>245CMR at 11:27, 30 June 2021

2021-06-30T11:27:44Z

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{{Infobox religious biography
| name = Ghosha
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| religion = [[Hinduism]]
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| occupation = Philosopher
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| notable_works = Two hymns in Rigveda in praise of [[Ashvins|Ashvini Kumars]]
}}

'''Ghosha''' ({{lang-sa|घोषा}}) was an ancient [[Vedic period]] [[India]]n female [[philosopher]] and seer. From a young age she suffered from a skin ailment which had disfigured her. [[Ashvins|Ashvini Kumars]] cured her and restored her youthfulness, health and beauty. As a result, she got married and had a son. She was proficient in the Vedas and had even scripted two hymns in the [[Rigveda]].<ref name=Grand>{{Cite web|url= http://www.indianscriptures.com/gurus/rushi-women/ghosha |title=Ghosha|access-date=7 December 2015|publisher=Indian Scripture.com}}</ref> She was called as ''mantradrika'' meaning well versed in [[mantras]].{{Sfn|Singh|2008|p=27}} She was also known as a [[Brahmavadini]] or speaker or proclaimer of [[Brahmana]] and led a purposeful spiritual life.<ref name=Grand/>

==Biography==
Ghosha was born during the Vedic period in India. Her father was [[Kakshivat]] and grandfather was [[Dirghatamas|Dīrghatamas]] and both of them had written hymns in the [[Rigveda]]. She was suffering from a skin ailment and was confined to the house attending to her father. According to a hymn, she suffered from [[leprosy]], which had disfigured her.<ref name=Grand/><ref name="Mahendra2006">{{cite book | author=Mahendra Kulasrestha | title=The Golden Book of Rigveda | year = 2006 | publisher=Lotus Press | isbn=978-81-8382-010-3 | page=221}}</ref> She was thus a [[celibate]] for a long period. She fervently prayed to [[Ashvins]], the divine physician twins of the time, who were proficient in [[rejuvenation (aging)|rejuvenation]]. They taught her [[Madhu-vidya|Madhu Vidhya]], a Vedic teaching, a science of secret learning to restore youth and acquire immense knowledge, to get her cured of skin ailment. Because of her constant prayers Ashvini Kumars cured her skin problem and restored her beauty. She was then married. She had a son, Suhstya, who also composed a hymn in the Rigveda.<ref name=Grand/>{{Sfn|Vivekananda|1954|p=161}}<ref name="Vettam1975">{{cite book | author= Vettam Mani | title = Puranic encyclopaedia | url= https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft | year=1975 | publisher=Motilal Banarsidass | isbn=978-0-8426-0822-0 | page = [https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/291 291] }}</ref>

Ghosha composed two hymns in praise of the Ashvini Kumars which are contained in two ''sukta''s (hymns) of the tenth ''Mandala'' (book) of [[Rigveda]], chapter X hymns 39 and 40, each containing 14 verses. The first hymn praises the [[Ashvins]]. The second hymn is a personal desire expressing her intimate feelings and desires for married life.{{Sfn|Prabhu|1991|p=257}}<ref name=Ancient>{{Cite web|url=http://www.indicethos.org/Hinduism/Womenfamous.html|title=Women In Ancient India|work= Ghosha|access-date=7 December 2015|publisher=Indic Studies Foundation}}</ref>{{Sfn|Pandey|2008|p=21}} The two hymns are:{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} {{Cquote|Asvins Your radiant Chariot -whither goes it on its way? Who decks it for you, Heroes, for its happy course starting at daybreak visiting each morning every house, borne hitherward through prayer unto the sacrifice?}}

{{Cquote|Where are you, Asvins, in the evening, where at morn? Where is your halting place, where rest ye for the night? O Heroes, this I beg of you. 'Be near me in the day, be near me in the night'.}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last= Pandey |first=B. K.|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian philosophers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d8ROAQAAIAAJ|year=2008|publisher=Anmol Publications|isbn=978-81-261-3524-0}}
*{{cite book|last= Prabhu|first=Pandharinath H. |title=Hindu Social Organization: A Study in Socio-psychological and Ideological Foundations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eHyoEpIKoUsC&pg=PA257|year=1991|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7154-206-2}}
*{{cite book|last= Singh |first= Achyut Kumar |title=Edu.& National Character|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rfSlYjzPgoYC&pg=PA27|year=2008|publisher=APH Publishing|isbn=978-81-313-0277-4}}
*{{cite book|last= Vivekananda |first=Swami |title=Awakened India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z7UfAQAAIAAJ|year=1954|publisher=Swami Smaranananda}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ancient Indian philosophers]]
[[Category:Ancient Indian writers]]
[[Category:Hindu philosophers and theologians]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Year of death unknown]]
[[Category:Indian women philosophers]]
[[Category:Ancient Indian women writers]]
[[Category:Women mystics]]

Ghosha - Revision history

>245CMR at 11:27, 30 June 2021