ALL ABOUT ATHARVA VEDA - 10 INTERESTING FACTS

In this article, we will delve into the interesting facts about the Atharva Veda and explore its significance in Hinduism.

1. DEFINITION AND ORIGIN OF ATHARVA VEDA

The Atharva Veda is one of the four sacred texts of Hinduism, also known as the Vedas. The name is Atharva Veda is derived from the words "atharvāṇas" and "Veda", which mean "knowledge storehouse of atharvāṇas". The Atharva Veda is seen as a representation of "popular religion", encompassing a range of rituals for important events. It is thought of as the source of knowledge for day-to-day procedures.

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2. LANGUAGE AND STRUCTURE OF ATHARVA VEDA

The language of the Atharva Veda is different from the Vedic Sanskrit and is considered to preserve pre-Vedic Indo-European archaisms. The text is a collection of 730 hymns, containing about 6,000 mantras, divided into 20 books. The text is mainly in verse form. There are two surviving recensions of the text – the Paippalāda and the Śaunakīya. The Paippalāda edition was believed to have been lost, but a well-preserved version was discovered among a collection of palm-leaf manuscripts in Odisha in 1957.

3. THE "VEDA OF MAGICAL FORMULAS"

The Atharva Veda is often referred to as the "Veda of magical formulas". This description, however, is considered incorrect by some scholars. In contrast to the more formal religion described in the other three Vedas, the Atharva Veda is believed to reflect a more widespread, popular belief system. It contains not only magical spells, but also rituals for significant life events such as initiation into education, marriage, and funerals. The text also includes rituals and duties of the court priests and royal rituals.

4. THE FINAL LAYER OF TEXT AND THE UPANISHADS

Along with the Samhita layer of text, the Atharva Veda includes the Gopatha Brahmana text and three primary Upanishads: Mundaka, Mandukya, and Prashna. The Mundaka Upanishad is a poetic-style Upanishad with 64 verses for teaching and meditation on spiritual knowledge. The Mandukya Upanishad discusses the syllable Om, states of consciousness, and the existence and nature of Atman. The Prashna Upanishad, from the Paippalada school, contains six questions with philosophical discussions and symbolism.

5.      DATING AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The Atharva Veda is dated between ca. 900 BCE and c. 1200/1000 BCE, and was accepted as the fourth Veda much later than the first three Vedas, according to ancient Indian traditions. While the early Buddhist Nikaya texts only recognize three Vedas, the ultimate acceptance of Atharva Veda as the fourth Veda probably took place in the second half of the 1st millennium BCE. The hymns of Atharva Veda were already in existence by the time the Chandogya Upanishad was completed but were referred to as "hymns of Atharvangirasah."

6.      CONTENT OF ATHARVA VEDA

The Atharva Veda is comprised of various Mantras that can be grouped into three broad categories based on their subject matter:

a)      Healing diseases and eliminating negative forces,

b)      Promoting peace, protection, health, wealth, friendship, and longevity, and

c)      Exploring the nature of the Supreme Reality, time, death, and immortality.

Scholar Bloomfield has further categorized the subjects of the Atharva Veda into various groups, such as Bhashijya, Paushtika, Prayashctta, Rajakarma, Strikarma, Darshana, and Kuntapa

7.      ATHARVA VEDA'S INFLUENCE ON ANCIENT INDIAN MEDICINE

The Atharvaveda played a crucial role in the development of ancient Indian medicine and continues to be revered by practitioners. Rishi Sushruta, a renowned physician, credited the Atharvaveda as a foundation of his contributions to surgical studies. The roots of Ayurveda, the traditional medical and health care practice in India, are said to be in texts such as the Caraka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, which emphasize the significance of the Vedas, especially the Atharvaveda.

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8.      ATHARVAN AND ANGIRAS

The Atharva Veda is also known as Atharvangiras Veda or Bhriguangiras Veda. It contains a mix of both medicine and witchcraft. The Atharvan section focuses on holy magic, which brings happiness and is used for healing diseases, while Angira's section is dedicated to hostile magic, or black magic, and includes curses against enemies and evil magicians. The name Atharvangirasah refers to the two types of magic formulae that form the chief contents of the Atharva Veda. The later name Atharva Veda is an abbreviation of "Veda of the Atharvans and Angiras".

9.      OTHER NAMES

The Atharva Veda is also called the Atharvangiras Veda and the Bhriguangiras Veda. It has several other names, including Brahma Veda, because of its examination of Brahman as the ultimate reality, and Bhisagveda, because it covers topics related to diseases and their treatments. Additionally, the Atharva Veda is known as Ksatraveda due to its inclusion of mantras that describe the duties of warriors in defending their homeland.

10.  SPECIAL STATUS OF BRAHMINS

Atharva Veda is known for placing the Brahmins at the highest position in the caste hierarchy, even referring to them as gods on earth. One of the most notable aspects of Atharva Veda is its collection of hymns and songs of white magic, which were written by ancient Brahmin priests. The charms and magic formulas contained in Atharva Veda were heavily influenced by the Brahmins, with a significant portion of the text dedicated to catering to their interests, fees, and food. The text also contains a charm against field vermin that mentions that insects must leave the crops untouched, as the Brahmin is not supposed to touch the food used for sacrifice.

https://blog.mindvalley.com/atharva-veda/

https://www.dailypioneer.com/2013/state-editions/atharva-veda-is-a-great-mine-of-indian-wisdom.html

https://iie.chitkara.edu.in/index.php/iie/article/view/15/1

https://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/atharvaveda-samhitas/