Women in the Atharva-veda Samhita

by Pranab Jyoti Kalita | 2017 | 62,142 words

This page relates ‘Goddess Mekhala’ 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.

Mekhalā is the sacred girdle, bound on the waist,[1] which is personified and invoked as a deity in the Atharvaveda. One entire hymn[2] consisting of five mantras is dedicated to her invocation. She is called as the daughter of Śraddhā and the sister of the seers.[3] She is born of the penance of Brahmā at the beginning of creation.[4] It is spoken about her that in ancient times, gods fastened her with the desire of slaying their foes.[5] In recent times also, gods bind Mekhalā to others.[6] She is the weapon of the seers.[7] She is asked to be a vīraghnī, i.e. slayer of the enemies.[8] With the fastening of Mekhalā, one wishes to fasten his enemy.[9] Mekhalā is purified with oblations.[10]

Mekhalā is asked to assign thought, wisdom and the power of Indra to her laudators.[11] She is spoken of as being worn by the seers[12] and hence, is asked to encompass one.[13] By means of averting the bad effects of witchcraft, Mekhalā is asked to enfold one in order to ensure long life to that one.[14]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vide, William, M. M., A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, p.831

[2]:

Atharvaveda, 6.133

[3]:

śraddhāyā duhitā tapasodhi jātā svasā ṛṣīṇāṃ bhūtakṛtāṃ babhūva / Ibid., 6.133.4

[4]:

sṛṣṭyādau brahmaṇastapasa utpannā / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[5]:

yo devaḥ śatruhananakuśalaḥ imāṃ mekhalāṃ svaśatruvardhārtham ābabandha purā ābaddhavān / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 6.133.1

[6]:

tathā yo devaḥ saṃnanāha idānīmapi anyeṣāṃ mekhalāṃ saṃnahyati / Ibid.

[7]:

… ṛṣīṇāmasyāyudham / Atharvaveda, 6.133.2

[8]:

… vīraghnī bhava mekhale / Ibid. vīrāḥ śatravaḥ teṣāṃ hantrī bhava / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[9]:

tamahaṃ brahmaṇā tapasā śrameṇānayainaṃ mekhalayā sināmi / Atharvaveda, 6.133.3

[10]:

he mekhale tvam āhutā āhutibhiḥ saṃskṛtā asi / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 6.133.2

[11]:

sā no mekhale matimā dhehi medhāmatho no dhehi tapa indriyaṃ ca / Atharvaveda, 6.133.4

[12]:

yāṃ tvāṃ pūrve bhūtakṛta ṛṣaya paribedhire / Ibid., 6.133.5

[13]:

sā tvaṃ pari ṣvajasva … / Ibid.

[14]:

sā tvaṃ pari ṣvajasva māṃ dīrghāyutvāya mekhale / Ibid.

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