5. Goddess Āpaḥ (Āpas)

Āpaḥ [Āpas], i.e. water is deified in the Atharvaveda with prime importance. Her godship is celebrated in seven entire hymns,^[1] and in many other scattered references. There, she is called the mother of the whole universe,^[2] and thereby, she is expected to serve her offspring like a mother.^[3] Savitṛ is spoken of as being born from Āpaḥ.^[4] Agni too owes his origin to Āpaḥ,^[5] and is spoken of as dwelling in Āpaḥ.^[6] Āpaḥ holds Agni in her womb,^[7] and Varuṇa too observes everything being on Āpaḥ.^[8] Such Āpaḥ is enjoyed by Indra in the atmosphere.^[9] She holds Agni and Soma.^[10]

The Atharvavedic seers have used various appellations of water on the basis of its nature. When it exists in the cloud and traverse here and there, then, it makes sound and hence, it is called nadī, a word, derived from the root nad, i.e. to sound.^[11] Likewise, its other names like āpaḥ, udaka, etc., also bear certain meanings.^[12] Water is called āpaḥ because it was received by Indra after being released by Varuṇa or Āditya.^[13] As the flowing water was attempted to be hindered by Indra by his own power, it is called vār.^[14] Being obstructed by Indra, the willingly flowing water declared itself as the great and breathed up.^[15] So, it is called udaka, derived from the root an, with the prefix ut and suffix ka.^[16]

On the basis of its source, the Atharvavedic seers have given it some other names also. They call the water of the desert, dhanvanyāḥ.^[17] The water of deep land, which is rich in water, is called anupyāḥ.^[18] Water of dug sources like well, pond, etc., is called khanitrimāḥ.^[19] Again, vārṣikyaḥ^[20] is the word to denote rainwater.

In the Atharvaveda, Āpaḥ is closely connected with sacrifice. She is called ṛtāvarī,^[21] i.e. related to sacrifice. Water is called the sister of the sacrificer.^[22] She is called to the sacrifice^[23] and besought to enable the same in bringing fruit.^[24] The oblation of ghee for sacrifice is spoken of as to be collected from water.^[25] She is called mayobhuva, i.e. bestower of happiness^[26] and is urged to give food and nourishment to the invokers.^[27] She is also prayed for the bestowal of progeny.^[28] She is called the mother of hiraṇya, i.e. gold, the best of all resources^[29] and hence, is beseeched to bless and to place people according to their own wishes.^[30] She is entreated to be pleasant to the sacrifice and to the drinkers,^[31] and to cause happiness to people.^[32]

The usefulness of water is not confined only within human beings, but, is extensive to cattle also. Water of rivers, etc., where cattle drink, is called by the invoker.^[33] Cows and horses are expected to be strong enough by means of drinking water.^[34]

Āpaḥ is spoken of as the possessioner of healing power. All sorts of medicines exist in water.^[35] Hence, one begs before water to give the medicine of fever, etc.^[36] Water in form of river is specially called as having medicinal values. Water which flows through the rivers like Gaṅgā, etc., having its source in the mountains is urged to bestow the medicine of heart burning.^[37] The same is implored to recover the pains of eyes and legs.^[38] She is called the most effective amongst all remedies.^[39] She is called sindhurājñī and sindhupatnī as she is the wife of the oceans.^[40] Water of a river is called haimavatī,^[41] as it has the mountains as its sources.

Water in general is called śivā,^[42] i.e. auspicious. Bheṣajī^[43] is her epithet for having remedial value. She is called ayakṣmaṃkaraṇī,^[44] i.e. recovering diseases. She is also called amīvacātanī,^[45] i.e. destroyer of diseases. She is the remedy for all diseases.^[46] She is urged to nourish the herbs.^[47] For the bestowal of long life, she is called jīvalā.^[48]

Thus, the seers realising all the beneficial aspects of water, deified her and glorified her exalted position as a female deity. They also eulogised her for the removal of sins and to purify themselves.^[49] They knew her as being able to fulfil all their desires and hence, called her śakvarī.^[50] Such a goddess is invoked to be pleasant in the sacrifice, tasteful and pleasant to the drinkers and to remove one’s diseases.^[51]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid., 1.4-6; 1.33; 2.23; 3.13; 6.23

[2]:

Ibid., 6.51.2 kṛtsnasya jagato mātṛbhūtā āpaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 1.4.1

[3]:

Atharvaveda, 1.5.2

[4]:

… yāsu jātaḥ savitā … / Ibid., 1.33.1

[5]:

… yāsvagniḥ / Ibid.

[6]:

… agniṃ ca viśvasaṃbhuvam / Ibid., 1.6.2

[7]:

yā agniṃ garbhaṃ dadhire … / Ibid., 1.33.2

[8]:

yāsāṃ rājā varuṇo yāti madhe satyānṛte avapaśyan janānām / Ibid.

[9]:

Ibid., 1.33.3

[10]:

… āsannagnīṣomau bibhratyāpa it tāḥ / Ibid., 3.13.5

[11]:

yadadaḥ saṃprayatīrahāvanadatā hate / tasmādā nadyao nāma stha … // Ibid., 3.13.1

[12]:

he sindhavaḥ syandanaśīlā āpaḥ vaḥ yuṣmākaṃ nāmāni āpaḥ udakam ityādīni / anyānyapi sarvāṇi tāni tādṛśāni / anvārthānītyarthaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[13]:

Atharvaveda, 3.13.2

[14]:

indro vaḥ śaktibhirdevīstasmād vārnāma vo hitam / Ibid., 3.13.3

[15]:

indrabahumānena āpo vayaṃ mahīḥ mahatyo jātā iti udāniṣuḥ ucchvasitavatyaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 3.13.4

[16]:

tasmāt kāraṇād udakam iti apāṃ nāma ucyate nirucyate udananāt / udakam iti ut pūrvād aniterauṇādikaḥ kapratyayo nakāralopaśca / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 3.13.4

[17]:

dhanvanyāḥ dhanvani marubhūmau bhavā āpaḥ / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 1.6.4

[18]:

anūpyāḥ anugatā āpo yasmin deśe saḥ anūpo deśaḥ / tatra bhavā āpaḥ anūpyāḥ / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 1.6.4

[19]:

khanitrimāḥ khananena nirvṛttāḥ kūpodbhavā āpaḥ / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 1.6.4

[20]:

vārṣikyaḥ varṣatau bhavāḥ / vṛṣṭisaṃbhūtā āpaśca / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 1.6.4

[21]:

Atharvaveda, 3.13.7 ṛtāvarīḥ ṛtavaryaḥ / ṛtaṃ satyaṃ yajñaṃ vā yāsāṃ tāstathoktāḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[22]:

… jāmayo adhvarīyatām / Atharvaveda, 1.4.1

[23]:

Ibid.

[24]:

āpaḥ naḥ asmākam adhvaraṃ yajñaṃ kriyamāṇaṃ karma hiṇvantu prīṇayantu phalapradānasamarthaṃ kurvantu / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 1.4.2

[25]:

sindhubhyaḥ kartvaṃ haviḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 1.4.3

[26]:

āpo hi ṣṭhā mayobhuvastā … / Atharvaveda, 1.5.1

[27]:

Ibid., 1.5.3

[28]:

he āpaḥ yūyaṃ naḥ asmān janayatha putrapautrādirūpeṇa utpādayatha / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[29]:

sarvadhanamūlabhūtasya hiraṇyasya mātṛbhūtābhyaḥ adbhyaḥ utpatteḥ śravaṇād apām adhipatitvam / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 1.5.4

[30]:

manuṣyāṇāṃ kṣayantī nivāsayitrīḥ / abhimatadhanapradānena svasthāne niveśantīrityarthaḥ / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 1.5.4

[31]:

śaṃ no devīrabhiṣṭaya āpo bhavantu pītaye / Atharvaveda, 1.6.1

[32]:

cf., Ibid., 1.6.4; 33.1-4

[33]:

apo devīrūpa hvaye yatra gāvaḥ pibanti naḥ / Ibid., 1.4.3

[34]:

apāmuta praśastibhiraśvā bhavatha vājino gāvo bhavatha vājinīḥ / Ibid., 1.4.4

[35]:

apsva ntaramṛtamapsu bheṣajam / Ibid.

[36]:

āpaḥ pṛṇīta bheṣajaṃ … / Ibid., 1.6.3 apsu me somo abravīdantarviśvāni bheṣajā / Ibid., 1.6.2

[37]:

āpo ha mahyaṃ tad devīrdadan hṛddyotabheṣajam / Ibid., 6.24.1

[38]:

Ibid., 6.24.2

[39]:

… bhiṣajāṃ subhiṣaktamāḥ / Ibid.

[40]:

Ibid., 6.24.3 sindhuḥ samudraḥ patiryāsāṃ tāstathoktāḥ / sindhoḥ samudrarājasya dārāḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[41]:

Atharvaveda, 19.2.1 haimavatīḥ himavataḥ parvatād āgatāḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[42]:

Atharvaveda, 19.2.5 śivāḥ śivakāriṇya āpaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[43]:

Atharvaveda, 3.7.5; 19.2.5 bheṣajīḥ bheṣajabhūtāḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 3.7.5

[44]:

Atharvaveda, 19.2.5 ayakṣmaṃkaraṇīḥ arogakāriṇyo / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[45]:

Atharvaveda, 3.7.5; 6.91.3 amīvacātanīḥ amīvānāṃ rogāṇāṃ vināśayitryaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 6.91.3

[46]:

āpo viśvasya bheṣajīstāste kṛṇvantu bheṣajam / Atharvaveda, 6.91.3 Also vide, Ibid., 3.7.5

[47]:

śaṃ no bhavantvapa oṣadhīḥ śivāḥ / Ibid., 6.23.3

[48]:

Ibid., 10.6.3

[49]:

Ibid., 6.23.2; 51.2

[50]:

śakvarīḥ śakvaryaḥ śaktāḥ abhimataphalapradānasamarthā āpaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 3.13.7

[51]:

Ibid., 1.6.1