Women in the Atharva-veda Samhita
by Pranab Jyoti Kalita | 2017 | 62,142 words
This page relates ‘7a. Hymn to Remove Evil Signs from a Man and a 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.
7a. Hymn to Remove Evil Signs from a Man and a Woman
[Full title: 7. Miscellaneous Hymns (a): Hymn to Remove Evil Signs from a Man and a Woman]
Next to this, comes the hymn which starts with the mantra, nirlakṣmyaṃ lalāmyaṃ[1] …, etc. In this hymn, certain bodily characteristics which are considered to be unlucky for men are attempted to be removed.
First of all, the unlucky spots, appearing on the forehead are driven away.[2] Not only this, but, all the signs, which are harmful like that of an enemy, are also driven away from one’s body.[3] After warding off these evil characteristics, the imposition of good signs as laid down in the scriptures like the Sāmudrikaśāstra etc., to beget offspring is also spoken of.[4]
Then Savitṛ, the impeller deity is prayed to remove the evil marks existing on one’s feet.[5] Next to this, the gods Varuṇa, Mitra and Aryaman are asked to remove the evil signs from one’s hands.[6] Thereafter, Anumati, the female deity who approves the desires of all and bestows accordingly is prayed[7] as because, she is sent forth by the gods like Indra etc., for the welfare of the laudators.[8]
The frightful and the sinful signs of a man, existing in his hair, in his eyes and even in his external and internal body are to be smitten away with the application of certain mantras.[9] And thus, after being freed from such unfair marks, the god Savitṛ is invoked for the advancement of the same person.[10]
Lastly, the hymn refers to certain unlucky marks of a woman.[11] A woman whose feet are like that of an antelope is called riśyapadī.[12] A woman is, again, called vṛṣadatī[13] who has big teeth like that of a bull; gosedhā,[14] if she walks like a cow and vidhamā,[15] when she snores unpleasantly. As these signs are of a woman, hence, the terms are in feminine gender, showing their distinction from the terms vilīḍhyaṃ lalāmyaṃ, which are spoken of as common to both man and woman.[16] The terms vilīḍhyaṃ lalāmyaṃ, perhaps indicate the spot on the forehead, caused by the hair, braided to the opposite direction of the main stream of hair. The spot may appear thus as if the forehead is licked out.[17]
All these signs of both man and woman are to be rubbed and made disappeared for their well-being.
Bloomfield[18] has learnt this hymn as being aimed only for a woman. But, the contents have shown that his observation is wrong, as both man and woman are treated in this hymn.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid., 1.18
[2]:
[3]:
arātiḥ śatruḥ / arātibad aniṣṭakaram avayavāntargataṃ durlakṣaṇaṃ niḥsuvāmaḥ / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 1.18.1
[4]:
[5]:
Atharvaveda, 1.18.2
[6]:
Ibid.
[7]:
[8]:
devāḥ indrādayaḥ imām uktām anumatiṃ saubhagāya saubhāgyāya asmākaṃ saubhāgyaṃ dātuṃ prāsāviṣuḥ preritavantaḥ / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 1.18.2
[9]:
cf., Atharvaveda, 1.18.3
[10]:
… devastvā savitā sūdayatu / Ibid. deva dyotanātmakaḥ savitā prerako devaḥ tvā tvāṃ sūdayatu śreyase prerayatu / dūragatadurlakṣaṇaṃ tvāṃ śreyasā saṃbaddhaṃ karotu ityarthaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.
[11]:
cf., Atharvaveda, 1.18.4
[12]:
ṛśyapadīm ṛśyasya sāraṅgasyeva pādau yasyāḥ sā ṛśyapadī / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.
[16]:
[17]:
lalāmyam lalāmasthāne lalāṭaprānte bhavam / tathāvidhaṃ vilīḍhyam viśeṣeṇa līḍhaṃ vilīḍham / vilīḍhe bhavam vilīḍhyam / vilīḍhamiva sthitaṃ keśānāṃ pratilomyarūpaṃ lalāṭaprānte vartamānam / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 1.18.4
[18]:
Vide, Bloomfield, M., Op.cit., p.109