2. Hymns to Obtain a Husband

In the Atharvaveda, two such hymns are there where the desire to obtain a husband for a woman (pativedana) is observed. The first hymn starts with the mantra, ā no agne sumatiṃ^[1] …, etc., and the second one with the mantra, ayamā yātyaryamā^[2] …, etc. The first hymn presents an idea how the people of the then society were eager to find a husband for the maiden of their own respective families.

This hymn, known as the pativedana sūkta,^[3] starts with a eulogy to Agni.^[4] Here, the guardian of a maiden wishes for her a husband who is a saṃbhala, i.e. one who speaks amiably, or one who bears the qualities of all sorts, or one who was previously not interested to this maiden but now, being a wise-minded one, desires her.^[5] On the part of the girl also, it is desired that being agreeable to the suitor’s party and causing pleasure to them she may attain happiness with her husband.^[6]

This presents a picture that in those days, the man, intending to marry, used to approach the girl formally being associated with his kith and kin. The Āpastambagṛhyasūtra^[7] also refers to a process similar to the above one.

Here, it is interesting to note that the maiden for whom a husband is being searched is spoken of as being served by Soma, Brahman and Aryaman.^[8] But, Sāyaṇācārya^[9] interprets Brahman as Gandharva and Aryaman as Agni. He has quoted from the Āśvalāyanagṛhyasūtra^[10] to interpret Aryaman as Agni. This interpretation of Sāyaṇācārya reminds the Ṛgvedic reference^[11] where also Soma, Gandharva and Agni are regarded as the first three husbands of a woman respectively and the human husband is the fourth one for her. For the acquisition of a husband, the unfailing approval of Dhātṛ is also desired.^[12]

Next to this, Agni is lauded to ensure a husband for the woman, and Soma to bring fortune to her.^[13] Thus, she is wished to be a mahiṣī, i.e. a wife of great quality by means of begetting sons.^[14] Thus, being a saṃpriyā, i.e. agreeable to her husband, she is wished to be prosperous with progeny and cattle, etc.^[15] This shows that the greatness of a woman depended upon her ability of begetting sons.

A woman is asked to ascend the unfailing and inexhaustible boat of Bhaga in order to attain the husband of her own choice.^[16] This discloses the fact that in those days, a girl was allowed to choose a husband for her own. Again, for the attainment of the same, the mind of the desired husband is also wished to be turned to the maiden and all other creatures are also asked to be agreeable for this marriage.^[17]

That Soma, Gandharva and Agni are respectively the first three husbands of a woman has already been mentioned. Here, hiraṇya,^[18] i.e. golden ornament; gulgulu,^[19] i.e. a well-known kind of article for incense; aukṣa,^[20] i.e. a mixed unguent of surabhi, gandha, kṣīra, sarpis, udaka and madhu, and the god Bhaga are asked to unite her with the fourth one, i.e. the human husband.^[21]

Finally, Savitṛ and Oṣadhi are also invoked to bring a husband to the maiden of her own choice.^[22]

Another hymn, starting with the mantra, ayamā yātyaryamā^[23] …, etc., is also meant for the obtainment of a husband. In this hymn, consisting of three mantras, Aryaman, whose rays are assembled at the east, is spoken of as coming to the spinster, desiring a husband for her.^[24] He is also spoken of as seeking a wife for the wifeless man.^[25] Aryaman responds to the spinster, as well as to the wifeless person, because he is the presiding deity of marriage.^[26] Hence, he is informed about the wearied condition of the spinster who is longing for a husband, but not getting.^[27] It is stated here that she follows all the ways through which other women have obtained their husbands,^[28] and those women also perform the same for this spinster.^[29]

That the support of Dhātṛ for the obtainment of a husband is desirable has already been mentioned. In the present hymn also, Dhātṛ, the sustainer of the Heaven and the Earth, is prayed to assign a husband to the spinster according to her wish.^[30]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Atharvaveda, 2.36

[2]:

Ibid., 6.60

[3]:

atra pativedanānyā no agna … / Sāyaṇa in his Introduction to the commentary, Ibid., 2.36

[4]:

cf., Atharvaveda, 2.36.1

[5]:

saṃbhalaḥ saṃbhāṣakaḥ samādātā vā kanyārthī puruṣaḥ naḥ asmākaṃ kanyāvatāṃ sumatim śobhanāṃ buddhim āgamet āgacchatu asmadbuddhyanusāreṇa sarvalakṣaṇasaṃpūrṇaḥ abhilaṣito varaḥ prāpnotu / yadvā saṃbhalo hiṃsakaḥ pūrvam abhilāṣavidhātī kanyām anicchan puruṣaḥ sumatim etat kāmanāyuktāṃ kalyāṇīṃ buddhiṃ prāpya naḥ asmān ā gamet/ Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[6]:

vareṣu varayitṛṣu kanyāvaraṇārtham āgateṣu varapakṣīyeṣu / teṣu juṣṭā prītā varayitṛpuruṣasaṃmatā satī valguḥ rucirā prītijananī syāt / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[7]:

suhṛdaḥ samavetān mantravato varān prāhiṇuyāt / Āpastambagṛhya-sūtra, 1.4

[8]:

somajuṣṭaṃ brahmajuṣṭamaryamṇā saṃbhṛtaṃ bhagam / Atharvaveda, 2.36.2

[9]:

brahmajuṣṭam brahmaṇā parivṛḍhena gandharveṇa ca juṣṭam / aryamṇā / atra aryamaśabdena vivāhāgnirucyate / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[10]:

aryamaṇaṃ nu devaṃ kanyā agnim ayakṣata / Āśvalāyanagṛhya-sūtra, 1.7.13

[11]:

somaḥ prathamo vivide gandharvo vivida uttaraḥ / tṛtīyo agniṣṭe patisturīyaste manuṣyajāḥ // Ṛgveda, 10.85.40

[12]:

dhāturdevasya satyena kṛṇomi pativedanam / Atharvaveda, 2.36.2 dhātuḥ prasiddhasya devasya satyena anujñārūpeṇa yathārthavacanena pativedanam devatāvyatiriktasya manuṣyarūpasya patyurlambhakaṃ kṛṇomi karomi / Vide, Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[13]:

iyamagne nārī patiṃ videṣṭa somo hi rājā subhagāṃ kṛṇoti / Atharvaveda, 2.36.3

[14]:

suvānā putrān mahiṣī bhavāti … / Ibid.

[15]:

evā bhagasya juṣṭeyamastu nārī saṃpriyā patyāvirādhayantī / Ibid., 2.36.4 eva evam iyaṃ nārī bhagasya bhāgyena juṣṭāstu / kiṃ kurvatī / patyā bhartrā saha saṃpriyā saṃpriyāṇi samyakprītikarāṇi bhogyāni vastūni abhirādhayantī abhivardhayantī / yadvā patyā saha saṃpriyā saṃpriyamāṇā abhirādhayantī putrapaśvādibhiḥ samṛddhā bhavantī / Vide, Sāyaṇa Ibid.

[16]:

bhagasya nāvamā roha pūrṇāmanupadasvatīm / tayopapratāraya yo varaḥ pratikāmyaḥ // Atharvaveda, 2.36.5

[17]:

varam ā krandaya etatkanyābhimukham āhvaya / tathā āmanasaṃ abhimatamanaskaṃ kṛṇu kuru / kiṃ ca sarvam prāṇijātaṃ pradakṣiṇam pradakṣiṇācāraṃ vivāhānukūlavyāpāraṃ kṛṇu kuru // Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 2.36.6

[18]:

hiraṇyam hiraṇmayālaṃkāraḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 2.36.7

[19]:

guggulu dhūpanadravyaviśeṣaḥ prasiddhaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 2.36.7 The word occurs in the text as gulgulu, but, Sāyaṇa reads it as guggulu. The occurrence of guggulu in certain Manuscripts has been referred to by Whitney in his notes. Vide, Whitney, W. D. (ed. & trans.), Atharvaveda-Veda-Saṃhitā, Vol. I, p.82

[20]:

aukṣaḥ pralepanadravyam / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 2.36.7 Sāyaṇa also refers to the process of preparing aukṣa in the present context, as given by certain commentators of the Kauśikasūtra thus, āvapet surabhīn gandhān kṣīraṃ sarpistathodake / etad āyanam ityāhuraukṣaṃ tu madhunā saha //

[21]:

idaṃ hiraṇyaṃ gulgulvayamaukṣo atho bhagaḥ / ete patibhyastvāmaduḥ pratikāmāya vettave // Atharvaveda, 2.36.7

[22]:

ā te nayatu savitā nayatu patiryaḥ pratikāmyaḥ / tvamasyai dhehyoṣadhe // Ibid., 2.36.8

[23]:

Ibid., 6.60

[24]:

ayamā yātyaryamā purastād viṣitastupaḥ / asyā icchannagruvai patim… // Ibid., 6.60.1

[25]:

… uta jāyāmajānaye / Ibid.

[26]:

aryamṇo vivāhādhidevatvam “aryamaṇaṃ nu devaṃ kanyā agnim ayakṣata” (Āśvalāyanagṛhya-sūtra, 1.7.13) iti mantraliṅgād avagantavyam / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 6.60.1

[27]:

aśramadiyamaryaman… / Atharvaveda, 6.60.2 he aryaman deva iyam patilābhārthinī kanyā aśramat śrāntā abhilaṣitasya patyuralābhena khinnā / Vide, Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[28]:

… anyāsāṃ samanaṃ yatī / Atharvaveda, 6.60.2 anyāsāṃ pativratānāṃ strīṇāṃ śamanam patyurāvarjanopāyabhūtāṃ śāntiṃ yatī prāpnuvantī / Vide, Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[29]:

… asyā anyāḥ samānamāyati / Atharvaveda, 6.60.2 anyāśca striyaḥ asyāḥ patikāmāyā anu paścāt śamanam pativiṣayāṃ śāntim āyati prāpnuvanti / Vide, Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[30]:

dhātā dādhāra pṛthivīṃ dhātā dyāmuta sūryam / dhātāsyā agruvai patiṃ dadhātu pratikāmyam // Atharvaveda, 6.60.3