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Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (not specified in excerpt)
Devata: Pāpmán (personified evil/disease) as the addressed power; the mantra functions coercively
Chandas: Mixed/Anuṣṭubh-like (Atharvanic prose-title + verse)
AV 6.26 ist ein knapper atharvanischer Austreibungszauber, der Pāpmán (Übel, Krankheit, Unheil) unmittelbar anspricht und ihn zwingt, den Kranken freizugeben. Er verbindet heilende Absicht (den Leidenden in die „Welt des Heilsamen/Glückverheißenden“ zurückzuführen) mit einer härteren Übertragungslogik: Hält das Übel fest, wird es fortgelenkt — zuletzt auf einen Feind — unter dem Zwang des „tausendäugigen Unsterblichen“.
Mantra 1
पाप्मनाशनम्। अव॑ मा पाप्मन्त्सृज व॒शी सन् मृ॑डयासि नः । आ मा॑ भ॒द्रस्य॑ लो॒के पा॑प्मन् धे॒ह्यवि॑ह्रुतम्
Ein Vernichter des Pāpmán. Fort—lass mich los, o Pāpmán; gezähmt, sei uns gnädig. Setze mich, o Pāpmán, in die Welt des heilsamsten Guten—unversehrt, unberaubt.
Mantra 2
यो नः॑ पाप्म॒न् न जहा॑सि॒ तमु॑ त्वा जहिमो व॒यम्। प॒थामनु॑ व्या॒वर्त॑ने॒ऽन्यं पा॒प्मानु॑ पद्यताम्
Den Pāpmán, der uns nicht verlässt—dich, fürwahr, treiben wir hinweg. Auf dem Weg, an der Abzweigung, folge der Pāpmán einem andern nach.
Mantra 3
अ॒न्यत्रा॒स्मन्न्युऽच्यतु सहस्रा॒क्षो अम॑र्त्यः । यं द्वेषा॑म॒ तमृ॑च्छतु॒ यमु॑ द्वि॒ष्मस्तमिज्ज॑हि
Anderswo als von uns lasse der tausendäugige Unsterbliche es niederlegen. Es gehe zu dem, den wir hassen; den wir wahrlich hassen—den, ja eben den, schlage du.
In Atharvanic usage, Pāpmán is a personified harmful force that can appear as illness, misfortune, pollution, or malign influence. The hymn treats it as something that can be commanded to release and depart.
The “path/turning-point” imagery is a ritual technology for expulsion: harm is sent out of the patient’s sphere and diverted at a liminal place so it does not return, symbolically switching it onto another course.
Its primary aim is healing and protection (removing Pāpmán and restoring auspiciousness). The third verse can be used in an abhicāra mode by redirecting the remaining harm toward an enemy under the agency of the thousand‑eyed Immortal (Indra).
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