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)
247 (of 459)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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necessary, these effects can be counteracted by making offer-
ings of milk, honey and clarified butter Distintigration in
a family is brought about by offering Arka sticks into Arka
fire. The same can be removed by offering Sure艣vari plant
and clarified butter. The eyes of an enemy are destroyed by
offering fire-sticks besmeared with Arka-'milk' into Arka
fire (35.1.10-12).
The enemy is uprooted by offering kaukusa and tumbara
(36.4.2). A girl is won over (as wife) by making eight thousand
offerings of parched grain anointed with clarified butter,
curds and honey (36.6.1). A minister or similar other
important person is subjugated by offering five-sticks of
Khadira, Udumbara etc. For ensuring effective use of the
mantras, a piece of wood having at one end a human skull from
the cemetery (艣ma艣膩na-khatvanga) should be offered. A handful
of onions, garlic and the wood of Devadaru (masta) should
also be offered. To subdue a king, the fire-sticks of Siri峁
should be used and the oblations of trimadhura should be
offered. To subdue a Brahmana, offerings of milk should be
made. To subdue a Ksatriya, a horn should be offered, to
subdue a Vaisya, fragrant powders should be offered and to
subdue a Sudra, the mire from a lotus-pond (padminyutkarana)
should be offered at cross roads 37 (36.7.1-4).
36.
37.
36 trimadhura: madhu, sarpi and tila (oil). Cf. AVP 36.30.1.
The cross-way is the scene of various magic rites (cf.
Kaus. 26.30;27.7;30.18;52.14; SB II.6.2.7; HGS I.16.8; AGS
IV.6.3.). "What motive is this world-wide superstition?..
Evil is taken away by one of the many wayfarers" -
Keith, RPVU, p.239.
EDE
