Women in the Atharva-veda Samhita
by Pranab Jyoti Kalita | 2017 | 62,142 words
This page relates ‘Goddess Asuri’ 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.
6. Goddess Āsurī
In the Atharvaveda, Āsurī is presented in a variegated way. Once, she is regarded as certain woman and illusion of certain Asuras.[1] She is spoken of as healing one’s leprosy by means of defeating Suparṇa in the battle.[2] She is called the pioneer amongst the physicians of leprosy.[3] She bestowed the healing power of leprosy upon Nīlī, a herb.[4]
Again, she is, once,[5] interpreted as Śacī, the daughter of certain Asura, i.e. strong, named Puloma. There, it is stated that she subjugated Indra with the help of the herb Sauvarcala.[6]
Again, in another context, Āsurī is regarded as one sort of Kṛtyā, i.e. witchcraft.[7] Such sort of Āsurī Kṛtya along with Āṅgirasī Kṛtyā and Svayaṃkṛtā Kṛtyā is wanted to be placed beyond ninety great rivers.[8]
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
[3]:
… prathamedaṃ kilāsabheṣajam … / Atharvaveda, 1.24.2
[4]:
[6]:
āsurī asurasya māyā / devān varjayitvā indraṃ yena bheṣajena nicakre yuddhe svādhīnaṃ kṛtavatī / yadvā asuraḥ asumān / balavān pulomākhyaḥ / tasyeyam āsurī śacī / Ibid., 7.39.2 The herb referred to in this reference is Sauvarcala as known to Sāyaṇācārya in the preceding mantra, i.e. Atharvaveda, 7.39.1