One peculiar rite is the Viṣāsahi Vrata, performed with the mantras of the XVII kāṃḍa in a spell against female rivals.Ītharva Veda contains mantras for white magic (defensive magic) as well as black magic (offensive magic). There are also hymns that are specific to rituals of the bhṛgu-aṅgirasas, vrātyas and kṣatriyas. The major rituals covered by the Atharva Veda are marriage in kāṃḍa – XIV and the funeral in kāṃḍa – XVIII. This approach to disease is quite different compared to the trihumoral theory of Ayurveda.Ītharva Veda suggests germs as a cause for leprosy and also talks about Anti-Biotics.Ī variety of devices, such as an arrow with a duct for poison ( apāskambha) and castor bean poison, poisoned net and hook traps, use of disease-spreading insects and smoke screen.Ībhicarika Prayoga, Deployment of Black Magic. The Atharvans seek to kill them with a variety of incantations or plant-based drugs in order to counter the disease. It identifies the causes of disease as living causative agents such as the yatudhāna, the kimīdin, the krimi or kṛmi and the durṇāma. śaunakīya, regions north of the Narmada RiverĪtharva Veda is the first Indic text dealing with medicine.paippalāda, regions south of the Narmada River.There are two surviving recensions ( śākhās), known as Śaunakīya (AVS) and Paippalāda (AVP) In the Late Vedic Gopatha Brahmana, it is attributed to the Bhrigu and Angirasa.Īdditionally, tradition ascribes parts to other rishis, such as Kauśika, Vasiṣṭha and Kaśyapa. The Atharvaveda was mainly composed by two groups of rishis known as the Atharvanas and the Angirasa.
The name Atharva Veda is a compound of Atharva, the Rishi who compiled it and Veda, meaning Knowledge. Practitioners of Atharva Veda are now limited and they are found mostly in Maharashtra and Kerala, Gujarat.Īs compared to the other three Vedas, the Atharva Veda speaks more of Daily problems and solutions, like diseases,black magic. It is three times bigger than Yajur Veda or Sama Veda.įrom the preliminary analysis of the text, it is revealed that Atharva Veda was centered around the northern Sarasvati region and later became the text of the shamans in the Kuru kingdom which got established to the east of Sarasvati (in Haryana). Thus Atharva Veda is a little more than half the size of Rig Veda. There are 10552 verses in Rig Veda and around 5987 verses (varies slightly based on recessions) in Atharva Veda. It is not Athavana Veda as most people pronounce it.Ītharveda is not as large as the Rug Veda. Of the Four Vedas, the Scriptures of the Hindus,the Ataharva Veda is less known as compared to Rig,Yajur and Sama Vedas.