Emotionally evolved people of the times of Rig-Veda: Part 1
RIG VEDA MANDALA6, HYMN LXXV, Stanza 3
Near the warrior’s chariot,
the bowstring is held tight on the bow, and
which resembles like a woman, embracing a friend,
and the slight twang of the bowstring is as
if she is whispering…
This is a lovely stanza (hrik or rhrug) from the hymn 75. The composition
is attributed to a rishi named Payu Bhardvaja, a descendant of King Bharata. It
is from this great king that the name Bharadvaja originates.
The poet here praises or worships probably what he feels is the single
most important thing that determines a warrior’s success in battle field. This
battle field obviously from more than 4000 years ago was similar to any of
those ancient ones. There is a chariot on which the warriors set out into the
battle; which isn’t the surprise. The bowstring which actually launches the
arrow needs or behaves to be like a woman. And which quality of the woman?
Embracing or hugging tightly which is, not sounding too sexist, a woman’s
trait. And what completes it? She doesn’t talk loud to her friend but whispers.
Aah! The beauty of this piece can be more appreciated when you realize that
this hymn is called weapons of war.
The poet could have mentioned men, child or anyone for that matter that
needs to be like a string of the bow. But instead he chooses carefully, a
woman, which just goes on to show the high degree of freedom a woman enjoyed
during those pre-historical times. Not only is woman free to hug her lover or
friend, but its accepted or even the norm. We can even say that a bow-string is
or should like a woman herself, light in the way she is built yet strong in a
way that is more than just mental. Emotionally strong. Because it is the overwhelming
of the emotion yet controlled expression that which actually makes one hug a
friend tightly.
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