Lesser known Vedic tradition
GODAVARISHA MISHRA
ATHARVAVEDA SAMHITA: English Translation with Original Text by M. R. Rajesh; Mathrubhumi Grandhavedi, Kozhikode. Rs. 480.
This book is a recent addition to the literature on the Vedas in English. Designed as a translation of the Samhita portion of the Atharva Veda, the book hopes to put across the rich heritage of the Vedas to modern man showing their relevance and usefulness. M.R. Rajesh, the translator, has attempted to bring the treasure of the Vedas to readers who seek knowledge from the primary source material.
Traditionally, the Vedas were codified into three (trayi) and with the addition of the Atharva, the number went up to four. Each Veda has its Samhita portion, usually written in verses in contrast to the Brahmana portion, which is in prose.
Features
The Atharva Veda is a repository of a large body of information concerning Ayurveda, Dhanurveda, Raja-dharma and the like, presented in its corpus in a rudimentary form. Traditionally, the Atharva Veda was available in nine sakhas (streams), the best known being the Saunaka and the Paippalada.
The translator nowhere mentions the name of the sakha he has undertaken for study and translation. A few scholarly works on the Atharva Veda have been brought out in recent times by D.M. Bhattacharya and very recently by Arlo Griffiths. Needless to mention that Kerala has had the proud distinction of nurturing certain lesser known Vedic traditions. The Nambudri Brahmins were experts in Vedic prayogas (practices) and pathas (recitations). Though the translation is done with some care, total lack of notes on difficult concepts and ideas make the stanzas difficult to understand.
The translator has hardly taken care to read the proof carefully which is evident in the first page of the translation where `9' is printed in Devanagari instead of `1'.
The large part of the prologue (Vedas unveiled) and epilogue (Revelation of the Vedas) is given to eulogise the greatness of the Vedas, Sanskrit as a language, and the like instead of pinpointing issues presented in the Atharva Samhita. Those who are interested in the Samhita are supposed to have some knowledge about these basics and unnecessary elaboration on these could have been avoided. Incoherent presentation of ideas, unrelated quotations without reference, self-glorification (p. xii. last sentence), and giving the roman equivalents of the Sanskrit terms without diacritical marks only speak of the author's lack of adequate exposure to the production of a scholarly or even a popular work. Neither the introduction introduces the Atharva Samhita nor does the conclusion summarise its teachings.
Even though the translator makes tall claims that the Atharva Veda contains a large segment of information, which we call science today, none of these is substantiated. It is hoped that the author/translator would take care to rectify all these shortcomings in the next edition.
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