The Atharvaveda has numerous names –
• Bhrgvangirasa Veda – because of association with Bhrigus and Angirases
• Atharvangirasa Veda – Because of association with Atharvana and Angirasa priests, and because of a dual nature (sorcery as well as ‘shanti-pushti’ rites)
• Kshatraveda – because it has several hymns dealing with war, rites of coronation and so on.
• Brahmaveda – because it has several hymns dealing with spirituality
5. Aitareya Brahmana of Rigveda:
This Brahmana is common to the Shakala and Ashvalayana shakhas of Rigveda. It comprises of 8 groups (called ‘Panchikas’) of 5 chapters each. Hence, the text comprises of 40 chapters. Of these, the first 30 are presumably the composition of Rishi Mahidasa Aitareya, whereas the last 10 chapters were added by Rishi Shaunaka. The main contents of this text are as follows –
• Chapters 1-13 deal with the duties of the Hotr priest in the Agnishtoma sacrifice
• Chapter 14 deals with the meaning of the word ‘Agnishtoma’ and sundry matters
• Chapters 15-17 describe the Ukthya, Shodasha, Atiratra and other sacrifices
• Chapter 18 contains rules for the Hotr priest
• Chapters 19-24 discuss the duties of the Hotr priest at the twelve minor sacrifices
• Chapters 25 deals with sundry matters – expiations needed to be performed by the sacrificer, appropriate times of performing the Agnishtoma, duties of Brahma priest
• Chapters 26-30 deal with the duties of the Gravastuta, Subrahmanya and 6 other minor priests involved in the Soma sacrifices
• Chapters 31-40 deal with the sacrifices performed by the Kshatriyas (e.g. Vajapeya and Rajasuya) and the mutual relationships of Brahmanas and Kshatriyas.
6. Shankhayana Brahmana of Rigveda:
This Brahmana text comprises of 30 chapters and is still studied in Gujarat and parts of Maharashtra. Its contents run parallel to the Aitareya Brahmanam but its arrangement is more systematic.
7. Kausitaki Brahmana of Rigveda:
This text differs from the Shankhayana Brahmana only in a few words and syllables here and there. The other difference is that in this Brahmana, even the sentences are enumerated. It is prevalent only in Kerala, where it is recited orally. Portions of the text are recited with accents.
8. Kanva and Madhyandina Shatapatha Brahmanas of the Shukla Yajurveda:
The Madhyandina Shatapatha Brahmana (SBM) is divided into 14 Kandas containing 100 adhyayas, 68 prapathakas, 436 Brahmanas and 7179 Kandikas
The Kanva (SBK) text is divided into 17 Kandas, 104 adhyayas, 435 Brahmanas and 6806 Kandikas. Note that unlike the Madhyandina version, there is no division into Prapathakas.
The Shatapatha Brahmana is perhaps the most important Brahmana text from the perspective of Vedic studies.
9. Taittiriya Brahmana of Krishna Yajurveda: The Brahmana comprises of 3 kandas, which are divided into 8, 8 and 12 adhyayas respectively. The Brahmana is also sometimes divided into 8 ashtakas, in the style of Rigveda. These adhyayas are further divided into anuvakas or sections, which contain sentences on a particular topic. There are a total of 17480 sentences in the Brahmana. The first kanda of the text deals with the Agnyadhana, Gavamayana, Vajapeya, Soma, Nakshatreshti and Rajasuya. The 2nd kanda deals with Agnihotra, Upahomas, Sautramani, Vaisysava and others. The last kanda gives some additional details on the Nakshatreshti, the Ashvamedha and some parables like that of Bharadvaja, together with the Purushamedha Yajna.
10. Vadhula Brahmana or the Anvakhyana Brahmana of Krishna Yajurveda:
It is an anu-brahmana or a minor Brahmana like work, embedded in the Vadhula Shrautasutra. The work has not been published so far and is in manuscript.
11. Panchavimsa Brahmana of Samaveda:
This text derives its name from the fact that it has 25 chapters called Prapathakas, which are further subdivided into 347 sections called ‘khandas’. It is also called the ‘Tandya Mahabrahmana’ and is the principal Brahmana text of the Kauthuma and the Ranayaniya schools. This Brahmana deals with the employment of various Samans in different Vedic rituals, discusses Soma sacrifices in detail, and narrates legends about various Sages to whom different Samans were revealed. The contents of the Brahmana are as follows –
• Prapathaka I : Collection of Yajus
• Prapathakas II-III : Vistutis
• Prapathaka IV –IX.2 : Various rites (Jyotishtoma, Ukthya, Atiratra, Prakrtis of ekahas and ahinas)
• Prapathaka IX.3 – IX.10 : Somaprayaschittas
• Prapathaka X – XV : Dvadashaha rite
• Prapathaka XVI – XIX : One day rites
• Prapathaka XX – XXII: Ahina rites
• Prapathaka XXIII – XXV : Longer rites i.e., the Sattras
12. Shadavimsa Brahmana of Samaveda:
As the name suggests, it is an appendix to the Panchavimsa Brahmana, forming its 26th chapter as it were. The text deals with the Subrahmanya litanies and with one-day abhichara (sorcery) rites. This is a short text comprising 5 sections.
13. Samavidhana Brahmana of Samaveda:
This text comprises of 3 prapathakas. It deals with the recitation of Samans with a view of obtaining specific fruit/results. It is paralleled in the Rigveda tradition by a text called Shaunakiya Rigvidhana, and in the Yajurveda tradition by Katyayaniya Yajurvidhana.
