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)
454 (of 459)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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character of several generally accepted landmarks defy all
attempts to arrive at any definite conclusions. Therefore,
all that one may do is to build up a prima facie case in
favour of a certain view - always being prepared to give up
the case if and when stronger evidence to the contrary is
produced.
The AVP obviously represent a composite text being a
collection of tracts presumably belonging to different
chronological periods. Accordingly, an attempt is made, in
this section, to bring together all the material from the
Parisistas which has a bearing - direct or indirect - on the
various chronological strata reflected in them. To begin
with, it may be assumed, on the strength of the evidence
presented by tradition that the AVP were written long after
the GB, the Kaus. the Vait. and the Laksana granthas were
composed. It is difficult to say how much time must have
elapsed between the composition of these ancillary texts on
120 the one hand and that of the Parisistas on the other. So
far as the internal evidence is concerned, the upper limit
of the date of AVP may be said to have been fixed by the
Arthas盲stra of Kautilya as also by the Manu-Smrti. The AVP
show a fair knowledge of the technical terms employed by
121 Kautilya. The terms yayi, sthavara and akrandasarin are
120.
In the opinion of Aufrecht (Aitareya Brahmana, intro.
p. 5) the GB is known to Y盲ska and Keith (Aitareya
Aranyaka intro. p.25) dates the GB at about 600 B.C.
121. Cf. Artha艣astra, chap. VII.
