Questions of King Milinda Part 01

SR No.: 007681
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1890
Total Pages: 2695
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 47 MB

Page 1461

xviii
HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
The name átharvan, with a great variety of derivatives, is employed growingly as the designation of Meaning of each of the the Veda; the name ángiras by itself is so terms atharvan rare as to arrest attention when it is met. and angiras. At TS. VII, 5, 11, 2 Kâthaka Asvamedhagrantha, V, 2, occurs the formula angirobhyah svâhâ, preceded by rigbhyah, &c. svâhâ: it is, as far as is known, the solitary occurrence of this designation of the Atharvaveda in a Vedic text1. Quite frequently, however, the members of the compound atharvângirasah are separated so that each is mentioned by itself, but always in more or less close conjunction with one another. This shows that the compound is not a congealed formula, but that the texts are conscious of the fact that each has a distinct individuality, and a right to separate existence. In other words, the AV. actually consists of atharvan and angiras matter, and the question arises what elements in the makeup of this Veda these terms refer to. The answer, I believe, may now be given with a considerable degree of certainty: the term atharvan refers to the auspicious practices of the Veda, the bheshagâni (AV. XI, 6, 14), those parts of the Veda which are recognised by the Atharvan ritual and the orthodox Brahmanical writings, as sânta, 'holy,' and paushika, 'conferring prosperity;' the term angiras refers to the hostile sorcery practices of the Veda, the yâtu (Sat. Br. X, 5, 2, 20), or abhikâra, which is terrible (ghora).
In an article entitled, 'On the position of the Vaitânasûtra in the literature of the Atharva-veda,' Journ. Amer. Or. Soc. XI, 387 ff., I pointed out that the above-mentioned distinction is clearly made at Vait. Sû. 5, 10, where two lists of plants are differentiated, one as âtharvanyah, the other as ângirasyah. The same distinction is maintained at Gop. Br. I, 2, 18. The former refers to the list of plants
In texts not Vedic the term angirasah occurs occasionally as an abbreviated form of atharvângirasah. Thus in the first superscription of the AV. Prâtisâkhya, the Saunakiya Katurâdhyâyika, and in Pânini V, 2, 37. Cf. also Gop. Br. I, 1, 8.
For the distinction between sânta and âbhikârika see Kaus. 3, 19, and note 5 on p. II of our edition.
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