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- It consists of charms and spells toward of disease and involves issues such as healing of illnesses, prolonging life, black magic and rituals for removing maladies and anxieties.
- It is also known as Brahmaveda. Its associated priest i.e., Brahma is considered highest of all four Vedic priests.
- It mentions the Vedic assemblies of Sabha and Samiti.
- Unlike the other three Vedas, the "Atharva Veda" is not as concerned with sacred rituals, but addresses the daily problems of Vedic people, including philosophical discussions, cosmology, mythology, healing spells, and incantations for various purposes.
- Atharva Veda derive the name from their authors, namely Atharvan, Angirasa and Bhrigu.
- It is divided into 20 books, called kandas, and contains a total of 731 hymns. The hymns are written in a type of prose and address various aspects of life, including health, marriage, agriculture, and spirituality.
- According to Patanjali, Atharvaveda had nine Shakhas, but the Samhita of the Atharvaveda is today available only in two rescensions - the Shaunaka and the Paippalada.
- The Atharvaveda is believed to be the origin of Ayurveda, the Indian science of medicine.
- The Rituals of Atharva Veda:
- Shantika– rituals performed for mitigating evil and creating an atmosphere of good.
- Paushtika: rituals performed for the attainment of plenty and prosperity.
- Adbhuta: rituals performed for warding off evils from unseen agencies and
- Abhicharika: rituals performed for warding off evils from enemies.
- The rituals of the first and second classes are performed with the aid of mantras. The rituals of the third and fourth classes are intended for special use under special circumstances
