Art Of Teaching

Yatra Nari Astu Pujyante, Ramante Tatra Devataa

The Gods take up residence in spaces where woman is revered.

The statement is taken from Manu Smriti and it sums up the position of women during Vedic period. It is a myth that women were not given any position or oppressed during Vedic times. From the sacred scriptures, it can be easily deliberated that woman were treated equally. Unlike the medieval and modern times, the following instances will prove the position of women in Vedic times.

• Women were considered to be shakti, who was the dynamic divine forces that moved through the complete universe.
• Dowry system, Sati and other malpractices were not known.
•  Mahabharat was fought because a woman was disrespected.
• This period saw scholarly women-seers like Matreyi, Gargi, Lopamudra and Ghosha. The opinions of these scholarly women were recorded in the Upanishads.
• Women had the independence of choosing their husbands through a form of matrimonial called Swayamvara.
• Women were given more liberty than they are given today in modern times.
• Women contributed alike in religious rituals and get-togethers.
• There was no mention of the pardah system.
• The Sanskrit word ‘pathni’ was used for a wife meant “the one who leads the husband through life” and ‘dharampathni’ meant “the one who leads the husband in dharma.”

 The following references from the scriptures are enough to validate the above cited declarations:

“Women must be honored and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands, and brothers‑in‑law, who desire their own welfare. Where women are honored, there the gods are pleased; but where they are not honored, no sacred rite yields rewards. Where the female relations live in grief, the family soon wholly perishes; but that family where they are not unhappy ever prospers. The houses on which female relations, not being duly honored, pronounce a curse, perish completely, as if destroyed by magic. Hence men who seek (their own) welfare, should always honor women on holidays and festivals with (gifts of) ornaments, clothes and (dainty) food.” (Manu Smriti III.55-59)

In Mahabharata, Grandfather Bhishma explains to Yuddhistira before his death: “O ruler of the earth, the lineage in which daughters and the daughters-in-law are saddened by ill treatment, that lineage is destroyed. When out of their grief these women curse these households, such households lose their charm, prosperity and happiness.” (Mahabharata, Anushashanparva, 12.14)

“When a woman is invited into the family through marriage, she enters ‘as a river enters the sea’ and to rule there along with her husband, as a queen, over the other members of the family.” (Atharva-Veda 14.1.43-44)

“O bride! May the knowledge of the Vedas be in front of you and behind you, in your center and in your ends. May you conduct your life after attaining the knowledge of the Vedas. May you be benevolent, the harbinger of good fortune and health, and live-in great dignity and indeed be illumined in your husband’s home.” (Atharva Veda, 14.1.64)

The Great Female Seers – Of the Vedic Period

Ghosha – She was the granddaughter of Dirghatamas and daughter of Kakshivat. Both were composers of hymns in praise of Ashwins. the heavenly twins and physicians. Ghosha was the composer of two complete hymns in the tenth book, each covering 14 verses. The first hymn sings the praises of the Ashwins, whereas the second is a individual requirement articulating her intimate state of mind and wishes for a marriage which was not possible because she suffered from an irredeemable defacing ailment, maybe leprosy, and continued to be a spinster at her father’s house. Her pleadings with the Ashwins and the devoutness of her forefathers towards them made them cure her of her disease and later she experienced wedded bliss.

LOPAMUDRA– She was the wife of sage Agasthya. In the Rig Veda we come across long discussions between them that guarantees her vast knowledge and veracity.

Maitreyi– was the daughter of Rishi Maitri and she was called after him. She was the niece of Rishi Gargi. Maitreyi was native of Mithila in Eastern India at the time of the rule of King Janaka. She was taught all the shastras by her father at a very young age and she was uncommitted to material pleasures and had reached the stage of high divine purity.

Gargi – was the Vedic prophetess and Sage Vachaknu was her father. She composed numerous hymns that interrogated the source of all life. King Janak of Videha had prearranged a ‘brahma yajna’, a philosophical assembly which positioned around the fire ritual. Gargi was one of the renowned contributors. She dared Sage Yajnavalkya by asking many disquieting queries on the soul or ‘atman’. This confused the learned man who had till then reigned supreme over many eminent scholars. Her question was – “The coating that is above the sky and below the earth, which is labelled as being positioned between the earth and the sky and which is specified as the symbol of the past, present, and future, where is that positioned?” – This puzzled the great Vedic personalities.

History of India and our Traditions as exhibited in the Vedic Society

If we look at the history of India and our traditions as exhibited in the Vedic society, we come across women as illustrations for upholding the elementary values of Sanatana-dharma. This honour imparted towards women could have been maintained today if we had preserved the genuine Vedic culture which was the fabric of India.

Subjugation of Women

Unfortunately, these values saw a sharp decline mainly due to the external impacts that have sneaked in because of foreign invaders who have ripped apart our culture militarily and socially. The foreign aggressors who conquered India looked at women as items of sensual gratification and exploitation, and plunders of war to be taken as a gift.

The subjugation of women augmented in India and as such foreigners grew in influence, a deterioration of the Vedic spiritual values happened in Indian Society. The enlightening principles of Vedic culture was almost misplaced. The education altered from stress on growth of individual self-sufficiency to dependency. The Society saw rivalry replacing the quest for reality, and also self-centeredness and greed substituted the essence of renunciation and impartiality. Women now came to be regarded as not as much divine but more as items of indulgence and belongings to be owned and controlled and subjugated.

We see this demoniacal social impact, continuing to grow as a direct result of materialistic expansion in society. Money and carnal indulgence have become key areas in life even though people are aware that they are not alone sufficient to render harmony and happiness. This materialistic world has forgotten that this is a never-ending vicious circle as they make us develop more desires in the expectation of finding happiness. But it actually leaves us feeling dull and agitated.

The Actual Vedic Culture

The actual Vedic culture teaches us that every man should respect every woman, excluding his own wife, as his mother and sister, and every young lady with the same apprehension and care as his own daughter. Lack of such Vedic knowledge has led to social isolation from the tall moralities. Because this Vedic teaching has become ancient history, the result is that the respect that society should have for women has been erased.

I sum up by saying that India had a glorious culture and tradition during the Vedic periods and was not a land of mystics and snake charmers as described by western literary studies. The alteration in the attitude towards women in India is due to a loss of ethos and teachings of true Vedic standards and also lack of empathizing with true Vedic divine knowledge.

 Thus, Indian Society has an urgent need to teach the appropriate interpretations, which were once a uncomplicated portion of the genuine Vedic civilizations.