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)
213 (of 255)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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240
seventh k盲nda is 28611. The verse-totals in the second unit
are respectively 293, 313, 350 and 367. The twelfth k盲nda
contains 304 verses, and, therefore, cannot be included in
the second unit.
The BA seems to agree with the Pa帽capatalika in the
matter of the arrangement of the AV-samhita. It states
(patala 6) at the beginning of the treatment of k盲nda VIII
that 'up to the end of k盲nda XI, the artha-suktas constitute
the norm, the paryayas beginning with virad v盲 (VIII.10.1)
being the exception 12. The analysis of the three units given
above will show that the division made by the Pancapatalika
and sanctioned by the BA is more logical'
13 The contents of the Pa帽capatalika may be summarised as
follows: The first patala, which is in verse, explains
some general rules which govern the writing of the text of
the AV by the scribes. In ancient times when printing was
not known and books had to be copied for the sake of
preservation and circulation, it was essential to devise some
method by means of which the labour of the copyist could be
minimised. We find that the AV contains a number of padas
(11) Cf. Whitney, loc. cit., p.elii.
(12)
啶ぞ啶掂う啷囙啶� 啶︵啷嵿啶距ぃ啷嵿ぁ啶ぐ啷嵿く啶ㄠ啶むぎ啶班啶ムぎ啷佮啷嵿い啶啶班啷冟い啶苦じ啷嵿い啶距さ啶︵ 啶掂た啶灌ぞ啶� 啶多啶班啶ぞ啶ㄠ 啶掂た啶班ぞ啶∴ 啶掂ぞ
啶啶班き啷冟い啷赌啶ㄠた啶むた啷�
( [y膩vadek膩 dakk膩峁囜笉aparyantamarthamuktaprak峁泃ist膩vad vih膩ya 艣r墨m膩n vir膩岣� v膩
辫谤补产丑峁泃墨苍颈迟颈触
(] 13) Cf. Bolling, AJPH 1921, pp. 367-8; Bhagawaddatta, The
Atharvavediya Pancapatalika, intro., p. 7.
