ATHARVA-VEDA Skt.; the fourth Veda (Vedas), devoted to the “knowledge of magic spells.” It originated much later than the Rigveda, the Sāmaveda, and the Yajurveda, and was for some time not recognized as part of the Vedas, even though a portion of its 731 hymns derive from the Rigveda. The Atharvaveda was not strictly fixed in content; thus a series of mostly brief Upanishads was appended to it. Many of these are apocryphal in character and actually represent textbooks for later schools of Hinduism. Only a few of these, in particular the Mundaka, Prasna, and Māndūkya-Upanishads, are recognized and utilized by Vedantists.
The Atharvaveda preserves many traditions of folk belief as well as atonement ceremonies, curses, and marriage and burial songs of the most ancient Indian priesthood, the Atharvan. The work can further be seen as the oldest document of Indian medicine, as it contains numerous magical spells against illness. The Atharvaveda was indispensable for priests serving at the court, since at that time (from the second century B.C.E.) magic and politics were closely conjoined.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen. Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Documents on Hinduism
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External links: Vedas / Rig-Veda / Sama-Veda / Yajur-Veda / Atharva-Veda