Preface

The best way to measure the breathings of a civilization and to get a clear picture of its soul, is the study of the views and the attributes that it bears towards women. In the present century, therefore, the studies related to women have been given a pride of place around the globe. A tendency has developed to decipher the scriptures representing the earliest societies and to unearth the ideas and the notions regarding womanhood. Such sort of intention makes the way of a researcher to the Vedas, for its being the earliest document of mankind.

The Atharvaveda, having the fourth position among the Vedas, appears to be the nearest one to the common people, as because, it does not only consist of laudations and prayers to the deities as do the other three Vedas, but, also it contains the popular practices of the masses. A critical perusal of the Atharvaveda throws prismatic light on the status, given to the women in the then society.

In scholarly world of India and outside, though many researches have been done on the status of women in ancient literature, yet, specially on the Atharvaveda, no such research work has been carried out till date. Hence, through the present work, entitled “WOMEN IN THE ATHARVAVEDASAṂHITĀ: A STUDY” a study has been made to bring to light the various aspects of women of that period.

The present work is divided into six chapters of which the opening chapter gives an introduction to the Atharvaveda with a note on its importance in the Vedic literature. The following chapter deals with the hymns, aptly designated as the strīkarmāṇi hymns, which are scattered over the first eight books of the Atharvaveda. In the third chapter, the familial and social aspects of women have been discussed. The fourth chapter contains an extensive study on the female deities, depicting the salient features of womanhood as reflected in the eulogies to the deities. In the fifth chapter, the rites and rituals, pertaining to women have been undertaken. The last chapter, i.e. the sixth chapter contains a concluding remark, based on the findings of the preceding chapters.

The present work entitled “WOMEN IN THE ATHARVAVEDASAṂHITĀ: A STUDY” chiefly analyses, in detail, the views and the interpretations of Sāyaṇācārya on the work. The Atharvavedasaṃhitā, published by the Krishnadas Academy, Varanasi, 1989, and the Atharvavedasaṃhitā, with the commentary of Sāyaṇācārya and with the Hindi translation of the text and the commentary by Ramswarup Sharma Gaud and published from Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, Varanasi, 2011, have been followed while preparing the work. The English translation of the text with critical notes by W. D. Whitney has also been consulted.

It is the result of my academic pursuit under the supervision of my revered guide, Prof. Manjula Devi. If the work can arouse some interests in the minds of the readers, then, the work will be rewarded. As I conclude, I am really conscious of the probable shortcomings in the work.

(Pranab Jyoti Kalita)

Date: 28/03/2018
Place: Guwahati