2. Goddess Apsarases

In the Atharvaveda, the Apsarases are entreated in a varied manner. The author of the Nirukta^[1] also has given some varied derivation of the word apsaras. Sāyaṇācārya^[2] also derives the term apsaras as moving on āpa, i.e. water or the atmosphere.

However, in the Atharvaveda, they are presented as certain entities like gods.^[3] They are, always, presented as being connected with the Gandharvas. The Apsarases are spoken of as the wives of the Gandharvas.^[4] They are also called as the wives of the gods.^[5] Regarding the identity of the Apsarases, there is diversity of facts. In the Taittirīya Saṃhitā,^[6] Sūrya is called the Gandharvas and the rays of Sūrya are called the Apsarases. Immediately, in the same context, it is stated that Candramas is Gandharva and its stars are Apsarases.^[7] Again, Parjanya is regarded as the Gandharvas and Vidyut as the Apsarases.^[8]

In the Atharvaveda,^[9] the union of these Gandharvas and Apsarases is mentioned. They are referred to here as of malevolent nature.^[10] They are called klandāḥ,^[11] as they make people to weep and cause harm to them by penetrating into them. They defame a person into whom they enter.^[12] They are also called akṣakāmā,^[13] i.e. desiring to damage one’s sense-organs. Besides, they make one mad.^[14] That one’s insanity is caused by the Gandharvas and the Apsarases is also alluded to in the Taittirīyasaṃhitā.^[15] The Atharvaveda^[16] also mentions that a madly person can be recovered by the Apsarases and other gods. The plant Ajaśṛṅgī is lauded to destroy the Apsarases and the Gandharvas who are malign in nature.^[17] In certain references,^[18] Apsarases are placed in the same row along with some other demoniac forces like the Rākṣasa, Piśāca, etc. Their association is often feared and therefore, they are tried to be kept a far from human abode.^[19] The Earth is prayed to keep them at a distance from human being.^[20] They are asked to leave humanly residences and to go to their own abode on the rivers.^[21] The oceans,^[22] the rivers^[23] and the forests^[24] are spoken of as their abode. Gandharvas, their male counterparts are also not treated amiably in some references^[25] and hence, are asked not to obtain the mortals, i.e. the human beings, but, their wives, the Apsarases.^[26]

As the Apsarases are not of benign nature, hence, homage has been paid to them to get rid of their malignity.^[27] They are prayed not to injure a recently married couple, but, to be pleasant to them.^[28] Contextually, it is to be mentioned that a person who holds an amulet, prepared from the plant Tilaka, cannot be harmed by the Apsarases as well as by the Gandharvas too.^[29]

But, it is worthy of note that, in the Atharvaveda, the Apsarases have been presented in another form also. They are regarded as the presiding deity of gambling.^[30] It is stated there that by means of keeping wager, they obtain riches.^[31] They are expertised in the game of dice^[32] and hence, are called saṃjayantī,^[33] i.e. well conquering. Therefore, the gamblers extoll them for victory in the dice.^[34] When the Apsarases win the game, they dance in joy^[35] and they become afflicted with loss and enraged with the desire to win again.^[36] They are called ānandinī,^[37] i.e. delighted with the joy of victory and pramodinī,^[38] i.e. gladdening to those who are interested to dice. They are prayed to protect the sum of wager by winning the game.^[39] The gamblers call them to the game to bring victory to them.^[40] In contrast to these, Agni is invoked to bless the worshippers so as to win in the game of dice.^[41]

Though the Atharvaveda presents the Apsarases as a group of entities, but, once,^[42] refers to the names of two Apsarases, viz. Ugraṃpaśyā and Ugrajit. Both these Apsarases are entreated to protect one from the evil consequences of the offensive deeds caused by one’s sense-organs.^[43] These two Apsarases are prayed so that one may not be obtained by the wrath of Yama, the punisher god, due to his or her offensive deeds.^[44] Moreover, Kāma, i.e. love is also spoken of as being under the control of the Apsarases like Urvaśī, etc.^[45]

Thus, in the character of the Apsarases, both the aspects of benevolent and malevolent nature are seen and their status as being gods is also an obscure one though they are rarely interpreted as gods or gods-like, but, are also kept sometimes in the same line with demoniac entities. However, it is true that the seers felt some awe to these entities.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

apsarā apsāriṇī / api vāpsa iti rūpanāma / apsāteḥ / apsānīyaṃ bhavati / ādarśanīyam / vyāpanīyaṃ vā / spaṣṭaṃ darśanāyeti śākapūṇiḥ / Nirukta, 5.13

[2]:

āpa ityantarikṣanāma / udakaṃ vā / tatra caratītyapsarā / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 2.2.3

[3]:

devajātīyā / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 4.37.12

[4]:

jāyā id vo apsaraso gandharvāḥ patayo yūyam / Atharvaveda, 4.37.12

[5]:

… maddevapatnī apsarasāvadhītam / Ibid., 6.118.3

[6]:

sūryo gandharvastasya marīcayopsarasaḥ / Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 3.4.7.1

[7]:

candramā gandharvastasya nakṣatrāṇyapsarasaḥ / Ibid.

[8]:

parjanya gandharvastasya vidyutopsarasaḥ / Ibid., 3.4.7.2

[9]:

Atharvaveda, 2.2.3

[10]:

Ibid., 4.37; 12.1.50

[11]:

Ibid., 2.2.5 klandāḥ klandayitryo manuṣyān āviśya upadravakaraṇena rodayitryaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[12]:

Atharvaveda, 2.2.5 tamiṣīṃ glāniṃ pareṣām āviṣṭānām upacinvantīti tamiṣīcayaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[13]:

Atharvaveda, 2.2.5 akṣakāmāḥ akṣāṇi indriyāṇi tāni nāśayituṃ kāmayamānāḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[14]:

Atharvaveda, 2.2.5 manomuhaḥ manaso mohayitryaḥ / unmādakāriṇya ityarthaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[15]:

gandharvāpsaraso vā etam unmādayanti ya unmādyati / Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 3.4.8.4

[16]:

Atharvaveda, 6.111.4

[17]:

tvayā vayamapsaraso gandharvāṃścātayāmahe / ajaśṛṅgyaja rakṣaḥ sarvān gandhena nāśaya // Ibid., 4.37.2

[18]:

ye gandharvā apsaraso ye cārāyāḥ kimīdinaḥ / piśācāntsarvā rakṣāṃsi tānasmad bhūme yāvaya // Ibid., 12.1.50

[19]:

Ibid., 4.37.3, 4

[20]:

… tānasmad bhūme yāvaya / Ibid., 12.1.50

[21]:

nadīṃ yantvapsarasopāṃ tāramavaśvasam / Ibid., 4.37.3

[22]:

Ibid., 2.2.3

[23]:

Ibid., 4.37.3

[24]:

Ibid., 4.37.4

[25]:

Ibid., 4.37.7-11

[26]:

Ibid., 4.37.12

[27]:

Ibid., 2.2.4, 5

[28]:

Ibid., 14.2.9

[29]:

nainaṃ ghnantyapsaraso na gandharvā na martyāḥ / sarvā diśo vi rājati yo bibhartīmaṃ maṇim // Ibid., 8.5.13 Vide, Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 8.5

[30]:

apsarasaḥ dyūtakriyādevatāḥ / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 7.114.3

[31]:

udbhindatīṃ saṃjayantīmapsarasāṃ sādhudevinīm / Atharvaveda, 4.38.1

[32]:

Ibid., 4.38.2

[33]:

Ibid.

[34]:

… kṛṇvānāmapsarāṃ tāmiha huve / Ibid., 4.38.1

[35]:

yāyaiḥ parinṛtyatyādadānā kṛtaṃ glahāt / Ibid., 4.38.3

[36]:

yā akṣeṣu pramodante śucaṃ krodhaṃ ca bibhratī / Ibid., 4.38.4

[37]:

Ibid., 4.38.4 dyūtajanitaharṣayuktām / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[38]:

Atharvaveda, 4.38.4 dyūtāsaktān anyānapi pramodayantīm / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[39]:

Atharvaveda, 4.38.4

[40]:

Ibid., 7.114.3

[41]:

Ibid., 7.114.2

[42]:

Ibid., 6.118.2

[43]:

Ibid., 6.118.1, 2

[44]:

Ibid., 6.118.2

[45]:

apsarasām urvaśīprabhṛtīnāṃ saṃbandhī ayaṃ smaraḥ kāmaḥ / tadadhīne vartata ityarthaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 6.130.1