In which one among the following texts does the term kshetra-patni ('mistress of the field') originate?

Question

In which one among the following texts does the term kshetra-patni ('mistress of the field') originate?

1. A. Rigveda
2. B. Atharvaveda (Correct answer)
3. C. Ashtadhyayi
4. D. Arthashastra

Correct Answer

Option B — B

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Option B.

Key Points

• Explanation: The term kshetra-patni, meaning "mistress of the field", occurs in the Atharvaveda.
• The Atharvaveda carries a large body of practical and agricultural material — charms, spells and hymns connected with ploughing, sowing, rain and the fertility of fields — and it is in this agricultural context that the term appears.
• Why the other options are wrong: The Rigveda has the masculine Kshetrapati, "lord of the field", invoked in a hymn for agricultural prosperity — but not kshetra-patni.
• The Ashtadhyayi is Panini's treatise on Sanskrit grammar, and the Arthashastra is Kautilya's work on statecraft and economy; neither is the origin of this term.

Additional Information

• The Atharvaveda is the fourth Veda and is our most important source for the everyday life, beliefs and popular practices of the later Vedic period, in contrast to the largely liturgical content of the other three Vedas.