Sukta 64
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (śānti/prāyaścitta hymn; specific r̥ṣi not stated in the supplied excerpt)
Devata: Āpaḥ (Waters) as purifiers and protectors
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; common in AV śānti verses)
AV 7.64は、黒い凶兆の鳥が近づき、止まり、あるいは接触によって穢すと信じられる場合に生じる不吉さと罪咎（enas）を鎮める、簡潔な贖罪・鎮静（prāyaścitta-śānti）の呪である。讃歌は二重の浄化者を用いる——諸水（Āpaḥ）が災厄（durita）を洗い流し、家火ガールハパティヤのアグニ（Agni Gārhapatya）が罪咎（enas）を焼き尽くす——ことにより、行者を守護し、解放し、祭儀的・社会的な清浄へと回復させる。
Mantras
Mantra 1
पापमोचनम्। इ॒दं यत् कृ॒ष्णः श॒कुनि॑रभिनि॒ष्पत॒न्नपी॑पतत्। आपो॑ मा॒ तस्मा॒त् सर्व॑स्माद् दुरि॒तात् पा॒न्त्वंह॑सः
（罪を解き放つもの。）これなること――黒き凶兆の鳥がわたしに向かって飛び出し、舞い降りてとまったその時――水たちよ、わたしをそれから、あらゆる凶事から、苦悩から、罪から守りたまえ。
Mantra 2
इ॒दं यत् कृ॒ष्णः श॒कुनि॑र॒वामृ॑क्षन्निरृते ते॒ मुखे॑न । अ॒ग्निर्मा॒ तस्मा॒देन॑सो॒ गार्ह॑पत्यः॒ प्र मु॑ञ्चतु
これ——黒き凶鳥が、その口で擦りつけて汚したもの、まるでニリティ（Nirṛti）の口によるかのようなそれより——家火ガールハパティヤ（Gārhapatya）なるアグニ（Agni）が、かの罪過から我をことごとく解き放て。
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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