The Atharva Veda is the fourth of the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism known as the Vedas. It focuses on rituals, charms and magical formulas and remedies. The core text dates back to between 2000-1000 BC, making it roughly contemporary with other late Vedic texts. However, it was corrupted more during oral transmission and its status was ambiguous compared to the other Vedas due to its magical content. It provides early philosophical thought and describes the formation of the Earth. The Atharva Veda also contains different versions of mantras and emphasizes strict observance of rules and regulations.