Question 4. In which one among the following texts does the term kshetra-patni (‘mistress of the field’) originate?
(a) Rigveda
(b) Atharvaveda
(c) Ashtadhyayi
(d) Arthashastra
Answer: (b) Atharvaveda
Explanation: The term Kshetra-patni meaning “Mistress of the Field” originates in the Atharvaveda. In the agricultural hymns of the text, the term refers either to a female guardian deity associated with agriculture or to the wife who participates alongside her cultivator husband in agricultural and fertility rituals.
The concept reflects the important role of women in early agrarian society and highlights the sacred association between agriculture, fertility and household life in Vedic tradition.
Subject: Ancient Indian History
Topic: Vedic Period
