Atharva Veda is completely different from the other three Vedas. Atharva Veda is regarded next importence to Rig Veda with respect to history and sociology. The basic spirit of this Veda is quite different from Rig Veda and the language used also is quite simpler. Sometimes, people say that this is not a Veda as it mainly contains spells and charms prevalent at the time of its composition and basically it depicts the Vedic life as it was prevailing at that time.
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| Atharva Veda |
Atharva Veda is a Veda of charms and spells. It teaches the art of Sorcery (Jadu Tona). This Veda evolved techniques for curing physical ailments, satisfying various desires, lusts, passions and ambitions. It also provides ways of warding off dangers and omens. Specific mantras are provided to teach methods of exorcising and propitiating demons, ghosts and evil spirits.
In addition to magic and spells, it contains mantras for miracles, medical treatments, science, and philosophy. Other subjects covered here are geography, space, geology, Ayurveda medicines and practices, surgery; longevity; child birth. In total there are about 6000 mantras, 760 hymns and small portion written as prose as well. This is the last of all four Vedas and more focused on social subjects rather than Gods and religion. Going by contents of this Veda, many people prefer to keep it out of religiously focused literature. But it is a fact that this Veda also has been practised by many Indians for a long time and it certainly add one unique shade to our multicoloured culture.
The antiquity of Atharva Veda also is pegged to an approximate period of BC 1100-1000. Gods here are reduced to secondary position unlike Rig-Veda. Atharva-Veda also indicates that by its time, the nature worshiping got reduced among Aryans of this time.
Each Veda consists of four parts namely Veda, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads.
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