Importance of Atharva Veda in Psychology

Abstract

Atharva Veda occupies a unique position among the four Vedas. The other three Vedas deal with matters of other world, the gods, the nature and supernatural, while Atharva Veda is more worldly. It seeks to solve the problems of this world and its common people. It deals with topic like leading a long and healthy life, to avoid sorrow, to ward off illness, to vanquish or win over the enemy, etc. Atharva Veda presents a detailed description of the life style of a very early stage of human society, which has just entered the agricultural stage. The importance of animal wealth cows, oxen, horses is much more. New kingdoms are being established. Men want to live happy healthy lives upto one hundred years. Pandit Bhagwat Sharma Upadhyay, in hindi Vishwakosh, says, “The stress in Atharva Veda is not so much on the use of Karma Kanda or the rituals, as on doing right or wrong, high or low, do-s and don’ts, popular beliefs, and tendencies of life. From this point of view, the importance of Atharva Veda is much more, for the historian, than of the other three Vedas. The first references to puranas, history, gathas etc. are found here. This Veda also points to many such traditions which are not only older than Rig Veda, but really go back to very very old times”.