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)
160 (of 255)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
187 5
) The Santi-kalpa.
The Santi-kalpa (SK) is a fairly big work devoted, as
the title suggests, to the description of the 'great ceremony
X for averting the evil effects of omens and portents'
(adbhuta-mah膩santi). The SK consists of two adhyavas.
The first adhyava contains eighteen kandikas and the second
twenty-five.
The first adhyaya of the SK opens with the glorifica-
tion of the Maha-santi. The Maha-santi is said to destroy
the evil effects of planets and to bring allround prosperity.
This ceremony is said to have been performed by Brhaspati
for the sake of Indra who was harassed by the demons. The
main S盲nti is to be preceded by a series of preliminary
ceremonies for the propitiation of various powers. At the
outset, comes the worship of the Vinayakas
2 By way of a vow, the performer should live on
vegetables, milk or fruits for twelve nights or on clarified
butter only, for seven nights and in addition he should live
(1) This Santi is often referred to in the Parisistas: AVP
b
52.16.6; 54.2.4; 58.1.13; 58.4.20; 59.1.20; 64.10.9;
65.3.6; 68.5.28, 29; 69.6.4; 70b.16.5; 72.1.3.
(2) It should be noted that the word Vinayaka which is
popularly understood to be just another name of Ganesa
should be here mentioned as the producer of difficulties
while Ganesa is the destroyer of difficulties
(vighnaharta).
