Chapter 2a - The nature of the Parisistas (of the Atharvaveda)

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How Magic Works
It would be interesting to see how Atharvanic magic
actually works. Of course, neither in the Samhita of the AV
nor in any of its ancillary texts do we come across any
regular statement regarding the 'theory' of magic. Most of
the Atharvanic texts and more particularly the Parisistas
with which we are specifically concerned are essentially
'practical' manuals. They merely prescribe the details of
the various magical practices, without ever caring to evolve
any theory out of those practices. One thing, however,
becomes quite evident everywhere, namely, the faith of the
followers of the AV in the infallibility of their magical
practices. The manner in which this magic was employed,
whether by way of witchcraft or of counter-witchcraft, and
the attitude of the person who employed it or who became its
victim, show that it was believed to be operating in an
invariably efficacious manner
54. It often worked in a
mysterious way. Its working seemed mysterious because it did
not necessarily follow the laws of the ordinary physical world.
Indeed, it was 'magic' because no rules of 'logic'could explain
its working. We know, for instance, the law of cause and
54. This is corroborated by statements like "arrow terrible
like Atharvan witchcraft (MBh. VIII.91.47)", "weapons as
fierce and efficacious as the sorcery practices of the
Atharvan (MBh. VIII.40.33,90.4,91.48; IX.17.44; XIII.98.
13)" etc. Moreover Manu (XI.33) says that magic is the
natural weapon of the Brahmanas against enemies.