Women in the Atharva-veda Samhita
by Pranab Jyoti Kalita | 2017 | 62,142 words
This page relates ‘Rites Related to Birth (b): Garbhadhana’ 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.
2. Rites Related to Birth (b): Garbhādhāna
The rite of placing seed in order to impregnate the wife was known as Garbhādhāna.[1] Conception was regarded as a sacred affair at that time and the Vedic seers assigned some gods presiding over it as has been discussed earlier.
The quality of parihasta, an amulet, worn on the wrist in bringing about conception has also been stated earlier.[2] Kauśika also states that the parihasta amulet should be fastened with the recitation of the Atharvavedic mantras, yantāsi…, etc. (6.81.1-3).[3]
In the Garbhādhāna rite, a pudding of rice and sesame was cooked and consecrated after reciting the hymn, parvatāddiva…, etc. (5.25), and then, the same was eaten.[4] As it is provided in the Atharvapaddhati and in the Daśakarmāṇi, this rite was to be performed on the fourth day after the holy bath of the woman[5] and the pudding of rice and sesame was to be taken by her.[6]
According to the Atharvavedaprayogabhānu,[7] this rite was to be accomplished during the day, and during the night, the husband had to make a paste of the leaf of Kelūnā plant by grinding the same with the handle of a sword. Consecrating the paste with the hymn, parvatāddiva…, etc., he had to apply it to his genital and then, to cohabit with his wife.[8] Kauśika[9] also gives the same application, but, reads Khelūnā in place of Kelūnā. Keśava,[10] again, reads it as Kelūnā.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
garbhaḥ saṃdhāryate yena karmaṇā tadgarbhādhānamityanugatārthaṃ karmanāmadheyam / Pūrvamīmāṃsā, 1.4.2, As quoted by Pandey, R., Op.cit., p.48, fn.1
[2]:
parihasta vidhāraya yoniṃ garbhāya dhātave / maryāde putramā dhehi taṃ tvamā gamayāgame // Atharvaveda, 6.81.2 parihastaḥ hastaṃ pariveṣṭya vartamānaḥ rakṣakāraḥ pratisaraḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 6.81.1
[4]:
parvatāddiva ityāgamakṛśaramāśayati / Ibid., 35.5
[5]:
snātāyāṃ caturthe’hani / Atharvapaddhati and Daśakarmāṇi, Ibid. Vide, Bloomfield, M. (ed.), Op.cit., p.94
[7]:
[8]:
Ibid.
[10]:
Vide, Keśava, Ibid.