Atharvan

Atharvan
In-universe information
Family	Brahma (father)
Children	Dadhichi

Template:IndicText Atharvan (अथर्वन्, atharvan-; an n-stem with nominative singular अथर्वा atharvā) was a legendary Vedic sage (rishi) of Hinduism who along with Angiras is supposed to have authored ("heard") the Atharvaveda. He is also said to have first instituted the fire-sacrifice or yagna. Sometimes he is also reckoned among the seven seers or Saptarishi. His clan is known as the Atharvanas. Atharvan married Shanti, daughter of Kardama rishi, and had a great sage Dadhichi as a son. He was referred to as a member of the Bhrigu clan.

According to mundaka upanishad and other texts, he was eldest son and (Manasputra) born from mind of the brahma. Vedic atharvan is cognate with Avestan āθrauuan / aθaurun, "priest", but the etymology of the term is not yet conclusively established. "Attempts have been made to connect the term with Avestan atar- "fire" (not attested in Vedic); but these have been prompted by what is probably a mistaken assumption of the importance of fire in the ancient Indo-Iranian religion." (Boyce, 1982:16)

See also

• Vedic priesthood
• Chatterji: The Hymns of Atharvan Zarathushtra (1967) by Jatindra Mohan Chatterji.

[avesta.org/chatterj_opf_files/slideshow.htm]