Volume I Number I February (2012) pp. 176-78 The Clarion ISSN: 2277-1697

Theme on Peace in the Atharvaveda

Pranabjyoti Deka

Department of Sanskrit, Gauhati University, Guwahati-781014

Email: [email protected]

Abstract

We find the variety of customs and concepts current amongst the people relating to birth and burial, love and marriage, hearth and home, field and cattle, caste and community, Government and politics, trade and commerce, arts and industry, magic and medicine, anatomy and astronomy, theosophy and cosmogony and many more things in the Atharvaveda. Overall, this Veda stands as a witness to the ancient Indian culture and traditions. There is a group of hymns in the Atharvavedasamhitā meant for bringing peace in the society. They are widely known as Sāmmanasyāni hymns. These hymns are applied for produce harmony. The theme is also revealed in the Ŗksamhitā, the Taittirīyasamhitā, the Vājasaneyisamhitā, and the Maitrāyaņisamhitā. But nowhere is it treated as prominently or distinctly as in the Atharvavedasamhitā.

The main objective of the proposed paper is to search out all available information which was in practice at that time and also possibilities of their application in the present society.

Keywords: Atharvaveda, Peace, Sāmmanasyāni

Introduction

The fourth Veda, i.e. the Atharvaveda which was not included in the "Trayī", viz. the Ŗgveda, the Yajurveda and the Sāmaveda because of separate subject matter with those of other three Vedas. The three Vedas deal with the sacrifices but the Atharvaveda had no direct connection with the sacrificial performances. It was connected to the beliefs and religion of the common people. The Atharvaveda is certainly the youngest of the four Vedas though it is doubtless old in material. It is a collection of 731 hymns containing nearly 6000 verses is divided into twenty books, which are represented by two recensions, i.e. Śaunaka and Paippalāda. In the Atharvaveda, we find the variety of customs and concepts current amongst the people relating to birth and burial, love and marriage, hearth and home, field and cattle, caste and community, Government and politics, trade and commerce, arts and industry, magic and medicine, anatomy and astronomy, theosophy and cosmogony and many more things. Overall, this Veda stands as a witness to the ancient Indian culture and traditions.

There is a group of hymns in the Atharvavedasamhitā meant for bringing peace in the society. They are widely known as Sāmmanasyāni hymns. These hymns are applied for produce harmony. The theme is also revealed in the Ŗksamhitā1, the Taittiriyasamhitā2, the Vājasaneyisamhitā3, and the Maitrāyaņisamhitā4. But nowhere is it treated as prominently or distinctly as in the Atharvavedasamhitā.

1. Atharvaveda III.30: A group of family sharing cultural aspects such as language, dress, norms of behavior and artistic forms is called society5. Family peace is very important for peaceful society. The restoration of family peace is meaningfully described in the hymn III.30 of the Atharvavedasamhitā. For restoration of harmony in our family we should remember the following…..

a) The relationship between husband and wife should be as like as cow and calf6. Harmony of mind between a cow and her calf is described in the hymn AV.VI.70 so that she let her mind fix on her calf, desire her calf and hasten after it. This hymn is also uttered in a pacificatory rite for producing mutual attachment between a cow and calf7.

b) Each of the family members should maintain the unity of their heart and mind. They should not hurt one another8. Adam Smith wrote that a society may subsist among different men, as among different merchants, from a sense of its utility without any mutual love or affection, if only they refrain from doing injury to each other9.

c) Brother should not betray his own brother for their paternal property. In that way sister also should not betray her own sister10.

The hymn AV. III.30 is an appeal for harmony in family. It is intended to pacify the quarrel between husband and wife or among the other family members and to restore harmony in the family. It is used for producing family peace in Sāmmanasyāni Karmani11.

2. Atharvaveda III.8: The hymn AV.III.8 establishes harmony between teacher and pupil. The last two verses “sam vo manāmsi” and “aham grbhnāmi manasa” of this hymn are uttered in the Sāmmanasyāni Karmāņi12. But this whole charm is also used in Upanayana Karmāņi13.

3. Atharvaveda VI.42 & VI.43: The hymns AV. VI.42 and AV. VI.43 are meant to pacify anger in general. They are the converse of the two hymns AV. IV.31 and AV. IV.32 in which anger personified is made up to destroy enemies.

3.1 According to Sāyaņa, the charm AV. VI.42 is practised by a woman against her angry husband or lover14. On the other hand, it is used by a man to appease an angry woman. The person who desires to appease anger takes up a stone while reciting the 1st verse of this hymn. Then he places the stone upon the ground while reciting the 2nd verse and then he spits around the stone while reciting the last verse. At last he lays an arrow on a bow while standing in the shadow of the wrathful person. In this way an angry person can be pacified15. The hymn is also recited by one who is consecrated for the performance of the soma sacrifice, if he has been guilty of an outburst of anger16.

3.2 According to the hymn AV. VI.43, the magic power of darbha grass is employed to appease anger. That is why darbha grass is known as manyuśamana.

The two hymns give us a message that the man and woman may be associated like friends in their relationship by thrown away anger.

4. Atharvaveda VI.64: In the charm AV. VI.64, a prayer is devoted for union and concord in the Samiti, wishing for common aim and common mind. Of the Atharvavedic charms to secure influence in the Samiti or assembly AV. II.27 and AV. VII.12 are the most significant. The former undertakes with the aid of a talisman of the pāţā-plant17 to overcome the debate of a hostile disputant.

5. Atharvaveda VII.52: The hymn AV. VII.52 expresses a wish for harmony among one’s own people and also among those unknown. There should be no conflict against the divine will. It is recited in the Sāmmanasyāni Karmani18. It establishes harmony of mind among people and with the divine mind.

6. Atharvaveda VII.44 & VI.94: The hymn AV. VII.44 brings back harmony between two enemies. The charm AV. VI.94 expresses the word Samnam19 i.e. ‘to bend to one’s will’. It brings about submission to one’s will. The first two verses (AV. VI.94.1-2) of this hymn are the repetition of the hymn AV. III.8 (5-6).

7. Atharvaveda VI.73 & VI.74: The two charms AV. VI.73 and AV. VI.74 allay discord. These two hymns are uttered in the Sāmmanasyāni Karmāņi to be united our bodies20.

Conclusion

From the above discussion we can conclude that the Sāmmanasyāni hymns were believed to pacify the anger or jealousy of a person, to establish good relationship between the husband and wife, the cow and its calf, and among the other family members, to bring back peace between two enemies etc. They have not only practical application to bring back harmony but also teach us how to live peacefully in a society.

Notes & References

  1. Ŗksamhitā. X.83, X.84, X.166, X.191
  2. Taittirīyasamhitā 3.4.4.1; 7.5.23.1
  3. Vājasaneyisamhitā 7.25
  4. Maitrāyaņisamhitā 2.6.6; 1.4.14
  5. Briggs, Asa, The Age of Improvement, 2000, 2nd Edition, p34
  6. Atharvavedasamhitā III.30.1
  7. Kauśikasūtra 41.18-20
  8. Atharvavedasamhitā III.30.2
  9. Briggs, Asa, The Age of Improvement, 2000, 2nd Edition, p. 9
  10. Atharvavedasamhitā III.30.3
  11. Kauśikasūtra 2.6
  12. Kauśikasūtra 7.6
  13. Kauśikasūtra 2.3
  14. Hymns of the Atharvaveda translated by M. Bloomfield, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 42, p479
  15. Ibid.
  16. Vaitānasūtra. 12.13
  17. Atharvavedasamhitā II.27.1
  18. Kauśikasūtra 12.5-9
  19. Atharvavedasamhitā VI.94.2
  20. Kauśikasūtra 8.23

Bibliography

  1. Atharvaveda Samhitā with the commentary of Sāyaņācārya, 1989, edited by Shankar Pāndurang Pandit, Vols. I-IV, Krishnadass Academy, Varanasi
  2. B.K. Bhattacharyya, 2007, Studies of the Atharvaveda with particular reference to non-secular hymns
  3. Briggs, Asa, 2000, The Age of Improvement, 2nd Edition
  4. Devsarma R N, 2005, Atharvaveda, translated in Assamese along with abstract of Sāyaņa Bhāşya and original text, Vol. I, Vedic Research and Global study centre, Nagaon
  5. Kshirsagar Vinaya, 2002, Śānti Rituals in the Atharvanic Tradition, Pratibha Prakashan, Delhi
  6. M. Bloomfield, 2000, Hymns of the Atharvaveda, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 42, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited, Delhi,
  7. V.W.Karambelkar, 1959, The Atharvavedic Civilization, Nagpur University

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