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)
211 (of 255)
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units (akrtis). They are constituted respectively of
kandas I to VII, VIII to XI and XII to XVIII. This division
may be said to be quite logical in view of the fact that
the arrangement of rks, suktas and anuv膩kas is quite different
in each of these three units. The first unit embodying
k盲ndas I to VII contains no paryaya-suktas and consists
5 of short hymns on miscellaneous subjects. The second unit
of k盲ndas VIII to XI contains paryaya-suktas and each k盲nda
consists of ten long suktas The third unit of k盲ndas XII
to XVIII contains paryaya-suktas but the arrangement of
this unit is of an altogether different nature. K盲nda XII
has five suktas, k盲ndas XIII and VIII have four each, k盲ndas
XIV, XV and XVI have two, whereas k盲nda XVII has only one
sukta. The Pa帽capatalika counts the suktas according to the
anuv膩kas in the first unit and according to the suktas in
the second and the third units.
W.D. Whitney too has divided the Av-samhita into
8 three units, which he calls the 'Grand Divisions 9. However,
(4) Patala 2 (beginning).
(5) Kanda X contains a paryaya-sukta which is not sub-
divided into parvayas.
(6) In this case, each paryaya-sukta (or paryaya-samuha as
it is otherwise called) is counted as one hymn. In their
edition, Roth and Whitney also count them similarly.
(7) K盲ndas XIV, XVII and XVIII have no paryaya-s奴ktas.
(8) Suktasa艣 ca ganana pravartate - Khanda 15 (end).
(9) The Atharvaveda Samhita, English translation, intro.,
PP. cxxvii ff.
