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 2a - The nature of the Parisistas (of the Atharvaveda)
103 (of 459)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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384
mantras and wishes welfare to the king and the dominion, the
Brahmanas and the cows.
Then a conch is sounded, the lamp is taken away and a
stream of water is poured out by the priest or by the
astrologer or by a well-wishing, obliged nurse. Then the
king sips water and goes to sleep. In the morning the king
offers gold according to his capacity to the Brahmanas. This
ceremony is said to remove the evil effects of black magic
practiced with the help of roots etc. and to bring all happi-
ness if performed every night.
4. The Chrtavekṣaṇa
This ceremony (AVP 8) consists in looking at the image
of the face reflected in a pot filled with clarified butter.
The Purohita approaches the king every morning and causes
the blessings to be pronounced on him. He utters a benedic-
61 tion (svastyayana) by reciting the mantras: yamasya
62 63
lokad..., yatha kalam... and yo na ilvo 'si
64 and
offers into the sacred fire sesame besmeared with clarified
65 butter, to the accompaniment of the Santativa mantras. Then
a pot made of gold, or of silver or of Audumbara wood is
(61) Cf. Raghuvansa 2.70
(62) AV XIX.56.1.
(63) AV XIX.57.1.
(64) AV VI.46.1.
(65) AV XIX. 56.57.
