Medicine in the Atharva-veda (Introduction)

Only a brief introduction and history of medical science is found in Ṛgveda whereas Atharvaveda contains a detailed description of various aspects of medical science. In Atharvaveda descriptions of anatomical structures of human digestion and metabolism, blood circulation, diseases and causative factors, preventive measures, treatment with herbs, minerals and surgical techniques, different types of worms and, the diseases caused by them along with treatment etc. have been described.

It can be inferred that there is a definite relationship between, Āyurveda and Atharvaveda. Hence Āyurveda is called Upaveda of Atharvaveda. In Atharvaveda, spiritual therapy was given equal importance along with relation therapy.

To relieve abnormalities of childbirth and puerperal disorders, certain oblations and other practices were prevalent. Most of the diseases were treated through offerings and prayers to Gods and other natural agents. Identification and classification of plants are also in Vedas. The Auṣadhi Sūkta of Ṛgveda was the first authentic document of knowledge about the plants. In Atharvaveda classification of plants from various angles such as form, size, colour, morphological characters, habit etc. have been discussed. Many references were available in Atharvaveda about Kṛmi (Bacteria).

The word Kṛmi (which are nourished by raw flesh), Rākhasa (which sucks blood), Yatudhana (which causes pain), Piśāca (eats flesh), Apsarā (Swims in water), Gāndharva (makes noise) etc. have been used to denote ‘micro-organisms in Atharvaveda’. Nearly 100 types of organisms were described. Some of them are Dṛṣṭa (macroscopic) and the others are Adṛṣṭa (microscopic).

Different types of organisms, the place where they dwell, their shape, types, the harm caused by them, signs and symptoms, line of treatment, use of fumigation, to control such organisms etc. were described in Atharvaveda.

Atharvan treatment is very simple. There are medicinal charms in which some symptoms are occasionally given, the disease is either mentioned or not mentioned. Its cause is vaguely supposed to be some enemy, witchcraft or the wrath of some god or some such thing and some plant is mentioned which is to be used as an amulet or employed otherwise.

Atharvaveda XIX.45.4 mentions four distinct uses of the Āñjana plant: “ākṣvekaṃ maṇimekaṃ kṛṇuṣva snāhyekenā pibaikameṣām ||”^[1].'Use thou one as an ointment, make one as an amulet, and bathe with one and drink one of them'. Thus, these were the four possible ways in which a plant was medicinally used. The Ātharvaṇ is primarily a charm system in which the charm was systematically accompanied by an amulet. There are special charms to cure Apachit^[2],Kāsa^[3], Kilāsa^[4], Śirṣakti^[5], Jalodara^[6], Jāyānya^[7], Mutrāvarodha^[8], Śleṣma^[9], Harimā^[10], Kṣipta^[11], Unmāda^[12], Pakṣaghāta^[13], Kṣetriya^[14], Rudhirasrāva^[15], Āsrāva^[16], Tṛṣṇā^[17], Asthibhaṅga^[18], Balāsa^[19], Keśavṛddhi^[20], Vājīkaraṇa^[21],Grāhi^[22], Viṣkandha^[23], Takman^[24], Sarpaviṣanāśana^[25], Kṛmināśana^[26], Vṛśchikaviṣanāśana^[27] and Sarvaroga-bhaiṣajya [sarvarogabhaiṣajjyaṃ]^[28] and some of these charms mention plants to be used against these diseases.

Thus–the use of Devamuni against Apachit^[29]; Varaṇa against Yakṣma; Pippalī against Kṣipta; Cīpudru against Balāsa; Nitatnī for Keśavṛddhi; Suparṇāsuri against Harimā; Pṛśniparṇi against miscarriage; Rohiṇī against fracture; Apāmārga against various diseases; Śilācī, Lākṣā for growth of body; Kuṣṭha against Takman; Jaṅgiḍa against Viṣkandha; Viṣāṇakā against Āsrāva. In addition to these Atharvaveda mentions several plants whose use cannot be specified.

In the Atharvaveda, the word Bheṣajī has been used for medicine. In the Vedas, medicine has been categorized based on its quality, religion and form. The Atharvaveda has given not only several plants in general but has given us some families of the plants such as Asiknī, Kṛṣṇā, Pṛśni, Prastṛṇatī, Stamvinī, Ekaśuṅga, Pratanvatī, Aṃśumatī, Kāṇḍinī, Viśākhā, Vaiśvadevī, Ugrā, Avakā, Ulva, Tīkṣṇaśṛṅgī, as also Puṣpavatī, Prasūmatī, Phalinī, Aphalā etc. The VIII.7 gives a detailed classification of the plants as-Plants Classified according to colour; those classified according to growth; their varieties according to properties, their varieties according to their origin, and their varieties according to him. First, categorization based on colour like Brabhrū, Śukra, Rohīṇi, Pṛśni, Asiknī, Kṛṣṇā. Second, classification based on form like Prastṛṇatī, Stamvinī, Ekaśuṅga etc. Thirdly, there is classification based on quality like Jīvalā, Arundhatī, Madhumatī etc. Fourth, classification is based on fruits etc. like Puṣpavatī, Prasūmatī, Phalinī etc.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

AV. –XIX.45.4; Acarya Vedanta Tirtha (ed.), Atharvaveda–Vol. 2, Delhi, Manoj Publication, 2012, p. 362.

[2]:

AV. –VI.25, 57, 83; VII.74.76

[3]:

AV. –VI.105, 107

[4]:

AV. –I.23,24

[5]:

AV. –I.7; IV.12

[6]:

AV. –I.10; VI.22,24, 96; VII.83

[7]:

AV. –VII.76.3,4,5

[8]:

AV. –I.3

[9]:

AV. –I.12,13; VI.105,107

[10]:

AV. –I.22

[11]:

AV. –VI.109

[12]:

AV. –VI.111

[13]:

AV. –VI.80

[14]:

AV. –II.8,10; III.7

[15]:

AV. –I.17; VI.127; IX.8.1; XII.4.4

[16]:

AV. –I.2; II.3; VI.44

[17]:

AV. –II.29

[18]:

AV. –IV.12

[19]:

AV. –VI.14, 127

[20]:

AV. –VI.21, 30, 136, 137

[21]:

AV. –IV.4; VI.72, 101; VII.95

[22]:

AV. –VI.112,113

[23]:

AV. –II.4; III.9

[24]:

AV. –I.25; V.4, 22; VI.20; VII.116; XIX.39

[25]:

AV. –V.13; VI.12, 52, 56, 88, 90, 93, 100; X.4

[26]:

AV. –V.23; II. 31, 32; VI.50

[27]:

AV. –VII.56

[28]:

AV. –II.33; III.11; IV.13; V.30; IX.8;

[29]:

AV. –VII. 74.1