Essay name: Atharvaveda ancillary literature (Study)
Author:
B. R. Modak
Affiliation: Savitribai Phule Pune University / Department of Sanskrit and Prakrit Languages
The essay studies the ancillary literature of the Atharva-Veda with special reference to the Parisistas. It does so by understanding the socio-cultural and philosophical aspects of ancient Indian life. The Atharvaveda addresses encompasses all practical aspects of life from health and prosperity to rituals and sorcery.
Chapter 1 - Ancillary Literature of the Atharvaveda (other than the Parisistas)
95 (of 255)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
122
Phalguna. The deities to whom prayers 35 and oblations
The first
are offered in this sacrifice are Agni, Soma, Savitr, Saras-
vati, Pu峁n, Maruts, Visvedevas, and Dy盲v盲p峁泃hivi.
five of these are taken together with the other prescribed
deities in the remaining three sacrifices. Thick clotted
milk prepared by putting curds into hot milk is offered to
these deities and the watery portion thereof is offered to
the horses (v膩jin) with the mantra: arv盲cinam vasuvidam
36 It is smelt by the priests and is partaken of by the sacrificer.
The second sacrifice, called Varu峁嘺praghasa parva, is performed
on the full-moon-day of Asadha. The deities invoked in this
sacrifice are the first five from the above list with the
addition of Indragni, Varuna, Maruts and Ka i.e. Prajapati.
(kan岣峣k膩 8).
The third Sacrifice among the Caturm盲syas is called
S膩kamedha parva and is performed on the full-moon-day of
K盲rttika and the day preceding to it. This is comparatively
a longer parva. On the first day the two ajyabh膩gas are
offered together with the pradhanahoma, svi峁ａ弓ak峁泃 and the
ida offering. On the second day offerings are made to the
first five deities from the above list in addition to
Indragni. Oblations are offered to the manes by having the
37 sacred thread in the pitrupavite position and to the
(35) The mantras employed here are AV V.24.2,1; VII.68.1,
9.1; V.24.6; VI. 52.14 and V.24.3.
(36) AV III.10.6ed.
(37) Usually it is called pr盲cin盲vita or apasavya. It is
only in the Atharvanic texts that the word pitryupavita
occurs. Cf. Kaus. 87.26; GB I.3.12.
