Atharvaveda Frist Kand - 7th Sukta
Lord Agni and Indra are worshiped in the 7th Sukta of the first Kanda of Atharvaveda. His sage is Chatan. The verses used in these are Anushtup, Trishtup 1. There are total 7 mantras or verses in it. In these, sages are praying to the deities to destroy the creature with demonic nature.
स्तुवानमग्न आ वह यातुधानं किमीदिनम्। त्वं हि देव वन्दितो हंता दस्योर्बभूविथ ॥ 1 ॥
In this shloak or mantra, the sages pray to Agni to destroy the demons and enemies and say – O fire, to the god who is pleased and praised by Havi! You are the one who brings us closer. Oh fire with divine qualities! You destroy demons and enemies with your influence, so call them also to you and spread peace everywhere.
आज्यस्य परमेष्ठिन् जातवेदस्तनूवशिन्। अग्ने तौलस्य प्राशान यातुधाना वि लापय ॥ 2 ॥
Rishi says in this mantra or shloak – O fire! You are the mourner of the wicked and the demons, the destroyer of them, the balance of the body in the form of Jathragni, the one who accepts the oblations weighed by us in the well and the one who resides in the best places of heaven.
विलपन्तु यातुधाना अत्रिणो ये किमीदिनः । अथेदमग्ने नो हविरिन्द्रश्च प्रति हर्यतम् ॥ 3 ॥
Here in the third mantra or shloak, prayer has been made to Indra. Rishi says through this mantra or verse – O Agni who accepts our future along with Indradi! You are the devourer of all and the one who wanders everywhere, the one who makes others sad, the one who makes the enemies of the society mourn and destroy them.
अग्निः पूर्व आ रभतां प्रेन्द्रो नुदतु बाहुमान् । ब्रवीतु सर्वो यातुधानयमस्मीत्येत्य ॥ 4 ॥
Here the sage is again praying to Agni Dev and saying – Agni Dev should first start destroying the Asuras and the powerful Indra should motivate him for this task. Due to the influence of these two, the Asura himself should present himself and introduce himself and make atonement.
पश्याम ते वीर्य जातवेदः प्र णो ब्रूहि यातुधानान् नृचक्षः । त्वया सर्वे परितप्ताः पुरस्तात् त आयन्तु प्रब्रुवाणा उपेदम् ॥ 5 ॥
This shloak or mantra should be considered as a special mantra of this Sukta because here the sage is not talking about killing the demons with fire (Agni God) but bringing them on the right path. They say – O fire! You are the storehouse of knowledge. May we see your mighty light. The one who has supersensuous knowledge, the one who can be seen through worship etc. is fire. You inspire the demons towards the right path with your influence. By your order, the demons should come giving their own introduction.
आ रभस्व जातवेदोऽस्माकार्थय जज्ञिषे । दूतो नो अग्ने भूत्वा यातधानान् वि लापय ॥ 6 ॥
Here the sage again prays to the fire and says – O fire in the form of knowledge! You have been born for the purpose of making our desired purposes successful and for the sake of mitigating the disasters. In our interest, by becoming our representative (messenger), remove away the demonic humans who commit misdeeds.
त्वमग्ने यातुधानानुबद्धां इहा वह। अथैषामिन्द्रो वज्रेणापि शीर्षाणि वृश्चतु ॥ 7 ॥
Here the sage is praying to both Agni and Indra. They say – You are the one who brings the wicked here in your noose etc.! May Indra dismember the heads of those wicked with the swift blow of his Vajra.
Atharvaveda Frist Kand - 8th Sukta
In the 8th Sukta of the first Kanda of Atharveda, the deity Brihaspati has been worshipped. His sage is Chatan and the verses used in it are Anushtup, Trishtup. There are total 4 shlokas or mantras in it. Through these 4 verses, the sages have prayed to destroy the demon and bring him on the right path.
इदं हविर्यातुधानान् नदी फेनभिवा वहत् । य इदं स्त्री पुमान्करिह स स्तुवतां जनः ॥ 1 ॥
In this shloak or mantra, the sage says – Just as a river changes the place of foam with its flow, in the same way Havirdanadi offered to the gods drives away the wicked and the sinners. Women engaged in adultery etc. and evil men who hurt others should worship you for atonement.
अयं स्तुवान आगमदिमं स्म प्रति हर्यत । बृहस्पते वशे लब्ध्वाग्नीषोमा वि विध्यतम् ॥ 2 ॥
Through this verse, we get to know the generous spirit of the sages. Rishi says through his generous words – Fire! Hey Som! The asura troubled by you has come to your shelter, begging for atonement. Even knowing it as our enemy, you test it for treatment. May the god Brihaspati keep it under his control.
यातुधानस्य सोमप जहि प्रजां नयस्व च । नि स्तुवानस्य पातय परमक्ष्युतावरम् ॥ 3 ॥
In this verse also we see the generous attitude of the sages. He prays to the fire and says – O fire that drinks Somras! You destroy the demons and you reach their children and inspire them towards the right path and pervade decency in their eyes, who are going to praise you.
यत्रैषामग्ने जनिमानि वेत्थ गुहा सतामत्रिणां जातवेदः । तांस्त्वं ब्रह्मणा वावृधानो जह्येषां शततर्हमग्ने ॥ 4 ॥
Here in this verse the sage is praying for the total destruction of the wicked. They say – fire! Enriched with knowledge, you are the one who destroys the demons in many ways by getting increased by the power of mantras received by Brahmins. You know very well the children of these wicked people who live in caves, so they should also be completely destroyed by you.