Women in the Atharva-veda Samhita
by Pranab Jyoti Kalita | 2017 | 62,142 words
This page relates 鈥�6i. Hymn to Deprive a Man of his Virility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.
6i. Hymn to Deprive a Man of his Virility
[Full title: 6. Hymns Related to Love and Jealousy (i): Hymn to Deprive a Man of his Virility]
The treatment toward an undesired woman and the ways for her sterilization have already been discussed earlier. But, there is one such hymn in the Atharvaveda where a hated man is wanted to be deprived of his virility. This hymn starts with the mantra, 迟惫腻峁� 惫墨谤耻诲丑腻峁�[1] 鈥�, etc. This hymn refers to certain herb which is efficient in making a man an impotent one.[2] Though the name is not mentioned, yet, the herb is regarded as 艣谤别峁ａ弓丑补迟补尘腻,[3] i.e. most praiseworthy and as 补产丑颈艣谤耻迟腻,[4] i.e. having a good reputation. With this herb, an undesired person is wanted to be deprived of his virility.[5] Not only this, the same is also wanted to be associated with female genitals so that, even after the deprivation of virility, the man may not appear to be a manly one.[6] After this, desiring the eunuchism of the hated person, some other womanly characters are also wanted to be imposed over him. The practice of having long hair is also regarded as one of such womanly characters. In the 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补 厂补峁僪颈迟腻,[7] the female deity 厂颈苍墨惫腻濒墨 is also extolled as 蝉耻办耻谤墨谤腻, i.e. having long and beautiful hair. Hence, the odious person is also asked to be united with long hair.[8] Besides, both of his testicles are asked to be castrated with stone so that he may not be able to procreate anymore.[9]
Thus, expressing one鈥檚 intense antagonism to certain person, the same makes the person an impotent one.[10] He is also asked to be adorned with kumba, one kind of hair-dress over his 办耻谤墨谤补, i.e. the net of hair.[11] The use of such ornaments by a woman is evident in the 膧辫补蝉迟补尘产补 骋峁沨测补蝉奴迟谤补[12] also.
Explaining the process of castration, it is stated that both the canals of the person which bear the virile fluid and which are connected to the testicles are split with a club.[13] As women break certain grass with a stone in order to prepare a straw-mat, in the same way, the testicles of the person are asked to be broken.[14]
Thus, this hymn reflects the extreme displeasure of some women, toward a rival man, due to which, the rival one is wanted to be emasculated.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid., 6.138
[3]:
迟惫腻峁� 惫墨谤耻诲丑腻峁� 艣谤别峁ａ弓丑补迟补尘腻bhi艣rut膩syo峁dhe / Atharvaveda, 6.138.1
[4]:
Ibid.
[5]:
ima峁� me adya 辫耻谤耻峁峁� kl墨bamopa艣ina峁� k峁沝hi / Ibid. adya id膩n墨峁� me mad墨yam ima峁� 辫耻谤耻峁m 诲惫别峁补峁� 辫耻谤耻峁峁� kl墨bam 苍颈谤惫墨谤测补峁� santam 鈥� k峁沝hi kuru / 厂腻测补峁嘺, Ibid.
[6]:
upa艣ete asmin 辫耻谤耻峁 iti opa艣a岣� str墨vya帽janam / tadvanta峁� k峁沝hi kuru / napu峁僺akatve hi pu峁僺tva艣a峁卥膩pi sy膩t s膩pi asyamabh奴d ityartha岣� / 厂腻测补峁嘺 on Atharvaveda, 6.138.1
[7]:
sin墨v膩l墨 sukapard膩 蝉耻办耻谤墨谤腻 svaupa艣膩 / 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补-sa峁僪it膩, 4.1.5.3
[8]:
atho kur墨ri峁嘺峁� k峁沝hi / Atharvaveda, 6.138.2
[9]:
ath膩syendro gr膩vabhy膩mubhe bhinantv膩峁囜笉yau / Ibid.
[10]:
cf., Ibid., 6.138.3
[11]:
[13]:
Atharvaveda, 6.138.4
[14]:
Ibid., 6.138.5