one of four Vedas, ancient scriptures of Hinduism
is the Atharva Veda an authentic source in hinduism ?
A copypasta of my religion sub comment. Thought it might be useful.
There are four Vedas -the Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Veda. Each Veda is divided into four constituent texts—
the Samhitas (which deals with hymns to be recited at the sacrifice),
the Brahmanas (which prescribes the method of the sacrificial rite),
the Aranyakas (which explains the esoteric symbolism behind the sacrifice)
the Upanishads (which deal with extra-ritual theology, metaphysics, axiology and soteriology)
What is colloquially referred to as the Veda is its Samhita portion.
Each verse or sukta in each Samhita can be categorised as belonging to Rik, Yajus or Saman verses, which constitute the body of Samhita of the Rig, Yajur and Sama Veda respectively.
The Rig Veda is known as the Rig Veda, because it mostly contains Rik verses. The same goes for the Yajur and Sama Vedas.
Some of these verses were left out of the first three books and that collection of verses became to be known as the Atharva Veda.
When the Gita refers to three Vedas, it is in fact referring to the sum total of these three types of verses.
The Atharva Veda is still a canonical book within Hinduism. Two of the most important Upanishads in Hinduism—the Mundaka Upanishad and the Mandukya Upanishad, both belong to the Brahmana of the Atharava Veda.
More on reddit.comKāla Suktas from Atharvaveda Samhita - is this Mahākāla?
Yes, Kāla is Mahākāla and the interpretation of Suktas are given by vedic Śaiva Siddhas.
For example “kālé tápaḥ kālé jyéṣṭham kālé bráhma samā́hitam kāló ha sárvasyeśvaró yáḥ pitā́sīt prajā́pateḥ |” (Atharva Veda XIX:53:08) “In Time tapas (creative fervour) is fixed; in Time the highest (being is fixed); in Time brahma (spiritual exaltation) is fixed; Time is the lord of everything, he was the father of Prajãpati”
Can be explained by verses of Svetasvatara Upanishad, the father of prajapati(Hiranyagarbha) is Rudra(Mahākāla)
“yō dēvānā̃ prabhavaścōdbhavaśca viśvādhipō rudrō maharṣiḥ | hiraṇyagarbhaṁ janayāmāsa pūrvaṁ sa nō buddhyā śubhayā saṁyunaktu |” (Svetasvatara Upanishad. 3:4) “He, the omniscient Rudra, the creator of the gods and the bestower of their powers, the support of the universe, He who, in the beginning, gave birth to Hiranyagarbha—may He endow us with clear intellect”
Also verses and praises of Kāla(Śiva)can be found in Mahābharatham.
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