The Hymns of the Atharva Veda by Ralph T. H. Griffith

Description

The Hymns of the Atharva Veda is a book by Ralph T. H. Griffith, first published in 1895. This work presents an English translation of the Atharva Veda, the fourth of the four canonical Vedas of ancient India. While the Rig, Sama, and Yajur Vedas primarily focus on liturgy, sacrifice, and hymns to the gods, the Atharva Veda stands apart for its practical and esoteric content. It includes spells, incantations, and hymns used in daily life — covering topics from healing and protection to curses and philosophical reflection. Griffith, a noted Sanskrit scholar, sought to make Vedic literature accessible to English-speaking readers, and his translation of the Atharva Veda was part of a broader effort to render all four Vedas into English. This volume reflects both the mystical and the mundane aspects of Vedic life and offers a rare glimpse into the folk practices, beliefs, and early Indian medical traditions that coexisted alongside the grander ritual systems of ancient Hinduism. The book is both a literary and scholarly achievement, preserving an important window into the early Indo-Aryan worldview.

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