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The Atharvaveda-蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 holds a unique character in the Vedic literature only because of its diverse contents. As suggested by its very name 础迟丑补谤惫腻峁単颈谤补蝉补岣� [础迟丑补谤惫腻峁単颈谤补蝉], though this Veda contains chiefly two themes, viz. auspicious and terrible, but, the minute study of the hymns leads to the classification of the same into a manifold points. As the hymns are not arranged on the basis of their contents, hence, to classify the vast body on the same ground is not altogether is an easy matter.

The 碍补耻艣颈办补蝉奴迟谤补,^[1] for the first time, from the viewpoint of their ritualistic application, has arranged the hymns into certain groups called 驳补峁嘺. Some such 驳补峁嘺s are, viz. V腻stu驳补峁嘺, M腻t峁洸挡贯箛a, C腻tana驳补峁嘺, M峁沢ara驳补峁嘺, Mah腻艣腻nti驳补峁嘺, 碍补耻艣颈办辞办迟补, V峁沨acch腻nti驳补峁嘺, Varcasya驳补峁嘺, Apar腻jita驳补峁嘺, Mohana驳补峁嘺, Abhaya驳补峁嘺, Abhi峁�eka驳补峁嘺, Salila驳补峁嘺, Bhai峁�ajya驳补峁嘺, A峁僪oli峁僩a驳补峁嘺, 膧yu峁�ya驳补峁嘺, Takyan腻艣a驳补峁嘺, P腻pmah腻驳补峁嘺 and 厂腻峁僲补苍补蝉测腻苍颈, etc.

In modern time, the task of classifying these hymns, was, for the first time, undertaken by Bloomfield,^[2] who, in his first attempt, arranged the hymns into ten classes.

But, further, he divided the hymns under fourteen heads,^[3] which are discussed below.

1. Charms to cure diseases and possession by demons (产丑补颈峁�a箩测腻苍颈 [产丑补颈峁�a箩测补]);
2. Prayers for long life and health (腻测耻峁�y腻峁噄 [腻测耻峁�y补]);
3. Imprecations against demons, sorcerers, and enemies (腻产丑颈肠腻谤颈办腻峁噄 [腻产丑颈肠腻谤颈办补] and 办峁泃测腻辫谤补迟颈丑补谤补峁嚹錸颈 [办峁泃测腻辫谤补迟颈丑补谤补峁嘺]);
4. Charms pertaining to women (蝉迟谤墨办补谤尘腻峁噄);
5. Charms to secure harmony (蝉腻峁僲补苍补蝉测腻苍颈 [蝉腻峁僲补苍补蝉测补]);
6. Charms pertaining to royalty (谤腻箩补办补谤尘腻峁噄 [谤腻箩补办补谤尘补苍]);
7. Prayers and imprecations in the interest of Brahmins (产谤补丑尘补峁噛腻苍颈 [产谤补丑尘补峁噛补]);
8. Charms to secure prosperity (辫补耻峁ａ弓颈办腻苍颈 [辫补耻峁ａ弓颈办补]);
9. Charms in expiation of sin and defilement (辫谤腻测补蝉肠颈迟迟腻苍颈 [辫谤腻测补蝉肠颈迟迟补]);
10. Cosmogonic and theosophic hymns;
11. Ritualistic and general hymns;
12. The books dealing with individual themes;
13. The twentieth book;
14. The 碍耻苍迟腻辫补 hymns;

i. Charms to Cure Diseases and Possession by Demons (产丑补颈峁�a箩测腻苍颈):

The term 产丑补颈峁�a箩测腻苍颈 [产丑补颈峁�a箩测补] appears in the 碍补耻艣颈办补蝉奴迟谤补, which deals with the medicinal hymns of the Atharvaveda in an extensive way. The practices of the 碍补耻艣颈办补蝉奴迟谤补, in this regard, throw remarkable light on the hymns. It was believed that diseases were caused by demons and hence, charms were practised to exorcise them. Some of the chief diseases, treated in this Veda are鈥揓aundice, Dropsy, Diarrhea, inherited diseases, flow of blood, Paralysis, worms, etc. The use of certain plants and amulets to cure the diseases is also recorded in various charms. As for instance, 碍耻峁ａ弓丑补 and 闯补峁単颈岣峚 for fever, 搁补箩补苍墨 and 艢测腻尘腻 for leprosy, Vi峁Ｄ錸ak腻 for diarrhea, P峁浥涐箛ipar峁嚹� against miscarriage, etc.^[4] Thus, the Atharva-veda has contributed a lot to the history of ancient Indian medicine.

ii. Prayers for Long Life and Health (腻yu峁�y腻峁噄):

The hymns, which come under this division, may not strictly be separated from hymns, belonging to the medicinal group. As for instance, the Atharvavedic hymn, 腻yu峁�osi pratara峁嘺峁�鈥�, etc., mainly exhibiting the characteristics of an 腻测耻峁�y补峁�, records a considerable list of diseases. But, these hymns should not be understood as the prayers for the cure of diseases, rather, as the eager endeavour to secure long life up to the ideal age of a hundred years. Such hymns are used by the 碍补耻艣颈办补蝉奴迟谤补 in various ceremonies such as Chu岣嵞錵ara峁嘺, God腻na, Upanayana, etc. Besides, the Atharvanic feature of using amulets is also observed in these hymns with the purpose of imparting long life on the people. In this respect, the amulets, prepared from gold, pearl, Putudru plant, 膧帽箩补苍补, etc., were believed to be efficacious.^[5]

iii. Imprecations against Demons, Sorcerers, and Enemies (腻bhic腻rik腻峁噄 and 办峁泃测腻辫谤补迟颈丑补谤补峁嚹錸颈):

The hymns, enumerated in this class were directed against demons and human sorcerers, abhic腻ra, i.e. witchcraft and y腻tu, i.e. sorcery. This part of the Atharva-veda is related to the sage 础峁単颈谤补蝉. The abhic腻ra hymns were spelled to against the Y腻tudh腻nas, Kim墨dins, Pi艣腻cas, etc., and against some other hostile forces. The witchcraft hymns, intended against human enemies contain invocations to the deities like Agni, Indra and Agni, Indra, Indra and 叠峁沨补蝉辫补迟颈, Soma, etc.

The practices, known as pratyabhic腻ra, i.e. counter-witchcraft also are included in this division.

The recommendation of various plants and amulets to exorcise the evil forces is also observed in the hymns of this class.^[6]

iv. Charms Pertaining to Women (蝉迟谤墨办补谤尘腻峁噄):

A good number of hymns have been included in this section of the Atharvaveda. These hymns have been dealt with by the 碍补耻艣颈办补蝉奴迟谤补 in the fourth chapter. The eventful life of women throughout her lifespan gets reflected in these hymns. The main themes of these hymns are the various observances related to birth, related to love and jealousy, etc.^[7]

v. Charms to Secure Harmony (蝉腻峁僲补苍补蝉测腻苍颈):

To secure harmony in familial, social and political life of the people is the main objective of these hymns. This section of the Atharvaveda includes the hymns, meant to appease anger, to allay discord, strife and bloodshed, to establish harmony in family, between the teacher and the taught, etc.^[8]

vi. Charms Pertaining to Royalty (谤腻箩补办补谤尘腻峁噄):

The hymns of this type are concerned to the royal practices, such as the consecration of a king, election of a king, restoration of an expelled king, a king鈥檚 superiority over other kings, the qualities of a king, etc. In the hymns, related to royalty, Indra has been portrayed as the heavenly prototype of the earthly king and 痴补谤耻峁嘺, as of the royal priest. The battle charms of the Atharva-veda are also included in this category.^[9]

vii. Prayers and Imprecations in the Interest of Br腻hma峁嘺s (产谤补丑尘补峁噛腻苍颈):

The keynote of this class of hymns is the inviolability of the Br腻hma峁嘺s. The injury to a Br腻hma峁嘺鈥檚 wife resulted to the calamity of every sort. The act of offering dak峁�i峁嚹� to the Br腻hma峁嘺s is praised as to be a holy net. Except these, prayers for Medh腻, wisdom and perception are also enumerated in this class.^[10]

viii. Charms to Secure Prosperity (辫补耻峁ａ弓颈办腻苍颈):

A large portion of the hymns of the Atharvaveda has been brought in this section. These hymns form about one fifth of the entire body. The subjects, dealt with in these hymns include invocations and rites with house, field, river, cattle, rain, grain, track, gambling, etc. Charms to ward off misfortune and the use of an amulet from the skin of a serpent to turn aside calamity and danger from one鈥檚 life have also been reckoned in this section.^[11]

ix. Charms in Expiation of Sin and Defilement (辫谤腻测补蝉肠颈迟迟腻苍颈):

Near about forty hymns of the Atharvaveda come under this division. These hymns deal with expiations for the defects in sacrifice; for the non-payments of debts; for the debts of gambling; for the sins, caused by sorcery practices; for the child, born under an unlucky star; for the appearance of the upper teeth for the first time and in case of bad dreams, etc.^[12]

x. Cosmogonic and Theosophic Hymns:

Some of the Atharvavedic hymns, somewhat different from the above mentioned groups, containing cosmogonic and theosophic ideas, are included in this group. Though these hymns are scattered over the different books of the Atharva-veda, yet, most of them are available in the books eighteenth and nineteenth. The theosophic hymns, in fact, display the blend of theosophic ideas with witchcraft. The hymns, addressed to 鲍肠肠丑颈峁ａ弓补 are of theosophic nature. The hymns, addressed to Skambha, to Pr腻峁嘺, to Brahman are of cosmogonic character. The hymns, in praise of Vena and Rohita glorify the Sun as the creator and the preserver of the world.^[13]

xi. Ritualistic and General Hymns:

Though the Atharva-veda is chiefly known for its magical charms and spells, yet, it also consists of some such hymns, which are utilized by the Vait腻na蝉奴迟谤补 in some 艣谤补耻迟补 rituals. The text of the Atharvaveda itself refers to the 艣谤补耻迟补 ritual, viz. 础驳苍颈峁ａ弓辞尘补. Allusions to the three Savanas are also observed in this Veda.^[14]

xii. Books Dealing with Individual Themes:

Six books of the Atharva-veda, from thirteenth to eighteenth, are devoted to individual themes.

The thirteenth book of the Atharvaveda comprises four long hymns and all these hymns are addressed to Rohita, a form of the Sun-god. Though this book seems to be large one by size, but, only the first thirty-five stanzas of the entire book deal with the main theme and in these stanzas, Rohita has been correlated with the earthly king.

The fourteenth book, containing two hymns, popularly known as the marriage hymns, borrows a large portion from the 峁歡vedic marriage hymn with many variations. However, many new stanzas are also of the Atharvaveda鈥檚 own.

The fifteenth book, again, is entirely devoted to the glorification of Vr腻tya, who seems to be a kind of Brahmac腻rin.

The sixteenth book consists of two hymns. Both of the two hymns are quite distinct from each other by the nature of its contents. The first part contains invocation of the waters while the second one extensively deals with the conjuration of nightmare.

Comprising only one hymn, the seventeenth book is specially connected with the long life of an 膧谤测补 and thus, forms one of the most prominent 腻测耻峁�y腻峁噄 type of hymns.

The eighteenth book, which contains four hymns, deals with the funeral formulas. In the first hymn, the dialogue between Yama and 驰补尘墨 has been included. A large portion of the material of this book, though, has been derived from the 峁欢惫别诲补, yet, the Atharva-veda also has a huge portion as its own production.

xiii. The Twentieth Book:

This book of the Atharvaveda comprehends one hundred and forty-three hymns of which, only thirteen hymns are peculiar to the Atharvaveda. The kunt腻pa hymns, belonging to this book, are without any padap腻峁環a. Most of the hymns of this book, specially addressed to Indra, are taken directly from the eighth book of the 峁欢惫别诲补.^[15] The Atharvapr腻ti艣腻khya has no reference to this book.

xiv. The 碍耻苍迟腻辫补 Hymns:

A number of ten hymns, belonging to the twentieth book of the Atharva-veda has been designated as the 碍耻苍迟腻辫补 hymns.^[16] These hymns have been introduced and concluded by the expressions, atha kunt腻pas奴kt腻ni, and iti kunt腻pas奴kt腻ni sam腻pt腻ni, respectively. S腻ya峁嚹錭腻rya,^[17] has observed that the whole collection of these hymns, figures as a supplementary book (khila), known by the name 碍耻苍迟腻辫补.

Thus, after having a glimpse on the subject-matter of the Atharvaveda, it can be deduced that the popular plane of the Vedic religion, bearing the notions of a greater antiquity finds literary expression in this Veda. Major portion of the mantras are aimed at serving some drastically practical purposes. The philosophical hymns, even, aim at some practical end, and because of its practical nature, the viniyoga aspect is very much important in case of the Atharva-veda.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

cf., 碍补耻艣颈办补-蝉奴迟谤补, 8.23-9.6; 18.25; 139.7

[2]:

Vide, Bloomfield, M., Op.cit., p.57

[3]:

Ibid.

[4]:

Vide, Karambelkar, V. W., Op.cit., p.13

[5]:

Ibid., p.16

[6]:

Ibid., pp.14-15

[7]:

Ibid., pp.16-17

[8]:

Ibid., p.17

[9]:

Ibid., p.18

[10]:

Ibid., pp.20-21

[11]:

Ibid., p.18-19

[12]:

Ibid., p.20

[13]:

Ibid., pp. 21-22

[14]:

Ibid., pp. 22-23

[15]:

Ibid., p.25

[16]:

Atharvaveda, 20.127-136

[17]:

S腻ya峁嘺 on Aitareya-br腻hma峁嘺, 6.32.1; 33.1