Vedas/Women
- from ShriPedia - a knowledge base of Vedanta
Excerpt:
The VedAs are " the edifices of eternal knowledge." They have
timeless relevance to the practioners of Sri VisishtAdhvaitham and
other darsanams based on Vedic Doctrines.
There is a lot there that is absolutely relevant to our contemporary
life. As such , the VedAs have "everlasting appeal and "applicability
for all times and nations "for men , women and children as the
fundamental units of the family .
VedAs take a humanistic approach to life. An individual's relation to
his or her own family is dwelt at length in the VedAs.
The relationship between man and woman, the parents and the children are
taken very seriously by VedAs, since it ties in very closely with the
health and well being of Society and the preservation of DharmA. The
need to develop social consciousness with the family as an elemental
unit of society is very important one taught by the Vedaas.
Material civilization generates a lot of wealth, but is found wanting
in social consciousness and a dharmic way of life stressing one's
obligation to the different members of society. DharmA encompasses "the
entire gamut of life." Pursuit of a dhArmic way of life elaborated by
Sruthis and SaasthrAs creates a sound infrastructure to build a sound
and stable society that enjoys all the benefits of a higher order of
civilization.
The MAN-TO-WOMAN relationship is one of the most important subject dealt
with by the VedAs instructing us on how to build a sound and stable
society , where righteousness prevails.
VedAs show a keen interest in the unity of man and woman and spells out
their duties, responsibilities and rights. GeethAchAryan elaborates them
further. They point out the important role of women in building a fair,
stable and just society.
Satapatha BrahmaNA passage states unblushingly that only woman fulfills
the purposes of human life. It extols the divine aspect of women and
declares that women are the embodiment of Sri Devi (SriyA vA yEthath
rUpam yathA patnaya:).
The modern women may not be familiar with the high status given to women
in our religious world and its scriptures. Contrary to the popular
belief that VedAs deny freedom to women, it stresses the underlying
duty and THE RIGHTS of WOMEN, while focusing on the stability of the
family as a unit, which then strengthens the society.
It is in this context Vedic thought gave ample room for a personal God
to be conceived as divinty in male or female form. Vedic Gods like Ushas
(dawn ) are adoringly saluted by the manthrams of Ushas sUktham in Rg
Vedam. There are many Rishi pathnis and wives, who have been equally
revered in PurANAs (AnusUyA, Kausalya , Damayanthi , Saavithri et al).
Vedam describes the wife to be the best friend of the husband AT ALL
TIMES. The Vedic obligations are recognized as SamAna (equally moving
), since married men and women move freely in society in pursuit of
their complimentary duties, VedAs and Manu Smruthi vividly describe the
responsibilities of women in the house as yajamAnis .
The importance of women in the economic aspect of the family is fully
emphasized and asks men to give the women the responsibility of looking
after the family budget. Similarly , maintianing family tradition and
strengthening the spiritual affairs of the family is entrusted with the
women . IN THE EYE OF THE VEDAS, WOMEN AND MEN ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT .
I will quote now verbatim from AgnihOthram Sri RaamAnuja TatachAr's
monograph on the Eternal relevance of VedAs dealing with the role of
women in Hindu Society :
"In the early years of marriage , love has a sexual importance. But
with the advance of years, it mellows into a great attachment and
affection . No one can disturb this mutual love. Marriage is not made
for sexual purpose, BUT FOR A REAL UNITED LIFE ....
The VedAs say that the wife is the only friend of her husband....Their
comradeship is strengthened by day-to-day movements.
She never claims superiority over her husband and she is never treated
as inferior by her husband.
She is the mistress of the house .... She is a real friend and closely
follows her husband in the good and bad of domestic life and takes keen
interest in his welfare. She also advises him at times.
Smruthi following the direction given by the Vedas states clearly that
it is the duty of a wife to correct the mistake of her husband ." SitA
piraatti did just that in a famous pasage in Srimadh RaamAyaNam in Her
conversation with HanumAn inAsOka Vanam.
AgnihOthram TatachAr swamy points out a special Vedic term: Purandhi and
explains its significance.
According to the VedAs, women are more intelligent than men (i.e) she
is a purandhi. In AsvanEdhA, there is a prayer that women must be
"purandhi." By that term, Women's superior intelligence is indicated."
According to the VedAs, Woman is a karma yogi. She does duty for duty's
sake. She sacrifices her individual pleasure and pain and serves the
family. The early life of all children depend on the care of the mother.
She brings them up as intelligent and pious ones. The stability of her
integrity is brought out in one MantrA, which points out that women are
to be strong as a rock in the family so that the family can survive.
Her integrity not only keeps the family in a high order, but it
overcomes all enemies as well." She is the queen of her husband's house.
She maintains the customs and traditions of the house strictly, with
vigilance.
The house may be built by bricks and wood, but it is not the real
house. In fact, the wife is only the real house.
VedAs never confine a woman to the house. Many brilliant women have
reached out with their husbands and attained a spiritual status equal to
or higher than that of their husbands, who are revered as Manthra
dhrushtAs of the various Veda Manthrams .
Much, much more here:
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/cgi-bin/kbase/Vedas/Women
