsha, slain further is the nadaniman; all have I crushed down like lentils with a mill-stone.
9. The worm with three heads and the one with three skulls, the speckled, and the white-I crush his ribs and I tear off his head.
10. Like Atri, like Kanva, and like Gamadagni do I slay you, ye worms! With the incantation of Agastya do I crush the worms to pieces.
11. Slain is the king of the worms, and their viceroy also is slain. Slain is the worm, with him his mother slain, his brother slain, his sister slain.
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