ORIENTAL SERIES.

VEDA, 351
of the gods the favours which of old their good-will to men in
duced them to grant, or by simple magical power obtains the
fulfilment of the utterer's wishes. The most prominent charac-
teristic feature of the Atharva is the multitude of incantations
which it contains ; these are pronounced either by the person
who is himself to be benefited, or more often by the sorcerer
for him, and are directed to the procuring of the greatest variety
of desirable ends ; most frequently perhaps long life or recovery
from grievous sickness is the object sought ; then a talisman,
such as a necklace, is sometimes given, or in very numerous
cases some plant endowed with marvellous virtues is to be the
immediate external means of the cure ; farther, the attainment
of wealth or power is aimed at, the downfall of enemies, success
in love or in play, the removal of petty pests, and so on, even
down to the growth of hair on a bald pate. There are hymns,
too, in which a single rite or ceremony is taken up and exalted,
somewhat in the same strain as the Soma in the Pavamanya
hymns of the Eig. Others of a speculative mystical character
are not wanting; yet their number is not so great as might
naturally be expected, considering the development which the
Hindu religion received in the periods following after that of
the primitive Yeda. It seems in the main that the Atharva is
of popular rather than of priestly origin ; that in making the
transition from the Vedic to modern times, it forms an inter-
mediate step rather to the gross idolatries and superstitions of
the ignorant mass than to the sublimated Pantheism of the
Brahmans." Such is the general character of the fourth Yeda,
but Max Muller has translated a hymn in his Ancient Sanskrit
Literature, of which Professor Wilson said in the Edinburgh
Review, "We know of no passage in Yedic literature which
approaches its simple sublimity." This hymn is addressed to
Yanwa, cc
the great one who rules over these worlds, and beholds
all as if he were close by ; who sees all that is within and
beyond heaven and earth," &c.
This Yeda is also called the Brahman Yeda, "because it
claims to be the Yeda for the chief sacrificial priest, the Brah-
man," It has a Brahma?ia called Goparfha and many Upanishads.
An entirely new recension of this Yeda has lately been found
in Kashmir. It is in the hands of Professor Both, and is
believed to show many important variations.