Atharvan
Atharvan · atharvan
Atharvan is a ṛshi whom the Bhāgavata Purāṇa names among the prajāpatis and maharshis of the first creation and again among the great brāhmaṇas of Śrī Kṛshṇa‘s time. Kardama Prajāpati, at the command of Brahmā, gave him his daughter Śānti in marriage, and the text says that through Śānti yajñas become abundant. In his wife Citti a son was born to him, Dadhyañc, also called Dadhīci and Aśvaśiras, a ṛshi of great vrata-nishṭhā (steadfastness in vows). He was one of the thirty ṛtvijas (officiating priests) whom Dharmarāja Yudhishṭhira chose for his Rājasūya yajña.
Marriage to Śānti
Maitreya Maharshi tells Vidura how Brahmā came with Marīci and the maharshis to the āśrama of Kardama Prajāpati and Devahūti, where Śrī Hari had been born as Kapila. Brahmā told Kardama to marry his daughters to the maharshis, each according to his nature and taste, so that creation would increase through their lines, and then went on his haṃsa vāhana to Brahmaloka.
As Brahmā had commanded, Kardama gave his daughters to the prajāpatis and performed the marriages according to rule: Gati to Pulaha, the sādhvī Kriyā to Kratu, Khyāti to Bhṛgu, Arundhatī to Vasishṭha, and Śānti to Atharvan. “Through Śānti alone,” the text says, “yajñas become abundant.” Kardama pleased the maharshis and their wives with gifts, and they took leave of him, glad, and went each to his own āśrama.
Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 3, Chapter 24
His son Dadhyañc
Telling the lines that came from the daughters of Kardama, Maitreya says that to Atharvan, in his wife Citti, a son was born, Dadhyañc, whom the text also calls Dadhīci. Dadhīci was of great vrata-nishṭhā, and he had the name Aśvaśiras as well, for his head resembled the head of a horse.
Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 4, Chapter 1
Ṛtvija at the Rājasūya
Śuka Maharshi tells Parīkshit that when the time of the Rājasūya came, Dharmarāja, with the leave of Śrī Kṛshṇa, chose as his ṛtvijas thirty worthy brāhmaṇas who knew the Vedas: Vedavyāsa, Bharadvāja, Sumantu, Gautama, Asita, Vasishṭha, Cyavana, Kaṇva, Maitreya, Kavasha, Trita, Viśvāmitra, Vāmadeva, Sumati, Jaimini, Kratu, Paila, Parāśara, Garga, Vaiśampāyana, Atharvan, Kaśyapa, Dhaumya, Paraśurāma, Śukrācārya, Āsuri, Vītihotra, Madhucchandas, Vīrasena and Akṛtavraṇa. They ploughed the yajña-ground with golden ploughs and gave Dharmarāja the yajña-dīkshā (consecration), and, radiant as devas, they had him perform the Rājasūya according to rule. At its close Dharmarāja gave abundant dakshiṇā (gifts to the priests) to the ṛtvijas and honoured them all.
Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 10, Chapter 74
Sources
- Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 3, Chapter 24; Skandha 4, Chapter 1; Skandha 10, Chapter 74