Contents of the Gopatha-brāhmaṇa of the Atharvaveda

[Full title: A brief description of the contents of the Brāhmaṇa literature of the four Veda: (4): Brāhmaṇas of the Atharvaveda]

The Gopatha Brāhmaṇa is the only Brāhmaṇa that belongs to the Atharvaveda. In its modern part the Gopatha Brāhmaṇa follows Vaitānasūtra. It quotes from the earlier Brāhmaṇas like the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, the Kauṣitaki Brāhmaṇa, the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, the Sadviṃsa Brāhmaṇa and others. Therefore, it is said that this Brāhmaṇa is exterior to 2000 B.C. The Gopatha Brāhmaṇa glorifies the Atharvaveda and the Brāhmaṇa priest, who according to this Brāhmaṇa should be expert in the Atharvaveda.

The Gopatha Brāhmaṇa is extensively divided in to Purva Gopatha and Uttara Gopatha. The Purva Gopatha contains some original matters like (cosmogony, duties of a Vedic scholar and others). The Uttara Gopatha deals with the Śrauta Sacrifices. The former one consists of 135 kāṇḍikās grouped under five prapāṭhakas, and the latter one has 123 kāṇḍikās grouped under six prapāṭhakas. This Brāhmaṇa is often regarded as a late composition, borrowing freely from other Brāhmaṇas. This Brāhmaṇa describes the significance of the Atharvaveda. It also mentions that ‘Omkāra’ have originate from the Atharvaveda.

A brief description of this Brāhmaṇa is enumerated below:

Purvārdha:

First Prapāṭhaka–The first Prapāṭhaka deals with the description of Omkāra and the greatness of goddess Gāyatri.

Second Prapāṭhaka–The second Prapāṭhaka describes the discipline of Celibacy.

Third Prapāṭhaka–Duties of four Ṛtvikas and the stories relating to them found in the third Prapāṭhaka.

Fourth Prapāṭhaka–The Initiation of Ṛtvikas described in the fourth Prapāṭhaka.

Fifth Prapāṭhaka–In the fifth Prapāṭhaka description of Prathama Samvatsara sacrifice, Agnyādhana, Purnāhuti, Agnihotra, Darśapaurnamāsa, Cāturmāsya, Paśubandha, Agniṣṭoma, Rājasūya, Vājapeya, Aśvamedha, Puruṣamedha, Sarvamedha sacrifices are found.

Uttarārdha:

First Prapāṭhaka–In the Uttarārdha the first Prapāṭhaka deals with the description of various sacrifices like Rudra’s struggle for oblation, meat offering in the sacrifices and others.

Second and third Prapāṭhaka–The second and the third Prapāṭhaka deals with the ‘Baṣat’ and ‘Hinkāra’ description.

Last three Prapāṭhakas–The last three Prapāṭhakas deals with the subject matter which are to be performed at morning, afternoon and evening time during Ekāha, Ukthya and Ekāṣmaka.

This Brāhmaṇa gives derivative interpretation of various Vedic terms like Varuṇa, Angira and others. Therefore, it plays an important role to show its contribution to the science of linguistics. As a whole, the Gopatha Brāhmaṇa is extensive one in various disciplines. No commentary of this work is available. The Brāhmaṇa literature that has come down to us only represents a small part of the Brāhmaṇa literature as a whole. There are many Brāhmaṇas which are not available to us, such as–Caraka, Ahvaraka, Satyāyana, Jabāla, Haridravika and many others.