Post on 11-Jan-2020
CHAPTER IV.
The Status Of The Atharvaveda In Vedic Literature And In Vedic
Studies
a) Status of the Atharvaveda in Vedic Literature :
In Vedic literature, the Atharvaveda is recognized as the fourth Veda.
The term trayī meaning the trio of the Vedas (vedatrayī) or three-fold
knowledge (trayīvidyā) is quite well known. There are some
controversies about the meaning of the term trayī in relation to the
Atharvaveda. A question is often asked to whether this term excludes
or includes the fourth Veda. According to some scholars trayī denotes
only the first three Vedas viz. the Ṛgveda, the Sāmaveda and the
Yajurveda. These three Vedas collectively known as trayī are related
to the śrauta performances. The Atharvaveda has no relation to the
śrauta rituals and therefore, it has no place in the trayī. The supporters
of this view provide some examples of Vedic texts where the name of
the Atharvaveda has been omitted. Thus for instance, the famous
puruṣasūkta of the Ṛgvedasaṁhitā ignores the Atharvaveda when its
seer speaks about the birth of the Vedas from the cosmic sacrifice:
tasmād yajñāt sarvahuta ṛcaḥ sāmāni jajñire /
chandāṁsi jajñire tasmādyajustasmādajāyata // 366
366
Cf., Ṛgveda.X.90.9.
Similarly, this Veda has not been mentioned in Aitareyabrāhmaṇa:
…trayo vedā ajāyanta ṛgveda evāgnerajāyata, yajurvedo vāyoḥ,
sāmaveda ādityāt… etc. 367
Same is the case with the Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa which has omitted the
name of the Atharvaveda in the following passage which describes the
relation of the Sun god with the Vedas:
ṛgbhiḥ pūrbāhṇe divi deva īyate / yajurvede tiṣṭhati madhye ahnaḥ /
sāmavedenāstamaye mahiyate /vedairaśunyastribhireti sūryah // 368
According to some western scholars too the term trayī does not
include the Atharvaveda also because of the fact that the Atharvaveda
is the Veda of black magic or of popular belief and hence, it was not
recognized for a long time by the priestly class as a Veda in the truest
sense of the term369
. It is believed that it must have been only at some
later period when the spells and charms were given priestly colouring
that this Veda was accepted into the fold of Vedic texts370
. Veda is
367
Cf., Aitareyabrāhmaṇa, 5.5.7.32. 368
Cf., Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa, 3.12.9.2. 369
Cf., Winternitz, M., A History of Indian Literature, Vol. I, Delhi,
2003, p.114.
Also see, Griffith, R.T.H., Hymns of the Atharva Veda, Vol.I,
Varanasi, 1968, p.vi. 370
Cf., Karambelkar, V.W., The Atharvavedic Civilisation, Its Place
in the Indo-Aryan Culture, Nagpur, 1959, p. xi.
made up of two parts, viz. mantra and brāhmaṇa371
. Mantras are as
one knows of three types-- ṛk, sāman and yajus. These three types of
Mantra-texts are indispensible for the performance of Vedic sacrifices
whether big or small. In this connection one may examine the
meaning of the term trayī in the light of three Sūtras372
from the
Mimāṁsā philosophy of Jaimini who has explained the terms ṛk,
sāman and yajus as follows---
a) teṣāṁ ṛgyatrārthavaśena pādavyavasthā,
b) gītiṣu sāmākhyā,
c) śeṣe yajuḥ śabdaḥ.
According to Jaimini a ṛk is a poetic composition in which the Pādas
are arranged in conformity with the sense of the mantra. The term
sāman is applied to melody i.e. the word sāman stands for Vedic
music. The rest of the Vedic compositions which are neither poetry
nor musical are known by the term yajus. In other words a yajus is a
prose passage. It may be stated that in the verse from the puruṣasūkta
viz. tasmād yajñāt etc. three types of Mantras that constitute the Veda
appear to have been referred to by using the words ṛcaḥ, sāmāni and
yajus. When considered from the point of view the word trayī seems
371
Cf., mantrabrāhmaṇayorvedanāmadheyam,
Apastambaparibhāṣāsutra, 1.33. 372
Cf., Jaimini Sūtra 2.1.35,36,37., Jaiminīya Sūtrārthasaṁgraha,
Ed.by, Dr. P.K. Narayan Pillai, Trivandrum, 1951.
to refer to these three types of Mantras. If this be so, the Atharvaveda
should become included in the trayī for this Veda consists of Mantras
which are Ṛks interspersed with prose passages and Sāmans. This
view finds support in the following passage from Nyāyamañjarī
where Jayantabhaṭṭa says :
atharvavedastu trayātmaka eva, tatra hi ṛco yajuṁṣi sāmāni iti
trīṇyapi santi tena brahmatvaṁ kriyamānaṁ trayyā kṛtaṁ bhavati /
etc.373
Furthermore the Vedic priest brahmā who acts as the supervisor of
śrauta rituals, belongs to the Atharvaveda. The important status of
brahmā has been recognized in the Ṛgveda374
itself. In the
Aitareyabrāhmaṇa, brahmā has been hailed as trayīvidyaḥ. The priest
who is an authority on the three kinds of Mantras becomes eligible to
act as the brahmā priest: atha kena brahmatvaṁ kṛyata iti, trayyā
vidyayā iti375
. Because of his superior knowledge he was recognized
as superior to the other three priests viz. hotā, udgātā and adhvaryu
who were attached respectively to the Ṛk, Sāma and Yajurveda.
Having taken note of this fact, Yāska says – brahmā sarvavidyaḥ
373
Cf., Jayantabhaṭṭa, Nyāyamañjarī, Atharvavedaprāmānyanirupaṇam, Ᾱhnika 4, Ed. By, K.S.
Varadacarya, Maysore, 1969, p.622 374
Cf., RV., X.71.11. 375
Cf., AB.,5.3.3
sarvaṁ veditumarhati, brahmā parivṛḍhaḥ śrutataḥ376. Commenting
on this statement Skandasvāmin says-- anye ṛtvija ekavidyāḥ, brahmā
tu trayīvidyaḥ ataḥ sa tebhyaḥ parivṛdhaḥ śrutataḥ.
The primary duty of the brahmā-priest was to detect and rectify the
mistakes committed by the Yajurvedic, Ṛgvedic and the Sāmavedic
priests, in course of the performance of a śrauta sacrifice. It is also
interesting to note that in certain rituals like ādhāna and sautrāmaṇi,
singing of Sāmans was carried out by the brahmā priest377
.
The reason behind attaching a priest like brahmā to the Atharvaveda
may be due to the fact that this Veda consists of all the three types of
Mantras.
The concept of vedatrayī and the status of the Atharvaveda as the
caturthaveda need not be exclusive of each other. The actual
compilation of the Mantras which are known to posterity as
Atharvavedic might have been done at a period when the three
separate collections of ṛk, yajus and sāman Mantras have already
come into existence378
. Although in the Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa379
has not
been mentioned, the existence of Mantras were not unknown to this
376
Cf., Nirukta, 1.8. 377
Cf., Kātyāyanaśrautasūtra, 4.9.586.
Also see Karkabhāṣya on Ibid., sūtra, 6. 378
Cf., Sastri, Gaurinath, A History of Vedic Literature, Kolkata,
2006, p.25. 379
Cf., TB., 3.2.9.2.
text. For in the very preceding passage one comes across the
following statement:
ṛcāṁ prācī mahati digucyate / dakṣiṇāmāhuryajuṣāmapārām /
atharvanāmāṅgirasāṁ praticī / sāmnāmudīcī mahati digucyate // etc.
The implication of this passage may also be that it stands testimony of
the fact that by the period of the Brāhmaṇa texts Atharvaveda came to
be recognized as one of the Vedas. While in the afore stated passage,
Atharvanic Mantras are mentioned right after the Sāmans, in yet
another passage of the Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa viz.3.12.8. Atharvanic
Mantras are mentioned next to the Sāmans. It appears from a passage
from the Taittirīyasaṁhitā that the Atharvanic Mantras were known to
this Yajurvedic Saṁhitā as the fourth collection of Vedic Mantras.
The passage under reference runs as follows :
puṣṇo vaniṣṭhurandhāhessthūragudā sarpāngudābhir ṛtūnpṛṣṭībhir-
divaṁ pṛṣṭhena vasūnāṁ prathamā kīkasā rudrāṇāṁ
dvitīyā’’dityānāṁ tṛtīyā’ṅgirasāṁ caturthī sādhyānaṁ pañcamī
viśveṣāṁ devānāṁ ṣaṣṭhī / 380
In this context one may also take into account the status of the
Atharvaveda in brahmayajña. In the Śatapathabrāhmaṇa the
recitation of Atharvanic mantra in brahmayajña has been equated to
380
Cf., Taittirīyasaṁhitā, 5.7.17.1.
the offerings of animal fat to the gods, an offering which is
particularly enjoyed by the gods:
meda āhutayo ha vā etā devānām yadatharvāṅgirasaḥ, sa ya evaṁ
vidvānatharvāṅgiraso’haraḥ svādhyāyamadhīte meda āhutibhireva
taddevān sa tarpayati ta enaṁ tṛptāstarpayanti /381
By the time of the Upaniṣads this Veda became quite well known as
the fourth Veda. Thus in a passage from the Chāndogyopaniṣad it is
said : ṛgvedaṁ bhagavo’dhyemi yajurvedaṁ sāmavedamātharvanaṁ
caturthamiti …/ 382
Similarly the Bṛhadāraṇykopaniṣad383
mentions the Atharvaveda by
rubricating three times the following passage : ṛgvedo yajurvedaḥ
sāmavedo’tharvāṅgirasa itihāsa …etc.
In this context it may be recalled that while explaining the Ṛgvedic
verse catvāri śṛṅga …384 etc. etymologist Yāska comments: catvāri
śṛṅgeti vedā vā eta uktāḥ / 385
Non-mentioning of the Atharvaveda by the side of the other three
Vedas in some Vedic texts like Ṛgveda, X.90; Aitareyabrāhmaṇa,
381
Cf., Śatapathabrāhmaṇa, 11.5.6.7. 382
Cf., Chāndigyopaniṣad, 7.1. 383
Cf., Bṛhadāraṇykopaniṣad, 2.4.10; 4.1.2 and 4.5.11. 384
Cf., catvāri śṛṅgā trayo asya pādā /
dve śīrṣe sapta hastāso asya //, RV.,IV.58.3. 385
Cf., Nirukta, 13.7.
25.7; Śatapathabrāhmaṇa, 11.4.2.3 etc. may be as Bali points out “it
is neither inevitable nor necessary for any Mantras of any four Vedas
to mention together all the four names of the Vedas”386. Names of the
Vedas or the name of a Veda is mentioned whenever there arises an
occasion for doing so.
The various names given to the Atharvaveda indicate the status and
importance of this collection of the Mantras in the Vedic literature.
The oldest name of this Veda viz. Atharvāṅgirasa associates it to the
great priestly families of ancient times—the Atharvans and Aṅgirasas
who were associated with the Ṛgveda also. In the Gopathabrāhmaṇa
one comes across another name of this Veda viz. Bhṛgvaṅgirasaḥ a
name which associates this Veda to the priestly families of Bhṛgus
along with the Aṅgirasas387
. Again in the Cūlikā Upaniṣad388
the
Atharvaveda has been referred to as Bhṛguvistara. These two families
of priests were held in high esteem for their power of tapas389
. Just
like the Aṅgirasas, the Bhṛgus were ancient fire-priests who were
associated with the Ṛgveda also. In the Gopathabrāhmaṇa, the
Vaitānasūtra, the Atharvavedapariśiṣṭas and in the Atharvasaṁhitā
386
Cf., Bali, S.K., Historical and Critical Studies in the Atharvaveda,
p.41. 387
Cf., etadvai bhuyiṣṭhaṁ brahma yad bhṛgvaṅgirasaḥ,
Gopathabrāhmaṇa,1.3.4. 388
Cf., Cūlikā Upaniṣad, 11. 389
Cf., Vājasaneyisaṁhitā, I.15; ŚB. ,1.2.1.3.
itself occurs the word Brahmaveda as a name of this Vedic text390
.
This name also occurs in the Sāṁkhyāyanagṛhyasūtra391 of the
Ṛgveda. Amṛtaveda is another name for this Veda392
. The Bṛhadāra-
ṇyakopaniṣad contains passages in which the four Vedas have been
alluded to by the terms uktha, yajus, sāma and kṣatra393
. Thus in this
text the Atharvaveda appears to have been referred to as Kṣatraveda
i.e. the Veda of the Kṣatriyas. In later times the association of the
Atharvaveda with royalty was quite well known. According to the
Viṣṇupurāṇa it was imperative for the kings to perform śānti and
pauṣṭika rituals as per Atharvaveda -paurahityaṁ śāntika pauṣṭikāni
rājñām atharvavedena kārayet /394
Because of its contents known as Bhaiṣajyāni the Atharvaveda refers
to itself as Bhaiṣajyaveda395
. A reference to this Veda as a Veda of
medicines also occurs in the Tāṇḍyamahābrāhmaṇa396
of the
Sāmaveda. Furthermore in the Gopatha, the Śatapatha and the
Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa, Atharvaveda has been hailed as Sarvavidyā397.
390
Cf., GB., 1.1.22; 1.2.16; 1.2.19; 1.5.15; 1.5.19 and 2.2.6; Vait.,1.1;
AV. , X.2.28--30. 391
Cf., Sāṁkhyāyanagṛhyasūtra, 1.16.3. 392
See GB., 1.3.4. 393
Cf., BṛU, 5.13.1—4; ŚB. 14.8.14.1—4. 394
Cf., As quoted by Bali, Historical and Critical Studies in the
Atharvaveda, p.47. 395
Cf., AV., XI.8.14. 396
Cf., Tāṇḍyamahābrāhmaṇa, 12.9.10. 397
Cf., GB.,1.2.18; 1.5.11,15,19; ŚB., 14.6.7.18; TB., 3.10.11.4.
Atharvaveda appears to have received this appellation because of its
association with the priest brahmā who was known as
sarvavidya398
He was called so because of his knowledge of all the
three types of Vedic Mantras. Further, the Gopathabrahmaṇa calls
this Veda Amṛtaveda, because this Brāhmaṇa considers the words
bheṣaja, amṛta and brahma as synonymous399
.
In his Nyāyamañjarī, Jayantabhaṭṭa has given the Atharvaveda the
status of the foremost Veda –tat atharvaveda eva prathama…/ 400.
According to him Atharvaveda should be considered as the foremost
of the Vedas because the praṇava (omkāra) was born out of it. This
view of Jayantabhaṭṭa has for its basis a passage from the
Gopathabrāhmaṇa which describes the birth of Om from the
Atharvaveda. There it is said that Om was born when it was heated by
Svayambhū Brahman401. A question may be raised in this context as
to how is it that Jayantabhaṭṭa believed that the Atharvaveda should be
considered as the foremost Veda simply because Om is said to have
been born out of it. The answer to this question may be sought in the
importance attached omkāra in Vedic texts. According to Jaiminīya
Upaniṣadbrāhmaṇa, Om is the only syllable, the sap (rasa) of which
398
Cf., Nirukta, 1.8. 399
Cf., GB., 1.3.4. 400
Cf., Nyāyamañjarī,Atharvavedaprāmānyanirupaṇam,Ᾱhnika 4, 401
Cf., GB .,1.1.5; Gopathabrāhmaṇa happens to be the first Vedic
text containing a detailed discussion on the creation and importance of
Om.
could not be taken away even by Prajāpati—athaiksyaivā, kṣarasya
rasaṁ [prajāpati] nā’śakrodādātum omityetasyaiva. According to this
Brāhmaṇa Om is the heaven triviṣṭapa of the Vedas and it also
represents trayīvidyā402. According to the Śatapathabrāhmaṇa Om is
the symbol of truth known to the gods403
. In the Kauśitakībrāhmaṇa
omkāram has been equated with brahmā and is called the symbol of
both heaven and earth404
.
Jayantabhaṭṭa has also referred to a tradition that prevailed in Vedic
India--- a tradition which indicates the importance of the Atharvaveda
in Vedic society405
. As per the tradition recorded in the
Gopathabrāhmaṇa, a person whose upanayana was done as per
Atharvavedic injunction becomes eligible to study any one of the
other three Vedas, but one whose upanayana was performed as per
any one of these three Vedas cannot study the Atharvaveda406
.
From the above discussion it becomes clear that the fourth Veda has
been accorded great importance in Vedic literature as well as in Vedic
society. Moreover, various designations given to the Atharvaveda are
indicative of its popularity among the Vedic people. For instance, the
402
Cf., Jaiminīya Upaniṣadbrāhmaṇa, 1.1.6; 3.19.7 and 1.18.10. 403
Cf., ŚB.,4.3.2.16. 404
Cf. ,Kauśitakībrāhmaṇa, 11.4 and 14.3. 405
Cf., Jayantabhaṭṭa, Nyāyamañjarī, Atharvavedaprāmānya-
nirupaṇam, Ᾱhnika 4, 406
Cf., bhṛgvaṅgirovidā saṁskṛto’nyān vedānadhīyīta, nānyatra saṁskṛto bhṛgvaṅgiraso’dhīyīta, GB.,1.1.29.
oldest name of the Atharvaveda viz. atharvāṅgirasaḥ denotes the two
honorable Ṛṣis who possessed great respect during Vedic period.
Same is the case with the name bhṛgvaṅgirasaḥ. Indeed, having a
relation with these two ancient Ṛṣis, the Atharvaveda must have
attracted great respect and importance in Vedic society.
Although, the Atharvaveda has less relation to the great Vedic
sacrifices, yet the qualities of brahmā the supervising priest of the
rituals stand testimony to the importance of the Atharvaveda in the
priestly circle.
b) STATUS OF THE ATHARVAVEDA IN VEDIC STUDIES:
The wide varieties of topics dealt within the Atharvaveda have
accorded this work a unique position in Vedic literature. The contents
of no other Vedic text have been arranged into such a wide category
topics like bhaiṣajyāni, āyuṣyāni, pauṣṭikāni, strīkarmāni,
rājakarmāni, prāyaścittāni and so on. As it has already been stated the
oldest designation of this Veda viz. Atharvāṅgirasa points to the
general nature of its contents as benevolent and malevolent. Another
designation of Atharvaveda viz. Aṅgiroveda seems to have been
coined to indicate the unique nature of this Veda as a storehouse of
spells and incantations by and against enemies and rivals, against
disease causing agents and death and the like. The word abhicāra has
been used in the sense of such spells, although the word occurs in the
Atharvasaṁhitā only four times and once the word abhicārin407.
Sāyaṇa has interpreted this word as hiṁsā prayoga and
māraṇakarma408
. The benevolent incantations on the otherhand are
meant for bringing peace, prosperity, harmony and happiness. These
two types of contents of this Veda reflect the expectations, aspirations,
the desires, likes and dislikes of the common masses. As such the
Atharvavedasaṁhitā is of great value for a socio-cultural study of
Vedic India. For this Veda introduces the reader to a cultural milieu
which is very different from the one reflected in the other three Vedas.
As it has been rightly pointed out by Winternitz, the greatest
importance of the Atharvaveda lies in its character as a source of
ethnology. Winternitz says “it is an invaluable source of knowledge of
the real popular belief as yet, uninfluenced by the priestly religion”409.
In this context Winternitz has also drawn the attention of the reader to
the remarkable affinity between the magical spells and practices of the
Atharvanic society and those of the German people of by gone days
and has referred to the view of Kuhn who believed that the Garman
and Indian magic songs can provides “a clue to a kind of prehistoric
poetry of the Indo-European”410. Winternitz has also referred to
surprising similarity between the Atharvanic spells and incantation
407
Cf., AV., VIII.2.26; X.3.7; XI.1.22;XIX.9.9 and X.1.9. 408
Cf., Sāyaṇa on Ibid., VIII.2.26 and XI.1.22. 409
Cf., Winternitz, M., A History of Indian Literature, translated from
the original German by S.Ketkar, Vol. I. part.I, Calcutta, 1962. 410
Cf., Ibid., p.118.
with those of non-European people of North America, Africa, Malay
and Mangolia411
. As such, the Atharvavedasaṁhitā becomes a
potential source of primary data for researches in Vedic ethnology.
The Atharvaveda is a veritable source of knowledge in the fields of
ancient Indian medicine, human psychology, philosophy, the social
set up of the Vedic Aryans, ancient Indian polity, myths and legends,
astronomy, geographical data, the nature of Vedic poetry and so on.
The Atharvaveda is traditionally looked upon as the source of
Ᾱyurveda. In the Gopathabrāhmaṇa the atharvan have been equated
with medicine412
. In the Suśrutasaṁhitā Ᾱyurveda has been referred to
as an upaveda of the Atharvaveda413
. In its practice Ᾱyurveda draws
ideas from the Atharvaveda. Its relation to Atharvaveda has been
stated by Roy in the following manner – “a) twofold objective of the
curing of disease and the attainment of a long life and b) anatomical
and physiological ideas”. She has mentioned the affinity of the idea of
the three fold bodily channels of Ᾱyurveda with that of the
Atharvaveda. While Atharvaveda mentions three types of ducts viz.
hirā, dhamani and nāḍi, Ᾱyurveda speaks of śirā, dhamanī and nāḍi.
411
Cf., Ibid., p.112. 412
Cf., ye atharvāṇastad bheṣajam, 1.3.4. 413
Cf., iha khalvāyurvedo nāma yadupāṅgamatharvavedasya,
Suśrutasaṁhitā, 1.3.
The concept of the five Prāṇas is also common to both of them. Both
recognize ojas as the vital element in the human body414
.
An elaborate account of diseases both common and uncommon has
been given in this Saṁhitā. Besides the diseases a large variety of
medicinal plants and creepers have been mentioned. Human anatomy
too has been dealt with in this Veda, though in a rather archaic
manner415
. The Bhaiṣajyasūktas seem to have largely contributed to
the development of later Ᾱyurvedic texts and Caraka has
acknowledged the influence of these hymns on his work416
.The
fundamentals of the science of human psychology too seem to have
found their place in the Atharvasaṁhitā. For it mentions a variety of
human emotions and instincts such as kāma, bhaya, manyu, dveṣa,
īrṣā, arāti, tṛṣṇā, kṣudhā spardhā and curiosity417
.
414
Cf., Roy, Mira, Ᾱyurveda, The Cultural Heritage of India, Ed.By,
P. Roy and S.N.Sen, Vol. VI. Calcutta, 1991, pp. 155—156. 415
Cf., Karambelkar, V.W., op. cit., pp. 76—89
Also see, Diksit, L.D., Atharvaved me cikitsā vijñān, Historical and
Critical Studies in the Atharvaveda, Ed. By, S. Bali, Delhi, 1981,
p.209. 416
Cf., Carakasaṁhitā, 1.30.20—21. 417
Cf., AV., I.34; II.30; VI.8,42,64,73; VII.38,52; VIII.9.2; II.15;
VI.50; IV.31,7; X.8.44; XIX.27.14;XIX.44.1; VI.42,43;
IV.31,32;I.20.1; I.21.4; IX.52; VI.18.2,3; VII.45;74.3; I.18.1;V.7;
VIII.2.12; IV.17.6; VII.27, 113; IV.22.1; VI.15.2; III.11.1; IV.2; V.11
etc.
So far as the hymns of theological and cosmogonic nature are
concerned, even Winternitz who feels that most of these compositions
lack originality of thought, has admitted that fairly developed
metaphysical thoughts appear in the Atharvavedasaṁhitā418 with the
social customs, moral and ethical values, the caste system, the codes
of conduct meant for various casts, the occupations of the people and
the like. The masses were known by the word viśaḥ and were divided
into two broad classes—the Aryans and the Śūdras. The Aryans
belonged to the upper three castes which were apparently dominated
by the Brahmins who looked upon themselves as per with the
Devas419
. In this connection one should mention the position of the
Vrātyas who were accorded quite a high position in the Atharvanic
society. The entire fifteenth kāṇḍa of the Atharvasaṁhitā has been
devoted to this class of people. Scholars consider the Vrātyas as
forming a non-Aryan tribe. These people had their own culture and
their habits were different from those of the Aryans420
. Probably they
were elevated to the position of deities in the Atharvavedic society421
.
Priesthood was the chief office of the Brahmins. According to
Atharvavedic tradition the primary qualification of a purohita should
418
Cf., Radhakrishan, Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, Delhi,2008, p.93. 419
Cf., AV., XII.5.8; IV. 20.4; II. 15.4; XIX.6.1—16, 32.8; V.17.9;
VI.58.2; XI.1.23 etc. 420
Cf., Chaudhury, R., The Vrātyas In Ancient India, Varanasi, 1964,
p.4. 421
Cf., AV., XV. 1.4.
be expertise in magic both benevolent and malevolent. A king by rule
was required to appoint such a purohita422
. While the Kṣatriyas
formed the ruling class, trade and commerce, agriculture and cattle
rearing were carried out by the Vaiśyas. And the duty of the Sūdras
was to serve the three upper classes423
. Other professionals were
physicians, chariot-builders, fishermen, metal workers, barbers, bow-
makers, weather-forecasters, dress-makers, goldsmiths, house-
builders, musicians, dancers, carpenters, professional mourners and so
on424
.
The Atharvasaṁhitā is very rich so far as informations on the life of a
Vedic woman is concerned. No other Saṁhitā has devoted so much of
its space to matters related to woman under the title strīkarmāni.
However, it is still obscure as to, whether these ceremonies were
performed by priests on behalf of woman or were performed by
woman themselves. Girl’s education was prevailed during the
Atharvavedic period. It is mentioned that a girl who has already
observed the brahmacarya is capable of having a good life partner425
.
Similarly a married woman has been accorded the status of an
422
Cf., Kauśikasūtra, 94.2—4. 423
Cf., AV., VII.103; IV.22; III.15 and 17; II.8; IV.15; VI.50,79 and
91; VII.11 and 18; X.6; II. 26 and 34; III. 14, 16 and 28; IV.38.6;
VI.59,72 and 141 etc. 424
Cf., Ibid., V.30; III.5.6; VIII.1.6; 2.17; VI. 112.2, 128; XX.34.4,
47.4; VIII. 1.19; XI.2.11; XII.10.2 etc. 425
Cf., Ibid., XI.7.18.
empress because she has the full responsibility of her husband’s
house426
. There seems to be a reference to polyandry through only in
one verse427
. Likewise, remarriage of a woman also was in vogue in
the society428
. There occurs a reference to an ancient custom of
burning of the widow at the funeral pyre of her dead husband. This
custom has been referred to as dharmaṁ purāṇam in Atharvasaṁhitā
XVIII.3.1. As indicated in the very next verse in which the widow is
asked to get up from the pyre, it seems that the custom of satī as it
became known to later society was not practiced in Vedic India.
The Atharvasaṁhitā consists of a number of myths and legends some
of which are peculiar to this Veda. Some such stories are the legend of
Jamadagni, the description of the First Brāhmin, the dialogues
between Atharva and Varuṇa, the story of the gold amulet tied by the
Dākṣāyanas to Śatānika, the lengthy story of Virāt travelling to
different worlds etc.429
Some other noteworthy myths are – the myth
of Soma and Gāyatrī430, Agni and his three brothers
431, Agni’s escape
426
Cf., Ibid., XIV.1.44. 427
Cf., uta yat patayo daśa striyāḥ pūrve abrāhmaṇāḥ /
brahmā ceddhstamagrahīta sa eva patirekadhā // Ibid.,
V.17.8. 428
Cf., yā pūrvaṁ patiṁ vittvā’thānyaṁ vindate’param / pañcaudanaṁ ca tāvajaṁ dadato na vi yoṣataḥ // Ibid.,
IX.5.27. 429
Cf., Ibid., VI. 137.1; IV. 6.1; V. 11; VII. 104; I.35.1; VIII.10. 430
Cf., Ibid., VI.47 and VI.48 431
Cf., Ibid., I.16.1.
to the waters432
. Trita as a scapegoat433
, marriage of Saraṇyu434
etc.
Although the Atharvanic myths and legends revolve around many of
the Ṛgvedic mythical figures, in this Veda there are presented in the
perspective of man and his destiny, hopes, desires and aspirations.
This Saṁhitā also provides the reader geographical data of Vedic
India. Internal evidence shows that the Atharvavedic Aryans seem to
have spread from the land of the seven rivers to the marshy land of
Ganges basin435. They knew the rivers like Yamunā, Paruṣṇi and
Varaṇāvatī436. The tiger which was unknown to the Ṛgvedic people
was known to them437
. In the Atharvasaṁhitā one comes across the
names of the lands of tribes like Balhika, Mahāvṛṣa, Aṅga, Gandhāri,
Magadha and Mujavat438
. Some non-Aryan tribes like the Kirātas and
the Andhakas or Ardakas have also been mentioned439
. Mention of
Aryan like the Kurus, the Śṛñjayas and the Vaitahavyas has also been
made440
.
432
Cf., Ibid., I.25.1. 433
Cf., Ibid., VI.113. 434
Cf., Ibid., III.31.5; XVIII.1.53 435
Cf., Ibid., IV.6.2; VI.3.1. 436
Cf., Ibid., IV.9.10; VI.12.3; IV.7.1. 437
Cf., Ibid., VI.110.3, 140.1. 438
Cf., Ibid., Kāṇḍa, V. 439
Cf., Ibid., V.13.5; X.4.14 and XI.2.7. 440
Cf., Ibid., XX.127.8; V.19.1.
Importance of Atharvasaṁhitā in Vedic studies also lies in its mention
of spherical bodies like the Sun, Moon and the earth441
. The number
of Nakṣatras is given as twenty-eight and the Moon has been counted
as one of them442
. The year and its months, days, seasons have been
mentioned443
. Similarly, the divisions of a day have also been stated as
in IX.6.46. Comets (dhumaketu), Meteor (ulkā), planets (grahaḥ), the
planets rāhu and ketu (ascending and descending nodes), the
constellations of puṣya (pūṣpa) and kālañjaka and the dogs of the
constellation Yama have been referred to444
.
This particular Saṁhitā even provides some data for literary study. As
it has been observed by Winternitz, this Saṁhitā in the midst of its
contents of magic and witchcraft contains some “rare gems of oldest
Indian poetic art”. Along with the Ṛksaṁhitā it provides “us a real
idea of the oldest poetry of the Aryan India”445. In this context one
may refer to Narang who has discussed in detail the use of
Śabdālaṁkāras like chekānuprāsa, yamaka, śleṣa etc. and
441
Cf., Ibid., XII.1.1; XIV.1.1,2; XX.16.10. 442
Cf., Ibid., XIX.9.1;XIV.1.2. 443
Cf., Ibid., VIII.2.21; VI.53.3; IV.35.4; VI.55.2; VIII.2.22; XX.96.9
etc. 444
Cf., Ibid., XIX.9.7—10; V.4.4; VI.95.2; VI.80; XVIII.2.12. 445
Cf., Winternitz. M., A History of Indian Literature, Calcutta
edition, p.138.
Arthālaṁkāras like upamā, rūpaka, ullekha, utprekṣā, atiśayokti and
the like in the Atharvasaṁhitā446
.
The afore stated observations show that the Atharvasaṁhitā occupies
an important position among the four Vedas as a repository of the
cultural heritage of India. Karambelkar has truly observed that the
Atharvaveda can provide research students with an array of valuable
data. He says “Not only, as the Veda, does it deserve attention but also
its study is essential for a full understanding of the Indo-Aryan
culture”447. The Atharvaveda depicts all vicissitudes of Vedic people
from their birth to funeral rites. Modak has declared that “the
Atharvaveda has the importance of being an interesting
anthropological document also”448
446
Cf., Narang.S., Figures of Speech In The Atharvaveda, Historical
and Critical Studies in the Atharvaveda, Ed. By, S.K. Bali, pp.111—128. 447
Cf., Karambelkar, V.W., op. cit., p.ix. 448
Cf., Modak, B.R., Journal of The Karnatak University, Vol. III.
No.2, June, 1959, p.100.