The sequence and collection of the mantras in Suktas in Atharva Veda are very well-arranged. Whereas the Saunakiya Sakha is available in Gujarat, the Paippalada Sakha is available in Odisha. Out of these, only the Saunakiya and Paipplada Sakhas are available now. These are Paippalada, Tauda, Mauda, Saunakiya, Jajala, Jalada, Brahmavada, Devadarsa and Charanavaidya. These Prapathakas have 730 Suktas (hymns), in which there are 5,987 mantras.Ītharva Veda has nine Sakhas or recensions. It is also known as Ksatraveda because there are mantras in which the duties of warriors to protect the motherland are described.Ītharva Veda is divided into 20 Kandas, which are divided into 36 Prapathakas. It is known as Bhisagveda because there are discussions about diseases and their treatment. It is known as Brahma Veda because it is recited by the Brahma priest in the Yajna and also because there are deliberations about Brahman, the ultimate reality. Because of this, the Veda is known as Atharva Veda, Atharvangiras Veda or Bhriguangiras VedaĪpart from these names, Atharva Veda has many other names too. Both Bhrigu and Angiras practised penance and could view the Vedic mantras. Then, there was secretion of some liquid from the body of Brahma which took the form of sage Angiras. Henceforth, sage Bhrigu came to be known as Atharva. He heard a divine sound which said, “O Atharva! Search for your creator in the all pervading water.” Then he searched and found out Brahma. A sage named Bhrigu was born out of the semen. He gave the Rigveda to Paila, Yajurveda to Vaisampayana, Samaveda to Jaimini and Atharva Veda to Sumantu, Visnu Purana adds.ĭuring a sacrifice (Yajna), Rigveda is recited by the Hota, the Yajurveda by the Adhvaryu, the Samaveda by the Udgata and the Atharva Veda by the Brahma, who is the main priest of the Yajna.Ībout the name and revelation of Atharva Veda, it is described in the Gopatha Brahmana that Brahma, the creator, was practising penance for designing the creation. Noticing the limited intelligence and capabilities of the humans, lord Visnu, in the form of Krisna Dwaipayana, divided the Vedas and distributed it to four of his disciples for further transmission of the Vedic knowledge.
It is, therefore, not possible to describe it in detail.) “Vedadrumasya maitreya sakhabhedah sahasrashah Na sakto vistarad vaktum… (Visnu Purana 3.3.1) (The Veda tree has thousands of branches. Manu has rightly praised the four Vedas to be the “Embodiment of complete knowledge”. The word ‘Veda’ is derived from the root ‘Vid’ which means the storehouse of knowledge.