Rig Veda 10.87

rakṣohaṇaṃ vājinam ā jigharmi mitram prathiṣṭham upa yāmi śarma śiśāno agniḥ kratubhiḥ samiddhaḥ sa no divā sa riṣaḥ pātu naktam

I balm with oil the mighty Rakshas-slayer; to the most famous Friend I come for shelter Enkindled, sharpened by our rites, may Agni protect us in the day and night from evil.

ayodaṃṣṭro arciṣā yātudhānān upa spṛśa jātavedaḥ samiddhaḥ ā jihvayā mūradevān rabhasva kravyādo vṛktvy api dhatsvāsan

O Jatavedas with the teeth of iron, enkindled with thy flame attack the demons. Seize with thy longue the foolish gods' adorers: rend, put within thy mouth the raw-flesh caters.

ubhobhayāvinn upa dhehi daṃṣṭrā hiṃsraḥ śiśāno 'varam paraṃ ca utāntarikṣe pari yāhi rājañ jambhaiḥ saṃ dhehy abhi yātudhānān

Apply thy teeth, the upper and the lower, thou who hast both, enkindled and destroying. Roam also in the air, O King, around us, and with thy jaws assail the wicked spirits.

yajñair iṣūḥ saṃnamamāno agne vācā śalyāṁ aśanibhir dihānaḥ tābhir vidhya hṛdaye yātudhānān pratīco bāhūn prati bhaṅdhy eṣām

Bending thy shafts through sacrifices, Agni, whetting their points with song as if with whetstones, Pierce to the heart therewith the Yatudhanas, and break their arms uplifted to attack thee.

agne tvacaṃ yātudhānasya bhinddhi hiṃsrāśanir harasā hantv enam pra parvāṇi jātavedaḥ śṛṇīhi kravyāt kraviṣṇur vi cinotu vṛkṇam

Pierce through the Yatudhana's skin, O Agni; let the destroying dart with fire consume him. Rend his joints, Jatavedas, let the cater of flesh, flesh-seeking, track his mangled body.

yatredānīm paśyasi jātavedas tiṣṭhantam agna uta vā carantam yad vāntarikṣe pathibhiḥ patantaṃ tam astā vidhya śarvā śiśānaḥ

Where now thou seest Agni Jatavedas, one of these demons standing still or roaming, Or flying on those paths in air's mid region, sharpen the shaft and as an archer pierce him.

utālabdhaṃ spṛṇuhi jātaveda ālebhānād ṛṣṭibhir yātudhānāt agne pūrvo ni jahi śośucāna āmādaḥ kṣviṅkās tam adantv enīḥ

Tear from the evil spirit, Jatavedas, what he hath seized and with his spears hath captured. Blazing before him strike him down, O Agni; let spotted carrion-eating kites devour him.

iha pra brūhi yatamaḥ so agne yo yātudhāno ya idaṃ kṛṇoti tam ā rabhasva samidhā yaviṣṭha nṛcakṣasaś cakṣuṣe randhayainam

Here tell this forth, O Agni: whosoever is, he himself, or acteth as, a demon, Him grasp, O thou Most Youthful, with thy fuel. to the Mati-seer's eye give him as booty.

tīkṣṇenāgne cakṣuṣā rakṣa yajñam prāñcaṃ vasubhyaḥ pra ṇaya pracetaḥ hiṃsraṃ rakṣāṃsy abhi śośucānam mā tvā dabhan yātudhānā nṛcakṣaḥ

With keen glance guard the sacrifice, O Agni: thou Sage, conduct it onward to the Vasus. Let not the fiends, O Man-beholder, harm thee burning against the Rakshasas to slay them.

nṛcakṣā rakṣaḥ pari paśya vikṣu tasya trīṇi prati śṛṇīhy agrā tasyāgne pṛṣṭīr harasā śṛṇīhi tredhā mūlaṃ yātudhānasya vṛśca

Look on the fiend mid men, as Man-beholder: rend thou his three extremities in pieces. Demolish with thy flame his ribs, O Agni, the Yatudhana's root destroy thou triply.

trir yātudhānaḥ prasitiṃ ta etv ṛtaṃ yo agne anṛtena hanti tam arciṣā sphūrjayañjātavedaḥ samakṣam enaṃ gṛṇate ni vṛṅdhi

Thrice, Agni, let thy noose surround the demon who with his falsehood injures Holy Order. Loud roaring with thy flame, O Jatavedas, crush him and cast him down before the singer.

tad agne cakṣuḥ prati dhehi rebhe śaphārujaṃ yena paśyasi yātudhānam atharvavaj jyotiṣā daivyena satyaṃ dhūrvantam acitaṃ ny oṣa

Lead thou the worshipper that eye, O Agni, wherewith thou lookest on the hoof-armed demon. With light celestial in Atharvan's manner burn up the foot who ruins truth with falsehood.

yad agne adya mithunā śapāto yad vācas tṛṣṭaṃ janayanta rebhāḥ manyor manasaḥ śaravyā jāyate yā tayā vidhya hṛdaye yātudhānān

Agni, what curse the pair this day have uttered, what heated word the worshippers have spoken, Each arrowy taunt sped from the angry spirit,-pierce to the heart therewith the Yatudhanas.

parā śṛṇīhi tapasā yātudhānān parāgne rakṣo harasā śṛṇīhi parārciṣā mūradevāñchṛṇīhi parāsutṛpo abhi śośucānaḥ

With fervent heat exterminate the demons; destroy the fiends with burning flame, O Agni. Destroy with fire the foolish gods' adorers; blaze and destroy the insatiable monsters.

parādya devā vṛjinaṃ śṛṇantu pratyag enaṃ śapathā yantu tṛṣṭāḥ vācāstenaṃ śarava ṛcchantu marman viśvasyaitu prasitiṃ yātudhānaḥ

May Gods destroy this day the evil-doer may each hot curse of his return and blast him. Let arrows pierce the liar in his vitals, and Visva's net enclose the Yatudhana.

yaḥ pauruṣeyeṇa kraviṣā samaṅkte yo aśvyena paśunā yātudhānaḥ yo aghnyāyā bharati kṣīram agne teṣāṃ śīrṣāṇi harasāpi vṛśca

The fiend who smears himself with flesh of cattle, with flesh of horses and of human bodies, Who steals the milch-cow's milk away, O Agni,-tear off the heads of such with fiery fury.

saṃvatsarīṇam paya usriyāyās tasya māśīd yātudhāno nṛcakṣaḥ pīyūṣam agne yatamas titṛpsāt tam pratyañcam arciṣā vidhya marman

The cow gives milk each year, O Man-regarder: let not the Yatudhana ever taste it. If one would glut him with the biesting, Agni, pierce with thy flame his vitals as he meets thee.

viṣaṃ gavāṃ yātudhānāḥ pibantv ā vṛścantām aditaye durevāḥ parainān devaḥ savitā dadātu parā bhāgam oṣadhīnāṃ jayantām

Let the fiends drink the poison of the cattle; may Aditi cast off the evildoers. May the God Savitar give them up to ruin, and be their share of plants and herbs denied them.

sanād agne mṛṇasi yātudhānān na tvā rakṣāṃsi pṛtanāsu jigyuḥ anudaha sahamūrān kravyādo mā te hetyā mukṣata daivyāyāḥ

Agni, from days of old thou slayest demons: never shall Rakshasas in fight o'ercome thee. Burn up the foolish ones, the flesh-devourers: let none of them escape thine heavenly arrow.

tvaṃ no agne adharād udaktāt tvam paścād uta rakṣā purastāt prati te te ajarāsas tapiṣṭhā aghaśaṃsaṃ śośucato dahantu

Guard us, O Agni, from above and under, protect us from behind us and before us; And may thy flames, most fierce and never wasting, glowing with fervent heat, consume the sinner.

paścāt purastād adharād udaktāt kaviḥ kāvyena pari pāhi rājan sakhe sakhāyam ajaro jarimṇe 'gne martāṁ amartyas tvaṃ naḥ

From rear, from front, from under, from above us, O King, protect us as a Sage with wisdom. Guard to old age thy friend, O Friend, Eternal: O Agni, as Immortal, guard us mortals.

pari tvāgne puraṃ vayaṃ vipraṃ sahasya dhīmahi dhṛṣadvarṇaṃ dive dive hantāram bhaṅgurāvatām

We set thee round us as a fort, victorious Agni, thee a Sage, Of hero lineage, day by day, destroyer of our treacherous foes.

viṣeṇa bhaṅgurāvataḥ prati ṣma rakṣaso daha agne tigmena śociṣā tapuragrābhir ṛṣṭibhiḥ

Burn with thy poison turned against the treacherous brood of Rakshasas, O Agni, with thy sharpened glow, with lances armed with points of flame.

praty agne mithunā daha yātudhānā kimīdinā saṃ tvā śiśāmi jāgṛhy adabdhaṃ vipra manmabhiḥ

Burn thou the paired Kimidins, burn, Agni, the Yatudhana pairs. I sharpen thee, Infallible, with hymns. O Sage, be vigilant.

praty agne harasā haraḥ śṛṇīhi viśvataḥ prati yātudhānasya rakṣaso balaṃ vi ruja vīryam

Shoot forth, O Agni, with thy flame demolish them on every side. Break thou the Yatudhana's strength, the vigour of the Rakshasa.