Ancient-education/Women in Ancient India/Apala - A Woman Saint

Apala – A Woman Saint of the Vedic Period

Apala, one of the distinguished women seers of the Vedic age, is mentioned in the Rigveda Samhita (Eighth Mandala, Sukta 91) and the Satyayana Brahmana. Her name stands among the revered Rishikas (female sages) who composed hymns, reflecting the high intellectual and spiritual status women held in early Vedic society. Apala is the name of a woman saint mentioned in the eighth mandala of the Rig Veda Samhita. She is also mentioned in the Satyayana Brahmana. Apala was born into a learned Brahmin family, her father being the sage Atri, one of the seven great seers (Saptarishis). She is believed to have had a serious skin disease. Due to this her husband, Krshasava, abandoned her.Sage Atri advised Apala to do intense penance to please Indra. She is believed to have offered the juice of somalata plant to Indra when she appeared before her. Apala asked for three boons to Indira which were granted.  They being:

• To transform the barren field of her father into fertile,
• Cure for her father’s baldness
• Cure for her skin disease.

To purify her, Indra is said to have cleansed Apala thrice, first her physical body, then her vital life-breath (prana), and finally her soul (atma). After this divine purification, Apala was transformed into a radiant and beautiful woman, symbolizing the restoration of inner and outer harmony through divine grace.

Apala’s hymns are notable for their lyrical beauty and spiritual depth. They reveal her understanding of the relationship between the divine and the human, and the transformative power of devotion and self-realization.

Apala’s life illustrates the Vedic ideal that spiritual wisdom and divine communion are attainable by anyone, irrespective of gender or social standing. It can be achieved through sincerity and self-discipline. She stands as a testament to the intellectual and spiritual agency of women in ancient India.

References:

• Vedadhara. (2024, February 12). Story of Apala: A female Rishi. Vedadhara. Retrieved from https://www.vedadhara.com/story-of-apala-a-female-rishi
• Mishra, R. (2023, March 18). Women sages of the Vedic period: Apala and her hymns. Indian Culture Portal. Retrieved from https://indianculture.gov.in/women-sages-vedic-period-apala

• Wikipedia contributors. (2025, May 2). Apala. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apala