Women in the Atharva-veda Samhita
by Pranab Jyoti Kalita | 2017 | 62,142 words
This page relates 鈥楪oddess Asuri鈥� 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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
6. Goddess 膧蝉耻谤墨
In the Atharvaveda, 膧蝉耻谤墨 is presented in a variegated way. Once, she is regarded as certain woman and illusion of certain Asuras.[1] She is spoken of as healing one鈥檚 leprosy by means of defeating 厂耻辫补谤峁嘺 in the battle.[2] She is called the pioneer amongst the physicians of leprosy.[3] She bestowed the healing power of leprosy upon 狈墨濒墨, a herb.[4]
Again, she is, once,[5] interpreted as 艢补肠墨, the daughter of certain Asura, i.e. strong, named Puloma. There, it is stated that she subjugated Indra with the help of the herb Sauvarcala.[6]
Again, in another context, 膧蝉耻谤墨 is regarded as one sort of 碍峁泃测腻, i.e. witchcraft.[7] Such sort of 膧蝉耻谤墨 碍峁泃测补 along with 膧峁単颈谤补蝉墨 碍峁泃测腻 and Svaya峁僰峁泃膩 碍峁泃测腻 is wanted to be placed beyond ninety great rivers.[8]
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
[3]:
鈥� prathameda峁� kil膩sabhe峁jam 鈥� / Atharvaveda, 1.24.2
[4]:
[6]:
膩sur墨 asurasya 尘腻测腻 / dev膩n varjayitv膩 颈苍诲谤补峁� yena bhe峁jena nicakre yuddhe sv膩dh墨na峁� k峁泃avat墨 / yadv膩 补蝉耻谤补岣� asum膩n / 产补濒补惫腻苍 pulom膩khya岣� / tasyeyam 膩sur墨 艣ac墨 / Ibid., 7.39.2 The herb referred to in this reference is Sauvarcala as known to S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya in the preceding mantra, i.e. Atharvaveda, 7.39.1