Women in the Atharva-veda Samhita

by Pranab Jyoti Kalita | 2017 | 62,142 words

This page relates ‘Goddess Prithivi’ 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.

18. Goddess Pṛthivī

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Pṛthivī or the Earth is personified as a goddess in the Vedic literature. As a female deity, she enjoys an exalted position in the Atharvaveda. In this Veda, her godhood is celebrated in three entire hymns^[1] and in some other scattered references of the same Veda. Pṛthivī is often called Bhūmi. In fact, in the hymn, satyaṃ bṛhadṛtatamugraṃ^[2] …, etc., to denote Earth, Bhūmi is mostly used in comparison to Pṛthivī.

The Earth is called Pṛthivī on account of her being spread.^[3] Sāyaṇācārya^[4] also gives the same etymology. Hence, the Earth is asked to be wide for the people.^[5] She is called paprathānā^[6] and prathamānā^[7] for her being spread. She is sustained by the great truth, formidable right, consecration, penance, Brahman and sacrifice.^[8] She is the first creation of ṛta, i.e. the truth.^[9] She is protected by the gods very carefully all the time.^[10] Indra protects this Earth unfailingly^[11] and hence, she is Indraguptā.^[12] Indra made her free from enemies.^[13] She was measured by the Aśvins and traversed by Viṣṇu.^[14] Mitra pervades this great Earth with his rays.^[15] Agni is spoken of as presiding over her.^[16] Again, in another context,^[17] Agni is asked to be like her son. The Earth holds Agni^[18] and Agni resides on this Earth.^[19] Hence, the Earth is called agnivāsā.^[20]

The Earth is called viśvaṃbharā,^[21] i.e. all-bearing. She is also called vardhamānā,^[22] i.e. increasing. She is also immortal and therefore, is called amartyā.^[23] She is the protector of the whole universe.^[24] The Earth is the great station for all.^[25] The cows, the horses and the birds have their substratum on this great Earth.^[26] She is prayed to protect people from the wild-beasts.^[27] She is the bearer of the two-footed men and the four-footed animals.^[28]

At the beginning, she was submerged into water.^[29] She possesses the waters, the rivers and the oceans.^[30] Water unceasingly flows on her^[31] and hence, she is called bhūridhārā, i.e. having many streams and she is prayed to sprinkle with water.^[32]

The Earth bears the herbs of varied qualities,^[33] and so, she is called the mother of the herbs.^[34] She is the protector of the forest trees and the herbs.^[35] Cultivation is done on the Earth^[36] and hence, she bears anna,^[37] i.e. food. She is payasvatī,^[38] i.e. rich in food. The Earth is prayed to yield food, which contains strength.^[39]

For her richness in resources, she is called vasudhānī.^[40] Hiraṇyavakṣā^[41] is her another epithet which denotes her possession of riches like gold. She is, therefore, prayed to set the invokers in riches.^[42] She is the bearer of the hidden treasures and verily she is asked to grant jewels, gold, etc., being a wise-minded one.^[43] As the great Earth bestows according to one’s wishes, she is called kāmadughā.^[44] She is also called vasudā and rāsamānā.^[45] The mountains, the hillocks, the forests on this Earth are implored to be pleasant to the people.^[46]

Thus, the Earth is praised as the repository of all riches and the substratum of all. Her heart, which is a truthful one, rests in the highest firmament.^[47] She is called viśvadhāyas, i.e. all supporting.^[48] As a mother feeds her child, likewise, the Earth is also asked to do the same to the people.^[49] The seer’s reverence gets exposed when he implores the Earth as the mother and Parjanya, the cloud as the father, and calls himself as the son of the Earth.^[50] Thus, the seer puts the Earth into a couple with Parjanya. In another reference^[51] also, Pṛthivī is called as Parjanyapatnī, i.e. spouse of Parjanya. In Vedic literature, Parjanya is popularly known as a god of rain and when he sprinkles the Earth with rain, creation takes place and perhaps, this phenomenon of nature led the seer to the imagination of this couple. In one reference of the Atharvaveda, Pṛthivī is asked not to be loosened with the heavy rains caused by Parjanya for cultivation.^[52] Like Parjanya, Dyau is also called the father, while referring to the Earth as the mother.^[53] For the bestowal of desired objects, both are prayed together.^[54] Behind the personification of Dyau as the father, Sāyaṇācārya^[55] indicates to the same phenomenon as pointed out above in case of Parjanya.

The identification of the Earth with Aditi has already been mentioned. But, the distinction is also noticeable. In one mantra of the Atharvaveda,^[56] it is observed that the Earth is addressed as jananī, i.e. mother while Aditi as janitra, i.e. cause of creation and both are prayed for protection from sins.

The Atharvaveda presents this Earth as an ideal mother, and it provides an entire hymn^[57] to the glorification of this Earth as a mother goddess. In this hymn, a woman is asked to maintain her embryo for birth after ten months as the great Earth holds the womb of all beings; maintains the forest trees, the rugged mountains and the various living beings.^[58] Throughout this hymn, the Earth is praised as mahī, i.e. great.^[59] Knowing her greatness, the seer prays her for long life^[60] and calls her jīradānu,^[61] i.e. bestower of life.

Wanting prosperity and fortune, the seer has implored the mother Earth thus,

bhūme mātarni dhehi mā bhadrayā supratiṣṭhitam /
saṃvidānā divā kave śriyāṃ mā dhehi bhūtyām //^[62]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid., 6.17; 7.19; 12.1

[2]:

Ibid., 12.1

[3]:

prathanātpṛthivītyāhuḥ / Nirukta, 1.13, 14

[4]:

prathanāt pṛthivī bhūmiḥ / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 4.39.1

[5]:

cf., Atharvaveda, 12.1.1, 2

[6]:

Ibid., 12.1.61

[7]:

Ibid., 12.1.55

[8]:

satyaṃ bṛhadṛtamugraṃ dīkṣā tapo brahma yajñaḥ pṛthivīṃ dhārayanti / Ibid., 12.1.1

[9]:

… prathamajā ṛtasya / Ibid., 12.1.61

[10]:

yāṃ rakṣantyasvapnā viśvadānīṃ devā bhūmiṃ pṛthivīmapramādam / Ibid., 12.1.7

[11]:

… mahāṃstvendro rakṣatyapramādam / Ibid., 12.1.18

[12]:

… pṛthivīmindraguptām / Ibid., 12.1.11

[13]:

indro yāṃ cakra ātmanenamitrāṃ śacīpatiḥ / Ibid.

[14]:

yāmaśvināvamimātāṃ viṣṇuryasyāṃ vicakrame / Ibid., 12.1.10

[15]:

ā yātu mitra ṛtubhiḥ kalpamānaḥ saṃveśayan pṛthivīmusriyābhiḥ / Ibid., 3.8.1

[16]:

pṛthivyā yo’gniradhipatiḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 6.10.1 Also vide, Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 4.39.1

[17]:

sā pṛthivī agninā vatsena vatsasthānīyena / Sāyaṇa on Atharvaveda, 4.39.2

[18]:

vaiśvānaraṃ bibhratī bhūmiragnim … / Atharvaveda, 12.1.6

[19]:

agnirbhūmyām … / Ibid., 12.1.19

[20]:

agnivāsāḥ pṛthivī … / Ibid., 12.1.21

[21]:

Ibid., 12.1.6

[22]:

Ibid., 12.1.13

[23]:

amartyāḥ pṛthivi … / Ibid., 12.1.24

[24]:

… bhuvanasya gopā … / Ibid., 12.1.57 Also vide, Ibid., 12.1.6

[25]:

mahat sadhasthaṃ … / Ibid., 12.1.18

[26]:

gavāmaśvānāṃ vayasaśca viṣṭhā … / Ibid., 12.1.5

[27]:

ye ta āraṇyāḥ paśavo mṛgā vane hitāḥ siṃhā vyāghrāḥ puruṣādaścaranti / ulaṃ vṛkaṃ pṛthivi ducchunāmita ṛkṣīkāṃ rakṣo apa bādhayāsmat // Ibid., 12.1.49

[28]:

… tvaṃ bibharṣi dvipadastvaṃ catuṣpadaḥ / Ibid., 12.1.15

[29]:

yārṇavedhi salilamagra āsīd … / Ibid., 12.1.8

[30]:

yasyāṃ samudra uta sindhurāpo … / Ibid., 12.1.3

[31]:

yasyāmāpaḥ paricarāḥ samānīrahorātre apramādaṃ kṣaranti / Ibid., 12.1.9

[32]:

sā no bhūmirbhūridhārā payo duhāmatho ukṣatu varcasā / Ibid., 12.1.9

[33]:

nānāvīryā oṣadhīryā bibharti … / Ibid., 12.1.2