Four husbands for one female mentioned in Vedas

 Vedas mention four husbands of every borne female. What is to be understood by this concept?

सोम: प्रथमो विविदे  गा न्धर्वो विविद्‌ उत्तर: ।

तृतीयो अग्निष्टे  पतिस्तुरीयस्ते  मनुष्यजा: ॥ ऋ 10-85-40

 सोमो ददद्‌ गन्धर्वाय गन्धर्वो ददग्नये।

 रयिं च पुत्रश्चादादग्निर्मह्यमथो इमाम्‌॥ अथर्व14-2-4, ऋ10-85-41

These four Ved mantras also occurring in different places explain the same four  stages in the development of the female temperament.

In the beginning is what modern science refers to the age before formation of 'the blood brain barrier' in the children i.e. up to about 8 years age. According to our Shastras the girl child is under the guardianship of Soma.

Vedas elaborate on Soma as god of intellect and poetically describe Soma being the first husband of the females during their infancy.

(Modern science tells us that that DHA (Decosa Hexaenoic Acid) and EPA (Ecosa Pentaenoic Acid) are the two fatty acids that power the human brain in all its activities related to human faculties. DHA is particularly associated with eyesight. Both DHA and EPA are made in the human body from ALA the Omega 3 fatty acids.

In young females capacity for conversion of dietary Omega 3 to DHA is nearly 20 higher and EPA is nearly three times higher than males. Thus it is the female of the species that has been given the extra responsibility to ensure good brains, eye sight, the intellectual strength for the human progeny.

Nature has thus provided the females with a far superior role in building a human society than men, because to start with only sharp and farsighted brains ensure a sustainable happy society.

(Dr. Graham Burdge has reviewed the published studies wherein the conversion efficiency of alpha-linolenic acid (LNA) to the long chain omega-3 fatty acids including DHA and EPA have been studied in humans using tagged (deuterated) LNA as the ingested precursor fatty acid (Current Opinion in Clin. Nutr. Metab. Care, 7: 137-144 (2004)). In their studies as published, Dr. Burdge and colleagues reported a non-detectable conversion of LNA to DHA in men over a 21 day period whereas a 9% apparent conversion was observed in women. The combined apparent conversion of LNA to EPA +DHA was estimated to be approximately 8% in males (as EPA with the DHA being non-detectable) and approximately 30% in females (21% in the form of EPA and 9% in the form of DHA). With respect to publications from my laboratory at the University of Guelph, this information can be accessed from going to my personal webpage at the University of Guelph (www.uoguelph.ca/~bholub.)

Nature has thus provided the females with a far superior role in building a human society than men, because to start with only sharp and farsighted brains ensure a sustainable happy society.)  

This fact is borne out by the observation that in modern society not only in India but even in the Ivy League colleges in USA, girls are regularly obtaining the academic laurels far ahead of boys. This is no different from Indian experience. Girls are seen to be snatching the top scholastic positions in all examinations in India.

This is the scientific basis of the unique Vedic Culture that addresses the girl child as an object of veneration and the females to be accorded high position and treated with respect in society.

In the second stage till the age of puberty around 12/13 years, during adolescence the girl child is possessed by Gandharvas.

Gandharwas represents aesthetics, all that is beautiful, delicate, sensitive, empathic and virtuous in this world. In visuals the talent for appreciation of beauty, in nature, arts, physical forms, and ability to replicate the same in paintings/sculptures and such visual art forms. In audiovisual areas gandharwas, would represent good sounds, music, dance forms and drama, good vocal abilities, creative writings. Sensitivity for harmonious relations and peace loving attitudes, delicacy, creativity are the gifts to humanity of the Gandhrwas. A girl child through her teens remains preoccupied with these artistic pursuits. These are the attributes of a civilized culture and injected in to society by the female of the species. These natural traits of females must be given full opportunities to develop. Females thus become the embodiment of these qualities for the human race. Poetically Vedas describe the Gandhrwas as the second husbands of the females.)

In the third stage, with development of physical body functions, in Vedic language female body is as if afire with – the flesh gets stronger - by कामाग्नि.

When the sexual urge has fully manifested in the females, they are ready to find a physical husband. This is the fourth stage in development of females. Female becomes ready for taking on her role of a wife by being married to a human being. And thus bring forth good progeny for progress and continuation of human society.