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)
20 (of 459)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
301
brahmanical stamp. This is clear from the fact that
Brahmanas are held in high honour and even a king is asked
to worship them 44. It is stated that even great kings like
Iksvaku became luminaries in the heaven (after death) by
A Brahmana is said to
giving away gold to the Brahmanas
46 45
be the best among men and the birth as a Brahmana is said
to be difficult to obtain"
47. Even the Sun is said to shine
in the heaven through the favour of the Brahmanas, and it is
also due to this favour that Indra is said to outshine the
other gods 48. Many of the Parisistas concern themselves
mainly with the giving of gifts to the Br膩hma峁嘺s 49.
Similarly the pacificatory rites to be performed for overt-
ing the evil effects of the omens are often characterised
by the giving away of ample daksina to the Brahmanas
50 (44) Cf. AVP 68.5.19:
啶啶班啶距え啶距ぎ啶く啶� 啶膏ぎ啷嵿く啶椸 啶︵ぞ啶く啷囙い啷� 啶啶ムた啶掂啶い啶苦啷�
啶呧え啶ㄠ啶むぐ啶� 啶椸さ啶距 啶啶溹ぞ 啶啶班ぞ啶灌啶ぃ啶距え啶距 啶掂た啶多啶粪い啶� 啷�
( [praj膩n膩mamaya峁� samyag d膩payet p峁泃hiv墨pati岣
anantara峁� gav膩峁� p奴j膩 br膩hma峁嚹乶膩峁� vi艣e峁ta岣� ||
(] 45) AVP 13.5.4.
(46) AVP 41.5.1.
(47) AVP 41.6.4.
(48) AVP 13.5.2.
(49) e.g. Ch峁泃膩vek峁峁嘺 (8), Tiladhenuvidhi (9), Bhumidana
(10), Tul膩purusavidhi (11), Adityamandaka (12),
Hastirthadanavidhi (15), Gosahasravidhi (16), etc.
(50) AVP 55.5.6; 58.1.13; 62.4.6; 64.10.10; 67.8.2-3; 71.19.
8; 72.5.2, etc.
