Atharvveda Samhita - General Knowledge of Ancient History: The main point, Theme and Features, Branches, Cover Page Of Atharvaveda, Creation Time, Discription, Kandas.
Atharvveda Samhita
The fourth Veda of Sanatan Dharma is the code of Atharvveda i.e. Mantra part. This Veda is also called Brahmaveda. In this, along with the praise of the gods, there are also mantras of medicine, science and philosophy. It has been said about the Atharvveda code that the king in whose kingdom a scholar who knows the Atharvaveda is engaged in the work of establishing peace, that nation continues to progress without disturbance.
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Theme and Features
In this Veda, geography, astronomy, botany, innumerable herbs, Ayurveda, diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases, fundamental principles of economics, secret elements of politics, glory of national land and national language, surgery, diseases arising from worms. Explanation of diseases, remedies to remove death, salvation, reproduction-science etc. are representations of hundreds of philanthropic subjects. From the point of view of Ayurveda, the importance of Atharvaveda is highly commendable. In the Atharvaveda, both peace-affirming and ritualistic rituals are described. There are total 20 kandas, 730 suktas and 5987 mantras in Atharvaveda. The high class deities of Rigveda have got secondary place in this Veda. From the point of view of the history of religion, both Rigveda and Atharvaveda have great value. It is clear from the Atharvaveda that in course of time the worship of nature had been neglected among the Aryans and belief in ghosts and spirits and tantra-mantras had started.
Branches
According to Charanvyuh Granth, there are nine branches of Atharvasamhita- 1. Papal, 2. Dant, 3. Prant, 4. Snaat, 5. Soul, 6. Brahmadabal, 7. Shaunak, 8. Devdarshat, 9. Charanvidya
Cover Page Of Atharvaveda
Based on the language and form of the Atharvaveda, it is believed that this Veda was composed later. Almost all the hymns transmitted in the two texts of the Atharvaveda, Shaunaka and Pappalada, are composed in verses of the hymns of the Rigveda. Apart from this there is no similarity between the two Vedas. The Atharvaveda expresses tantric religious concerns of daily life, in contrast to the more priestly tone of the Rigveda, which glorifies great gods and describes the inspired vision of poets under the influence of Soma.
Creation Time
The Vedic priestly class did not consider it at par with the other three Vedas because of its ignorance of Yagyas and gods. It got this status much later. Its language is clearly later than that of the Rigveda and in many places resembles that of the Brahmanical texts. Hence it was built around 1000 BC. can be considered. It was composed by 'Athvarna' and 'Angiras' sages. That is why Atharvveda is also called 'Atharvangiras Veda'. Apart from this, Atharvaveda is also known by other names-
(1) It is called 'Atharvangiras' Veda in Gopath Brahmin.
(2) Due to the subject of Brahma, it is also called 'Brahmaveda'.
(3) Due to the description of Ayurveda, medicine, medicines etc., it is also called 'Pharmaceutical Veda'.
(4) 'Prithvisukta' is the most important hymn of this Veda. For this reason it is also called 'Mahiveda'.
Description
Parikshit has been called the king of the Kurus in the Atharvaveda and a good description of the prosperity of the Kuru country is found in it. In this Veda, there is coordination of Arya and Non-Arya ideologies. This Veda has special importance in the later Vedic period. The mature form of the philosophical ideas of Rigveda is derived from this Veda. The edict of peace and nutritious karma is also found in this Veda. The most notable subject in Atharvaveda is 'Medicine'. Apart from this, information about 'bacteriology' and 'medicines' etc. is obtained from this Veda. Strong rendering of national spirit through Bhoomi Sukta has happened for the first time in this Veda.
Kandas
- The first to the seventh cantos contain tantra-mantra prayers for specific purposes – spells for long life, healing, curses, love spells, prayers for prosperity, intimacy with the knowers of Brahman, success in Veda study, to become a king Mantra and atonement for sin.
- The eighth to twelfth cantos contain similar texts, but also include the Cosmic Suktas, which continue the Suktas of the Rigveda and lead to the more complex contemplation of the Upanishads. For example, the concept of the importance of breath or pranavayu, of great significance to the Upanishads, and the contemplation of the self associated with universal existence were first found in the Atharva Veda.
- Cantos 13 to 20 contain cosmic principles (canto 13), marriage prayers (canto 14), funeral incantations (canto 18) and other magical and ritual incantations.
- The 15th Kanda is interesting, glorifying the Vratyas, an unformed Aryan group who did not recite the Vedas, but nevertheless had respectable ritual and contemplative traditions. Not only this, Vratyas are swamiswaroop and in the event of receiving the hospitality of a king, they are considered worthy of blessing the king. This part of the Atharvaveda, as well as other Yajurveda passages, describes the primary organizational principles of Vedic composition and the importance of hospitality, one of the later Indian rituals.
Other Aphorisms
Another hymn of the Atharvaveda describes and praises the structure of the human body. The classical Indian system of medicine, Ayurveda, traces its origins to the Atharva Veda because of the general Atharva Vedic thought associated with this hymn and treatment. But this claim is not supported by the scriptures and neither the principles of Ayurveda are found in the Vedas nor the tantric or ritualistic remedies of the Atharvaveda are found in Ayurveda. Nevertheless, the beginning of the work of systematizing and classifying medical treatments can be considered from the Atharvaveda.
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Ancient History