Sukta 64
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (śānti/prāyaścitta hymn)
Devata: Āpaḥ (Waters) as purifiers and protectors
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; common in AV śānti verses)
AV 7.64 est un bref charme de prāyaścitta-śānti qui neutralise le mauvais augure et la culpabilité (enas) censés naître lorsqu’un oiseau noir de présage s’approche, se pose ou souille par contact. L’hymne mobilise un double purificateur : les Eaux (Āpaḥ) pour laver le durita, et Agni Gārhapatya pour consumer l’enas, afin que l’officiant soit protégé, délivré et rétabli dans la pureté rituelle et sociale.
Mantras
Mantra 1
पापमोचनम्। इ॒दं यत् कृ॒ष्णः श॒कुनि॑रभिनि॒ष्पत॒न्नपी॑पतत्। आपो॑ मा॒ तस्मा॒त् सर्व॑स्माद् दुरि॒तात् पा॒न्त्वंह॑सः
Délivrance du mal. Ceci: lorsque l’oiseau noir de mauvais présage, s’élançant vers moi, s’est posé — que les Eaux me protègent de cela, de tout malheur, de l’angoisse et du péché.
Mantra 2
इ॒दं यत् कृ॒ष्णः श॒कुनि॑र॒वामृ॑क्षन्निरृते ते॒ मुखे॑न । अ॒ग्निर्मा॒ तस्मा॒देन॑सो॒ गार्ह॑पत्यः॒ प्र मु॑ञ्चतु
Ceci—que l’oiseau noir de mauvais présage a souillé de son bec, comme par la bouche de Nirṛti—qu’Agni, le Feu du foyer (Gārhapatya), m’en délivre entièrement, de cette faute.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used when an inauspicious black bird (śakuni) approaches, alights, or is believed to have defiled a person—an event treated as an omen requiring immediate purification and expiation.
Waters cleanse and protect from ‘evil hap’ (durita) and anguish (aṃhas), while Agni Gārhapatya performs expiation by ‘releasing’ from enas—together expressing complete removal of taint.
No. The hymn’s ritual logic centers on simple, primary purifiers: clean water for sprinkling/ablution and the household fire for expiatory release; optional ghee/kuśa may be used according to custom.
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