''Vishpala'' (') is a woman (alternatively, a horse) mentioned in the

Rigveda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts ('' śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only on ...

( RV 1.112.10, 116.15, 117.11, 118.8 and RV 10.39.8). The name is likely from ' "settlement, village" and ' "strong", meaning something like "protecting the settlement" or "strong settlement". Vishpala is helped in battle (alternative, in the prize-race) by the

Ashvins The Ashvins ( sa, अश्विन्, Aśvin, horse possessors), also known as Ashwini Kumara and Asvinau,, §1.42. are Hindu twin gods associated with medicine, health, dawn and sciences. In the ''Rigveda'', they are described as youthful div ...

. As she lost her leg "in the time of night, in Khela's battle" (alternatively, "in Khela's race, eager for a decision"), they gave her a "leg of iron" so that she could keep running (1.116.15). The interpretation as a female warrior in battle is due to Griffith (in keeping with Sayana), the interpretation as a horse race is due to

Karl Friedrich Geldner Karl Friedrich Geldner (17 December 1852 – 5 February 1929) was a German linguist best known for his analysis and synthesis of Avestan and Vedic Sanskrit texts. Biography Geldner was born in Saalfeld, Saxe-Meiningen, where his father wa ...

. As is often the case in the Rigveda, especially in the young books 1 and 10 (dated to roughly 1200 BC) a myth is only alluded to, the poet taking for granted his audience's being familiar with it, and beyond the fact that the Ashvins gave Vishpala a new leg, no information has survived, neither about Vishpala herself nor about "Khela's battle", or indeed the character of Khela (the name meaning "shaking, trembling"). A book about Vishpala has been authored by

Saiswaroopa Iyer Saiswaroopa Iyer is an Indian author, who has published in the mythological genre. Her notable books are Abhaya, Avishi, Draupadi and Mauri. She has an MBA from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur and is a former investment profession ...

References

{{Rigveda Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Indian amputees Indian women in war Horses in Hinduism Prosthetics Rigveda Women in ancient warfare Ancient Indian women

See also

References