The Rig Veda: An Anthology

In addition to liturgical hymns, dialogue poems, and other miscellaneous verses, the Rig Veda contains magical spells, love charms, and imprecations to ward off disease and death and attract prosperity and longevity. Many of these chants are in the later books of the text, especially Book 10. This chapter collects several of them.

Two hymns concern sleep. In 10.164, the poet asks the “Master of Thought,” an otherwise unknown divinity, to intercede on his behalf with the goddess Chaos or Destruction. The poet implores Agni to banish all misdeeds and evil thoughts, whether they occur during wakefulness or sleep, and to visit them upon those who hate the worshipper. Hymn 7.55 is a sleeping spell, possibly used as a lullaby, or by lovers or burglars sneaking into a home late at night. The poet coaxes the watchdog and the inhabitants of the house to sleep, imploring the moon to sink the women into a deep slumber.

Several spells target a wife’s rivals for her husband’s affections. In Hymn 10.145, Indrani, wife of the flagrantly womanizing Indra, anoints her husband with a magical plant that eliminates all thought of other women from his mind. Banishing her unnamed rival with charms, Indrani emerges triumphant, the highest of all women, entrapping Indra within her power.