Women in the Atharva-veda Samhita
by Pranab Jyoti Kalita | 2017 | 62,142 words
This page relates ‘5c. Hymn to Sterilize a Rival Woman’ of the study on women in the Vedic society reflecting the Atharva-veda Samhita in English. These pages discusses the social aspects of women, education, customs of marriage, practices of polyandry and polygamy, descriptions of female deities and various rites and rituals. It is shown how women earned much praise in ancient Indian society. Included are Sanskrit text and references of the Atharvaveda and commentary by Sayana-Acharya.
5c. Hymn to Sterilize a Rival Woman
[Full title: 5. Hymns Related to Birth (c): Hymn to Sterilize a Rival Woman]
The above hymns have been discussed which are meant for the well-being of a woman as well as of a man. But, certain such types of hymns are also there in this Veda which are aimed to cause harm to the rival parties. One such hymn begins with the mantra, prānyāntsapatnān sahasā[1] …, etc.
At the very beginning of this hymn, Jātavedas has been lauded to overpower the rivals with his strength.[2] Besides, he is asked to destroy the lineal descendants of the rival party who are still not born.[3] With the destruction of the enemies, the enrichment of the kingdom and its fulfilment unto happiness has been desired.[4] In order to deprive a rival woman from getting an offspring, a firm determination is heard in this hymn.[5] All the hundred entrails as well as the thousand canals, which are related to the womb of the hated woman are to be blocked at the openings with a stone for her sterilisation.[6] Over and above these, to make her a sterile one, the upper part of her womb is told as being made the lower.[7] Even after the possession of the female genitals, it is wished that she may not be able to progenerate any child just like a mule, and her womb is told as being covered by a stone.[8]
The anatomical knowledge of the Vedic seers, especially concerned to the reproductive system of a woman, gets exposed in this hymn.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
cf., Ibid., 7.35
[2]:
prānyāntsapatnāntsahasā sahasva pratyajātān jātavedo nudasva / Ibid., 7.35.1
[3]:
[4]:
idaṃ rāṣṭraṃ pipṛhi saubhagāya … / Atharvaveda, 7.35.1
[5]:
cf., Ibid., 7.35.2
[6]:
[8]:
asvaṃ tvāprajasaṃ kṛṇomyaśmānaṃ te apidhānaṃ kṛṇomi / Ibid., 7.35.3 tvā tvām aprajasam na vidyate prajā strīpuṃsāpatyarūpā yasyāstām / prajārahitām aśvām aśvatarīmeva kṛṇomi / yathā aśvatarī strīvyañjanayuktāpi prajārahitā tathā tvāṃ karomītyarthaḥ / kiṃ ca te tava sambandhinaḥ / garbhadhāraṇasthānasyeti śeṣaḥ / aśmānam pāṣāṇam apidhānam saṃvaraṇam ācchādānaṃ kṛṇomi karomi / Vide, Sāyaṇa, Ibid.