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.