Jadoo

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Superstitious beliefs Valuable sources of information regarding the everyday life of the ancient Indian peoples are contained in the numerous incantations and spells of the Atharva Veda. They feared the demons and evil spirits who haunted the forest, but, even more, they feared the sorcerers who had the power to control the forces of evil. Scarcely differentiated from the malign spiritual forces were the natural sources of death and injury - diseases, wild beasts, serpents. In their world, as in the Psalmist's, pestilence walked in darkness, and destruction wasted at noonday. This did not mean, however, that they felt helpless before the dark powers; on the contrary, through their armory of spells and magic formulae they were confident of their ability to meet and master the external world. And in addition to charms for protecting life, they had a wide variety of spells to bring about the birth of sons, to gain success in trading, and to compel the love of men and women. Examples of these ancient spells are given here. Presumably they were accompanied by symbolic actions which, in consort with the spoken word and the proper materials, brought about the desired ends. This process of "sympathetic magic" is found in many cultures, but it appears to have been elaborated to an unusual degree within the Indian tradition and, through being related to the high religious and philosophical tradition, to have played a unique part in the development of society.
Against Jaundice Against Jaundice Unto the sun let them both go up - your heartburn and your yellowness; with the color of the red bull do we envelop you. With red colors do we envelop you for the sake of long life; so that this person may be free from harm and may become non-yellow. Those cows that have Rohini [the Red One] as presiding divinity, as also cows which are red - their every form and every power - with them do we envelop you. Into the parrots do we put your yellowness and into the yellow-green birds. Similarly into the tumeric [or yellow wagtail?] do we deposit your yellowness. (from Atharva Veda, I:22) For Success in Trading I stir and animate the merchant Indra: may he approach and be our guide and leader. Chasing ill-will, wild beast, and highway robber, may he who hath the power give me riches. The many paths which Gods are wont to travel, the paths which go between the earth and heaven, May they rejoice with me in milk and fatness that I may make rich profit by my purchase. With fuel, Agni! and with butter, longing, mine offering I present for strength and conquest; With prayer, so far as I have strength, adoring - this holy hymn to gain a hundred treasures. Pardon this stubbornness of ours, O Agni, the distant pathway which our feet have trodden. Propitious unto us be sale and barter, may interchange of merchandise enrich me. Accept, ye twain, accordant, this libation! Prosperous be our ventures and incomings. The wealth wherewith I carry on my traffic, seeking, ye Gods! wealth with the wealth I offer, May this grow more for me, not less: O Agni, through sacrifice chase those who hinder profit! (from Atharva Veda, III:15)
Against Serpents & A Womans Love Against Serpents Let not the serpent, O gods, slay us with our children and with our men. The closed jaw shall not snap open, the open one shall not close. Homage to the divine folk [i.e., the serpents, by way of exorcistic euphemism]. Homage be to the black serpent, homage to the one with stripes across its body, homage to the brown constrictor, homage to the divine folk. I smite your teeth with tooth, I smite your two jaws with jaw; I smite your tongue; I smite your mouth, O Serpent, with mouth. (from Atharva Veda, VI:56) To Compel a Woman's Love As the wind shakes this Tuft of Grass hither and thither on the ground, So do I stir and shake thy mind, that thou mayst be in love with me, my darling, never to depart. Ye, Asvins, lead together, ye unite and bring the loving pair. Now have the fortunes of you twain, now have your vows and spirits met. When eagles, calling out aloud, are screaming in the joy of health, Then to my calling let her come, as to the arrow's neck the shaft. Let what is inward turn outside, let what is outward be within: Seize and possess, O Plant, the mind of maidens rich in every charm. Seeking a husband she hath come! and I came longing for a wife: Even as a loudly-neighing steed my fate and fortune have I met. (from Atharva Veda, II:30)