UPSC Prelims 2026 Question:

In which one among the following texts does the term kshetra-patni ('mistress of the field') originate?

Explanation: 

The term kshetra-patni literally means “mistress of the field” and is associated with agricultural fertility and  cultivated land in early Vedic tradition. 

• The expression occurs in the Atharvaveda, particularly in its agricultural hymns dealing with farming,  fertility, prosperity, and domestic life. The Atharvaveda differs from the Rigveda in that it focuses more  on the everyday concerns of householders such as agriculture, healing, protection, and social harmony. 
• The term reflects the gendered symbolism of land and fertility in Vedic society. In some interpretations,  kshetra-patni refers to a feminine presiding spirit or goddess of the cultivated field, while in others it  denotes the ritual role of the cultivator’s wife associated with agricultural rites.
  
  

Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer.