7. Goddess Devapatnī

In the Atharvaveda, the wives of the gods are eulogised in a separate hymn.^[1] Devapatnī is the term to denote the wives of the gods.^[2] Certain deities like Sinīvālī, Anumati, the Apsarases are observed as being addressed as the wives of the gods in general. But, in certain references,^[3] the wives of the gods are addressed in general without mentioning any name. They are implored by the seers for protection, progeny, food, abode and happiness.^[4] Further, the seers have assigned certain goddesses against the names of some gods as their wives, e.g. Indrāṇī against Indra, Agnāyī for Agni, Aśvinī for the Aśvins, Rodasī for Rudra and Varuṇānī for Varuṇa.^[5] All these goddesses are invoked to partake the oblations during the menstruation period of the wives of the invokers.^[6]

It is here noteworthy that all these wives of the deities, mentioned above owe to their husbands for their names and out of them, only Varuṇānī and Indrāṇī have been mentioned independently in other references, though very scantily.

Varuṇānī has been referred to for once as the mother of one’s dreams.^[7] In comparison to the other wives of the deities, Indrāṇī is offered a prestigious position. She is regarded as the presiding deity of an army.^[8] She is called ajitā,^[9] i.e. undefeatable and amuṣitā,^[10] i.e. unrobed. She is also called prathamā,^[11] i.e. pioneer. She is implored to enable the army to defeat the enemies.^[12] Amongst all other women, she is the fortunate one.^[13] She placed Kāma into the atmosphere or into water.^[14] She is regarded as the buttock of a bull.^[15] A newly married bride is asked to be intelligent like Indrāṇī and is advised to wake up at the dawn, tipped with light.^[16]

In connection with these wives of the gods, another word gnā is used by the seers.^[17] Sāyaṇācārya^[18] has interpreted the word once as the wives of gods. Along with gnā, i.e. the wives of the gods, Tvaṣṭṛ is invoked for the welfare of the invokers.^[19] But, in another mantra,^[20] both the words gnā and Devapatnī appear and there, gnā is interpreted as women. In the Nirukta^[21] also, gnā is interpreted as women. A woman is called gnā as she is to be approached by her husband.^[22] Elsewhere,^[23] gnā is interpreted as devī, i.e. divine one.

Besides these, in the Atharvaveda, another word devajāmi is observed to be used in the sense of the wives of the gods in general.^[24] In place of devajāmi, Sāyaṇācārya^[25] has given the word devastrī.

Thus, the wives of the gods are entreated in the Atharvaveda as a separate class of divinities, though they are not given an independent status.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid., 7.51

[2]:

devapatnīḥ devāḥ patayo yāsāṃ tāḥ devānāṃ patnyaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 7.51.2

[3]:

Atharvaveda, 7.51.1

[4]:

Ibid.

[5]:

uta gnā vyantu devapatnīrindrāṇyagnāyyaśvinī rāṭ / ā rodasī varuṇānī śṛṇotu vyantu devīrya ṛturjanīnām // Ibid., 7.51.2

[6]:

asmadīyaṃ havyaṃ vyantu aśnantu kāmayantā vā havīṃṣi devīrdevyaḥ / kasmin kāle haviḥkāmanaṃ tam āha / yaḥ janīnāṃ jāyānām ṛtuḥ kālastasmin / patnīsaṃyājakāla ityarthaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[7]:

varuṇānī te mātā … / Atharvaveda, 6.46.1

[8]:

senābhimānidevatātvena sarvairanabhibhāvyetyarthaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 1.27.4

[9]:

Atharvaveda, 1.27.4 ajitā kenacidapi anirjitā / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[10]:

Atharvaveda, 1.27.4 amuṣitā anapahṛtā / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[11]:

Atharvaveda, 1.27.4 prathamā prathamabhāvinī / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[12]:

purogāminyā senābhimāninyā indrāṇyā devatayā anugṛhītā asmadīyā senā śatrūn nirjitya tadgṛhānapi ākramatu ityarthaḥ / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 1.27.4

[13]:

indrāṇīmāsu nāriṣu subhagāmahamaśravam / Atharvaveda, 20.126.11

[14]:

yamindrāṇī smaramasiñcadapsvantaḥ … / Ibid., 6.132.3

[15]:

indrāṇī bhasad … / Ibid., 9.12.8

[16]:

indrāṇīva subudhā budhyamānā jyotiragrā uṣasaḥ prati jāgarāsi / Ibid., 14.2.31

[17]:

Ibid., 7.51.2

[18]:

gnābhiḥ devapatnībhiḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 19.10.6

[19]:

… śaṃ nastvaṣṭā gnābhiriha śṛṇotu / Atharvaveda, 19.10.6

[20]:

asmā idu gnāścid devapatnīrindrāyārkamahihatya ūvuḥ / Ibid., 20.35.8 gnāścid svasvapatibhirabhigantavyāḥ striyaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.

[21]:

menā gnā iti strīṇām / Nirukta, 3.21

[22]:

gnā gacchantyenā / Ibid. svasvapatibhirabhigantavyāḥ striyaḥ / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 20.35.8

[23]:

gnāḥ devyaḥ / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 7.51.2

[24]:

Atharvaveda, 6.46.2

[25]:

devajāmīnām devastrīṇāṃ varuṇānīprabhṛtīnāṃ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid.