Title : Contribution of women in Vedas Author : Mr Jagveershiha Varma

Thousands of years ago when the whole world was in the darkness of illiteracy; not only the men but also the women in India were busy creating Vedic literature. After this, time changed drastically and the women who once created Vedas were not even allowed to learn or read them. We all should be thankful to Swami Dayanand Saraswati who gave the right of learning back to the women. As a result, today we find many learned women in Vedas. Rigveda has a total of 10552 hymns of which 200 hymns are created by 20 women and the rest of the hymns in Vedas are created by the men (Rishis). These figures show that most of the time of women must have been spent in household duties. In this article, we are going to see such few women who have created Vedas and hymns and who have become famous. Vishwavara Aatreyi – Vishwavara Aatreyi was born in the family of Maharshi Atri. She wrote the 21st hymn in the fifth division of the Rigveda. This prayer has a hymn, which admires Agni Devata (Lort Agni). It says, Oh Lord Agni, you are lightened or called. Oh Lord of good things, you help other gods because you are the one through whom they can be reached. Apala Aatreyi – This daughter of Maharishi Atri because of her skin disease was left by her husband. At this time, while staying in her father’s house she did mortification to please Lord Indra. Pleased with Apala’s mortification, Lord Indra produced hair on the balding head of Apala’s father and also made Apala free of disease. Apala created the 11th hymn of eighth division of Rigveda (in some editions these hymns total to 90). It has 7 hymns. In those, Apala admired Lord Indra for his bravery, glory, etc., with following wishes: Oh Lord Indra, make our farm fertile, produce hair on my father’s head, and make my body free of disease. Lord Indra made Apala free of disease. Indrani – Indrani created the 145th hymn in the tenth division of Rigveda, which has only hymns. This hymn is effective in making the husband free from the rival wife and to gain an upper hand on husband. To effect this purpose, a medicine called "Patha" is also used. The first hymn asks to eradicate "Patha" but the rest are for rival wife and husband conjuration. In the fifth hymn, Indrani calls "Patha" as follows: I am repressing the rival wife and you are also known to repress. We together will repress my rival wife. Kakshiwati Ghasha – This daughter of Kakhiswaan Rishi stayed in her father’s house till the age of --- because of leprosy. Still she admires Ashwinikumar for his works of prohibition and demolish of the disease, like Saint Mira’s. e.g. Oh veridical Ashwini Kumara, you are fortunate for the girls growing old in their father’s house. You are the protector of the weak and abandoned. People call you God of blind, weak, and those who suffer. Surya Savitri – She is the creator of 85th hymn of the tenth division of Rigveda. This hymn has 41 hymns, which are related to marriage ritual. Some hymns are so full of such eminence felling that they are still chanted in marriages auspiciously. It is said in the form of blessing to the bride and groom – "You both live here. Never get apart. You live the life king size. Spend your life raising and playing with children in your house happily." Hey bride, you be a queen at your in-laws’ house and your brothers-in-laws will treat you the same.