Atharva Veda Brahmanas are the portion of Atharva Veda describing rituals. Gopatha Brahmana is the only available Brahmana of the Atharva Veda. It has two divisions, Purva and Uttara, containing respectively five and six prapathakas. Atharvan Caranavyuha (or Parisishta) tells us that once this Brahmana contained as many as one hundred prapathakas (Gopathah Sataprapathakam brahmanamasit). On the basis of its language, some western scholars believe it to be later Brahmana.
In its purva (first part), 21 rituals are enumerated. Its
final portion has a collection of verses, which refer to the prativeda
brahmacharya of twelve years. The Gayatri hymn is explained in different ways
and mantra, kalpa and brahmanas are mentioned at one place. It also mentions
the moon as the presiding deity, and water as its loka (world). A supplementary
shruti of Sama Veda is also described. The first part refers to many ancient
kingdoms. Hermitages of Sage Vasishta on huge boulders situation in the center
of the Vipat (Vipasa, Beas) river indicates that the composer was conversant
with the Kulu region and, perhaps, with the well-known tourist resort near
Manali, now famous as Vasistha Kunda. It also describes separately the three
metrical units of the word omkara – the first metrical unit of Brahma as of red
color; the second belong to Vishnu as of black color; and the third of Ishana
(Shiva) as of yellow color. We thus see that the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu
and Mahesha is mentioned at one place in this Brahmana.
The purva portion (I.26) contains the definition of the
avyaya (indeclinable) - an avyaya is
that which remains the same and does not change in three genders, and in all
the (eight) inflections (case terminations), and in all the numbers. This verse
has been quoted by Patanjali also in his Mahabhashya (2nd century BCE).
This first part also contains a reference to the riveting of gold with silver
and salt (I.14).
The Saunaka recension of Atharva Veda was popular in Gujarat
and it continues to be so even to this day. Many of its readings are found in
other Brahmanas also. According to some scholars, this indicates that, though
this Brahmana was compiled at a comparatively later period, it is still an old
Brahmana. For example, the following line of Nirukta is similar to that found
in the Aitareya Brahmana – yasayi devatayai havirgrihitamsyattam manasa dhyayet
vasat-karisyan. Gopatha Brahmana (II.3, 2) contains its echo in the following words
– tam manasa dhyayan vasatam kuryat. It has been suggested that Yaska had
before him the text of Gopatha Brahmana.
The word vijnayate, which is used quite often in the
Brahmanical texts, it first found in Gopatha Brahmana. It also states very
explicitly that the Brahmanas, like the kalpa, Rahasya, Upanishad, itihasa,
Purana, anvakhyana, etc., are not Veda but an aid to the understanding of
Vedas.