Of the Four Vedas, the Scriptures of the Hindus,the Ataharva Veda is less known as compared to Rig,Yajur and Sama Vedas.
It is not Athavana Veda as most people pronounce it.
Atharveda is not as large as the Rug Veda.
There are 10552 verses in Rig Veda and around 5987 verses (varies slightly based on recessions) in Atharva Veda.
Thus Atharva Veda is a little more than half the size of Rig Veda.
It is three times bigger than Yajur Veda or Sama Veda.
From 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).
Practitioners of Atharva Veda are now limited and they are found mostly in Maharashtra and Kerala, Gujarat.
As compared to the other three Vedas, the Atharva Veda speaks more of Daily problems and solutions, like diseases,black magic.
The name Atharva Veda is a compound of Atharva, the Rishi who compiled it and Veda, meaning Knowledge.
The Atharvaveda was mainly composed by two groups of rishis known as the Atharvanas and the Angirasa.
Hence its oldest name is Ātharvāṅgirasa. In the Late Vedic Gopatha Brahmana, it is attributed to the Bhrigu and Angirasa.
Additionally, tradition ascribes parts to other rishis, such as Kauśika, Vasiṣṭha and Kaśyapa.
There are two surviving recensions (śākhās), known as Śaunakīya (AVS) and Paippalāda (AVP)
The Schools,Shakas.
- paippalāda, regions south of the Narmada River
- stauda
- mauda
- śaunakīya, regions north of the Narmada River
- jājala
- jalada
- kuntap
- brahmavada
- devadarśa
- cāraṇavaidyā
Disease and Medicines in Atharva Veda.
Atharva Veda is the first Indic text dealing with medicine.
It identifies the causes of disease as living causative agents such as the yatudhāna, the kimīdin, the krimi or kṛmi and the durṇāma.
The Atharvans seek to kill them with a variety of incantations or plant-based drugs in order to counter the disease .
This approach to disease is quite different compared to the trihumoral theory of Ayurveda.
Atharva Veda suggests germs as a cause for leprosy and also talks about Anti-Biotics.
Atharva Veda also talks about Warfare.
A 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.
Abhicarika Prayoga, Deployment of Black Magic.
The major rituals covered by the Atharva Veda are marriage in kāṃḍa – XIV and the funeral in kāṃḍa – XVIII.
There are also hymns that are specific to rituals of the bhṛgu-aṅgirasas, vrātyas and kṣatriyas.
One peculiar rite is the Viṣāsahi Vrata, performed with the mantras of the XVII kāṃḍa in a spell against female rivals.
Atharva Veda contains mantras for white magic (defensive magic) as well as black magic (offensive magic).
It deals with rivalries between women in relationship with the same man, rivalries between two men, attracting /seducing a man by a woman or a woman by a man and suggests incantations that can be used in such situations.
Atharva Veda Black magic and Western Black magic.
Many of the hymns in Atharva Veda containing invocations to cure diseases or to ward of diseases and magical incantations to defend against evils done by enemies or to proactively attack evil-doers indicates a religion and philosophy which has its parallels in the Shamanic traditions in the whole world.
Since Atharva Veda is the oldest text describing these practices and since it is still preserved without much modification, it is possible that Shamanic traditions worldwide have their origins in the Atharva Vedic religion.
This could mean that the Shamaic traditions in Europe such as those in Ireland, Belgium etc could have its origins in the Atharva Vedic-homeland in Saraswati-Ganga basins.
Similar traditions are also found in the southern India and in various pockets of central and eastern India.
This situation however can also be explained without a migration scenario.
It is possible that the Shamanic traditions well-preserved in Atharva Veda was one important part of the global Shamanic traditions that had already spread throughout Asia, Africa and Europe during the early days of awakening of the human civilization.
Atharva Veda Text in English by Ralph T.H.Griffith.
Citation.
http://ancientvoice.wikidot.com/article:atharva-veda
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