Atharva Veda
one of four Vedas, ancient scriptures of Hinduism
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Atharva Veda (Sanskrit: अथर्ववेदः atharvaveda, a tatpurusha compound of Atharvan, an ancient Rishi, and Veda, meaning "knowledge") is a sacred text of Hinduism and one of the four Vedas, often called the "fourth Veda". According to tradition, the Atharva Veda was mainly composed by two groups of rishis known as the Atharvanas and the Angirasa, hence its oldest name is Ātharvāṅgirasa. In the Late Vedic Gopatha Brahmana, it is attributed to the Bhrigu and Angirasa. Additionally, tradition ascribes parts to other rishis, such as Kauśika, Vasiṣṭha and Kaśyapa. There are two surviving recensions (śākhās), known as Śaunakīya (AVS) and Paippalāda (AVP).
Quotes
edit- She who bears plants endowed with many varied powers, may Prithivī for us spread wide and favour us.
In whom the sea, and Sindhu, and the waters, in whom our food and corn-lands had their being.- Excerpt from the Prithvi Sukta in the Atharva Veda 12.1-63 (trans. by Maurice Bloomfield, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 42, 1897). The Prithvi Sukta is often regarded as the first national song, e.g. C.f. Jain, M. (2010). Parallel pathways: Essays on Hindu-Muslim relations, 1707-1857. chapter V.
- God is really one, only one.
- Atharva Veda, in A Garden of Deeds: Ramacharitmanas, a Message of Human Ethics, p.56
- Whoever knows Atharva Veda knows all.
- Vyasa on Atharva Veda quoted in [Seer of the Fifth Veda: Kr̥ṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa in the Mahābhārata (Google eBook), p.5
- The Atharva Veda is a Vedic-era collection of spells, prayers, charms, and hymns. There are prayers to protect crops from lightning and drought, charms against venomous serpents, love spells, healing spells, hundreds of verses, some derived from the Rig Veda, all very ancient.
- A King should address the Assembly thus: Let the leader of the Assembly abide by the just laws passed by the Assembly, let other members do the same.
- Atharva Veda quoted by Urmila Sharma, in Indian Political Thought:Swaraj,p.139
- O, men, let the man among you alone be made a king the President of the Assembly – who is a powerful conqueror of foes, is never beaten by them, has the capacity to become the paramount sovereign, is most enlightened, is worthy of being made a President, who possess noble qualities, accomplishments, character and disposition, who is thoroughly worthy of the homage, trust and respect of all.
- Atharva Veda quoted by Urmila Sharma, in "Indian Political Thought:Swaraj", P.139
- Who gave to whom?Desire gave to desire.
Desire is the giver and receiver; Desire entered the ocean;
With desire, I accept you; this is for you, for desire.- Vrata mantra ritual from the Atharva Veda, in God of Desire: Tales of Kamadeva in Sanskrit Story Literature, p.97
- In Atharva Veda, kama is associated with the broad range of human desire; wanting enemies to be defeated; wanting lovers to reciprocate feelings of infatuation, lust, affection, wanting more money and more power; in short wanting to be successful in love and work.
- Quoted in "God of Desire: Tales of Kamadeva in Sanskrit Story Literature", p.110
- The person who mistreats a noble woman does bad towards a friend, he who is senior but is ignorant is known as a degraded person. A person should refrain from all those things that take him towards, fallacy, misery and degradation.
- From Atharva Veda quoted in The sacred scriptures of India, Volume 2, p.58
- Destroy all those who are lustful, angry, greedy, enticed, proud and jealous.
- From Atharva veda, 4/22, quoted in “The sacred scriptures of India, Volume 2”, p.41
- Water of river, well, pond, etc., if used and managed efficiently will reduce the intensity of drought and water scarcity;
- In A History of Water: The world of water, Volume 3, from the Atarva Veda II, 23.1, p.390
- In the heart of the waters, O, King Varuna, your golden home is built; Varuna is considered to be a deity associated with water.
- Quoted in "A History of Water: The world of water, Volume 3from Atharva Veda" by Gandhi 1990, p. 106
- Earth is mother. Firmament the father. Earth is my mother, I am her son.
- Kesh Kapur, quoting from Atharva Veda in Hindu Dharma-A Teaching Guide, p.365
- May the waters from the snowy mountains bring health and peace to all people? May the spring waters calmness to you; may the swift currents be pleasing to you; and may the rains be a source of tranquility to all. May the waters of Oasis in the desert be sweet to you; and so be the waters of ponds and lakes. May the waters from the wells dug by humans be good to them, and may the healing powers of water be available to all human beings.
- Kesh Kapur, quoting from Atharva Veda in "Hindu Dharma-A Teaching Guide", p.365
- Set me, O Earth. Amidst what is thy center and thy navel,
and visualizing forces that emanate from the body
Purify us from all sides. Earth is my mother; her son am I;
and Heaven my father :may he fill us with plenty...
- Shanti Mantra from Atharva Veda quoted in "Hindu Dharma-A Teaching Guide", in p.367
- Aum, We pray for;
Peace in the Devaloka,
Peace in the pace and on the Earth;Peace in the Waters,
peace in the Herbs, the Vegetation and the Forests,
Peace among the Rulers of the World,
Peace in the Divine,
Peace everywhere and in every Thing,
Peace, True and Real Peace,
Let that Peace be in my mind
Peace, Peace, Peace.- From Atharva Veda quoted in "Hindu Dharma-A Teaching Guide", in p.182
- The whole world is like one nest.
- From Atharva Veda quoted in "Hindu Dharma-A Teaching Guide", in p.182
12
edit- The Earth is the Mother, I am her Son.
- Atharva Veda. Mâtâ bhûmih putro aham prthivyâh (12:1:12). quoted in Decolonizing the Hindu Mind (2001) by Koenraad Elst
13
edit- The Supreme Being is called neither the second, nor the third, nor yet the fourth. He is called neither the fifth, nor the sixth, nor yet the seventh; he is called neither the eighth nor the ninth nor yet the tenth. He is the One, One alone and only One.
- From Atharva Veda chapter 13, verses 16 to 18, and 20-21 quoted in "Hindu Dharma-A Teaching Guide" p.44
19
edit- After having been recited, the Veda is put back in a chest.
- ‘From whichever receptacle kośāt we have taken the Veda, into that we put it down’.
- Atharva Veda 19:72:1 , quoted in Elst, Koenraad (2007). Asterisk in bharopiyasthan: Minor writings on the Aryan invasion debate.
- in Kazanas, N. (2009). Indo-Aryan origins and other Vedic issues. Chapter 9
20
edit- God is verily great.
- In Saving Humanity: Swami Vivekanand Perspective, book 20 hymn 58 and verse 2, p.112
About
edit- Rig Veda is the Veda of Knowledge, Yajur Veda is the Veda of Karma, Sama Veda is the Veda of Bhakthi, and Atharva Veda is Brahma Veda, an umbrella, celebrating the Divine Presence, as in Book 10, hymns 7 and 8.
- Veda in "Yajur Veda: Authentic English Translation", p.xix
- The Vedas were revealed by the Supreme Purusha to four primeval Rishis; Rigveda to Agni, Yajurveda to Vayu, Sama Veda to Aditya, and Atharva Veda to Angira, directly into their spiritual consciousness. Brahma received and collected the four from them passed them on to other sages.
- Veda, in [Yajur Veda: Authentic English Translation], p.xxxii
- The Atharvaveda stands apart from other Vedic texts. It contains both hymns and prose passages and is divided into 20 books...This text is an extremely important source of information for practical religion, particularly where it complements the Rig Veda. Many rites are also laid down in the “Kausika-sutra” (the manual of the w:Vishvamitra:Kausika family of priests) of the Atharva Veda.
- In The Atharvavedaortitude].
- Atharva Veda is one of the structuring dynamics of Rk Veda. It highlights the quality of Reverberating Wholeness involved in structuring Rk Veda. With reference to consciousness, Atharva Veda comprises the specific sets of laws of Nature that are engaged in promoting the quality of Chhandas within Samhita level of consciousness, providing a structure to the eternally silent, self-referral, self-sufficient, fully awake state of consciousness, which is intimately personal to everyone.
- Atharva Veda is the sum total of all that is pertaining to Samhita with a predominance of Chhandas — observed, or object of observation value. Atharva Veda represents the totality of the musculo-skeletal system — the organs
- In "Atharva Veda"
- This aspect of the physiology makes the totality of Veda move. This is the value of reverberating wholeness.
- In "Atharva Veda"
- I arise and come to Rig Veda, voice of Divinity. I come to Yajurveda, mind and resolution divine. I come to Sama Veda, energy and ecstasy divine. I come to Atharva Veda, vision and vibration of Divinity. That speech is my light and glory. That light and mind is my strength and spirit of courage and By virtue of the divine, the prana and apana energy is my real might.
- Veda in "Yajur Veda: Authentic English Translation", Chapter XXXVI, p.1005
- In Atharva Veda,in 13.4, 47-54, the divine virtues are described as: Shachipati or omnipotent, Vibhu or infinite, prabhu or lord of all, ambha, or cool as water, ama or energizer, mahasaha or constant, aruna rajata raja or brilliant, lovely and glorious, uru prithu or vast, subhu or grand, bhuva or omniscient, pratho vara or highest and best, vyacho loka or omnipresent, bhavas vasu or lord of universal honour, idadvasu or lord of the universal wealth, samyat vasu or perfectly self-controlled, and ayat-vasu or ever lustrous or honourable.
- Veda in "Yajur Veda: Authentic English Translation", Chapter XXXII, P.921
- Atharva Veda is the last of the four Vedas. It has not always been accepted as a Veda. It contains many hymns from Rig Veda but also has some popular magic spells which are outside of the strictly ritual knowledge orientation of other Vedas.
- Dr. S.S. Kapoor, in Hinduism, p.17
- It [Atharva Veda] is collection of hymns but of diverse character, some very exalted, like the Rig Veda, others of more common nature. It gives us a better idea of common people during Vedic times. The book was revealed to Angirasa Rishi.
- Dr. S.S. Kapoor, in "Hinduism", p.17
- The deities of Atharva Veda are also the same as Rig Veda although Rudra-Shiva assumes a more visible role. The language is a little simpler and less variable in its forms.
- Dr. S.S. Kapoor, in "Hinduism", p.17
- Atharvan is also an important figure in the Zoarashtrian religion. Atar is the Persian name for fire, and the Atharvan is the fire priest.
- Quoted in From the River of Heaven: Hindu and Vedic Knowledge for Modern Age, p.146
- Some Upanishad teachings are found Atharva Veda.as well.
- Quoted in "From the River of Heaven: Hindu and Vedic Knowledge for Modern Age", p.146
