Sumangali Prarthanai - My views and understanding..

[thebigthinkg]

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In the South Indian Brahmins, there's a custom, peculiar to them called 'Sumangali Prarthanai'. This is not described in any Grhya Sutras, nor followed in the Brahmin communities in the North. As such this is a 'laukika' ceremony and not a veda sastric ceremony.

Laukika means worldly or ordinary life. Like the several laukika rituals in a marriage, this is a ceremony by the Sumangalis, for the Sumangalis and of the Sumangalis, that emerged out of day to day life needs.

Sumangali means those women whose husbands are (supposed to be) alive.

As it stands today, it seems a discriminatory ritual, excluding women who lost their husbands. The underlying message of this ceremony seems to be like women who die before their husbands die, alone or gifted and blessed. Also women who participate in this ritual seek that boon of dying before their husbands die.

Sumangali Prarthanai - Not in saastras or sutras

In-spite of all the counter arguments that will come from traditionalists, I can stick my neck out and say that these rituals are not according to any sutras or sastras. They are only laukika. Someone else did something similar in some stories do not make them vedic. They just say they are ancient.

Then why did they emerge..? Should we continue them now..?

Emergence of Sumangali Prarthanai ceremony - Veda raksanam

The sole purpose of brahmin community in those days was veda rakshanam. Preserving, protecting and passing on the vedic scriptures generations after generations. They did everything in life just around that.

As the vedic brahmin community population grew in South of India, with the support of rulers waxing and waning for vedic rituals, one part of the brahmins adopted other professions, while supporting the other part in solely doing veda rakshanam.

This other part lived by begging alms from the supporting part, though they also had families. The duty of one part became to support the other that dedicated themselves for veda raksanam.

In those days all such male brahmins doing veda raksanam would have to be a grhasta with spouse and kids, maintaining the treta-agni as mandated in the vedic scriptures. If their spouse died they would get remarried. If there's a male brahmin without spouse, either he has to be a bramachari or sanyasi. He cannot be a grhasta without a spouse. That was the rule. Obviously it was tough living for these brahmins doing veda raksanam with spouse and kids, dedicating their life to veda raksanam and living by alms.

In special occassions like Srartham, such brahmins dedicated to veda raksanam were invited, they were called 'vipra' (wise), their feet washed, offered food. The entire families performing srartham prostrated before them, took the dust below their feet and sprinkled it on their head.

Our pitrs left us the job of veda raksanam. Those families that could not do it properly, who do other jobs, compensated for it, by inviting those who were still following our pitrs doing veda raksanam, during the days when we remembered our pitrs. Washing feet, taking the dust of the feet as blessing et al were carefully designed to tell people that offering food to these brahmins is not charity, but our primal duty to support them, as they have undertaken the tough job of veda raksanam.

Sumangali prarthanai evolved in these years to invite the wives of such brahmins, who dedicated their life for veda raksanam, honor and support them, in their daily lives. The assistance provided to these wives directly benefitted or reduced the burden on these families.

In other words, Sumangali prarthanai was the women's way of contributing to Veda raksanam. It was not about the women, but the men of the family who undertook veda raksanam in tough situations. It was another channel by part of the brahmins who did other jobs to support the other part who did veda raksanam. Hence here also we invoke our past sumangalis who undertook such journey in the past in our own families.

Sumangali prarthanai was about women taking equal responsibility for veda raksanam.

Sumangali or Sati ?

Then the practice of Sati (immolation of wife on her dead husband's pyre) started spreading amongst the South Indian brahmin familties. Sati burnt herself in her father dakSa's yajna, to demonstrate her love for her husband, in the puranas. Whenever women self-immolated themselves for the love of their husband, they were called Sati. In mahabharata, madri immolated herself to demonstrate her love for pandu.

In Adi Shankara's bhaja govindam, he records that wife will become afraid of husband's body when husband dies. Sati is the practice of wife loving the body of husband and burning her in the pyre. Obviously it was a rare and obscure (or non-existent) practice in his times, in the normal families.

In the western part of India, where invasions were common, from very early times, the women who burnt themselves for the love of their husbands were praised and celebrated as Sati, with temples built for them. It slowly started catching the imagination of many ksatriya women who thought temples are going to be built for them and they will be worshipped if they die so. It started spreading amongst the ksatriya women who thought of Sati as the way of pitching themselves above all others.

From there it slowly spread inward amongst many ksatriya rulers, who wanted to showcase their divinity. Then it also spread amongst the North Indian Brahmins who were advising these rulers and had a high status in society in terms of wealth and power. Then it came down to South of Vindhyas amongst the Southern rulers who had wealth and power (who identified themselves as Ksatriyas with divine blessings to rule) first and then later on also amongst the brahmins who advised these rulers.

Brahmins who advised these rulers had left their job of veda raksanam to the other part and had taken up a supporting role. Higher the proximity to the rulers of the land, higher they wanted to pitch themselves with a divine aura, higher were the incidents of Sati. Such families always were the ones performing Sumangali prarthana.

Now Sumangali prarthanai started assuming new meanings. Women started praying to die before husband or otherwise they will have to burn alive along with the husband. Over a period, the original purport of supporting the wives of vedic pundits got lost and it ended up as praying for sumangali status (die before the husband) as otherwise you will have to burn along with the husband.

Though the practice of Sati is outlawed and gone, the desire to die before husband became and still remains some sort of a coveted prized for many married women, even now.

As the number of brahmins who got dedicated to veda raksanam shrunk to very little (as everyone took up some other jobs) and wealth became very scarce, people started inviting women of close families for the ceremony.

Modern Sumangalis

In the current times, when people get married and divorced multiple times, the word Sumangali in itself has less relevance. So the ceremony has lost its social need too. In fact, even in the Srartham, we invite 'poor' brahmins without worrying about if they were involved in the veda raksanam. Unless one understands the meaning of mantras we cannot even understand why we do what we do. So what we are following today is an empty shell, with its core gone.

But there are modern sumangalis who need help. Like the wives of men who dedicated themselves to veda raksanam and lived by alms, there are single women who struggle to raise and educate their kids. They are modern sumangalis. There are poor girls who are struggling to get educated themselves. There are families that want to give good education to their kids, but held back by their circumstance. They are also modern sumangalis.

Maybe this ceremony could be repurposed to help such modern sumangalis who are trying to stay afloat while educating their kids.?

 

[a-TB]

You express yourself well, and it's clear how much effort you have invested in sharing your ideas. It is enjoyable to read a thoughtfully articulated perspective. However, I find myself questioning some of your conclusions. Allow me to present my interpretation of this vratham along with other viewpoints.

Sumangali Vratham is a customary ritual conducted as a religious ceremony by married women to seek blessings for the health, longevity, and prosperity of their families, especially for the long life of their husbands and the marital success of young girls in the home. This belief appears to be rooted in the principles of a patriarchal society, where a woman is considered complete only when married. As a child, her father looks after her, and later, her husband takes on that role. If she outlives her husband, it reflects poorly on society that often mistreats widows, while widowers are generally treated well.

You are correct that nearly all so-called Vedic rituals are intended for married individuals. However, it is important to note that the Vedic texts do not specify who the kartha, or doer of the ritual, is. The Vedas, taken as a whole, assert in the relevant Upanishad sections that the sādhaka is NOT the kartha or doer. Nevertheless, the Mimamsakas, who developed the science of sentence interpretation, used presumptive logic to argue that a kartha must be implied, as karma cannot exist without a kartha. The Smruthis provide many specifications over time. Ultimately, all that occurs in rituals is based on smruthi and purana stories, supplemented by local traditions developed within families. As you rightly pointed out, Sumangali Vratham is primarily a locally based traditional ritual.

I am uncertain about many of the claims regarding veda rakshanam aspects. Shraddham is performed as a Naimitthika karma, with Brahmanas invited to partake, symbolically representing Pitrus. It is not conducted for the purpose of veda rakshanam. Those Brahmanas who partake in the ritual and have food are generally looked down upon by the Vadhyar who performs the ritual in these days

Typically, an odd number of sumangalis (such as 5, 7, 9, etc.) are invited for a sumangali vratham, though I am unsure of the reasoning behind this. A young girl (pre-puberty) is also invited and regarded as a symbolic sumangali.

Sumangali Vratham serves to honour female ancestors and seek their blessings. It celebrates feminine energy (shakti) and the sanctity of family life. It can also be viewed as a form of ancestor worship from a matrilineal perspective.

The precise origin of this practice is unclear and is not documented in any classical Hindu scriptures. However, it is thought to have developed as part of the Smartha and Vaishnavite Brahmin traditions, particularly within Tamil and Telugu households. It likely emerged as a socio-religious practice as families began to highlight the importance of marriage and the role of women in upholding dharma and household prosperity.

This ritual combines pitru tarpanam (ancestral worship) with the reverence of married women, reflecting the traditional South Indian belief that the blessings of women who passed away as sumangalis are particularly potent.

 

[thebigthinkg]

Thanks for your comments.

Pitr srartham (shraddha) has 2 aspects. One is the invocation of 3 generations of pitrs as vasu rudra, adityas and their symbolic merging. This connects us verily with nArAyanA. Other is the honoring of those (vipra) who carry out the work of pitrs (the veda raksanam), by welcoming them, offering them seat, washing their feet, feeding them and on their satisfaction, seek their blessings and dust below their feet as our prasada. Both have been there for long.

What I wrote on how the South Indian Brahmins split themselves into those who remained tied to veda raksanam and others who did other work to support their counterparts is an observation of history. My surmise is that Sumangali prarthanai is part of that tradition that reveres the wives of those males who do veda raksanam.

I totally agree with you on how local traditions mix with vedic rituals.

However Sumangali prarthanai is not reserved for all female ancestors, but only to the sumangalis of the past, done by the sumangalis of the present.

My surmise was it revered the sumangalis who lived and supported their husbands doing the tough job of veda raksanam. It invoked all such women who gave their life to it, all through their life. Such women had to be sumangalis only. If a husband dies, then the women is no longer serving the cause of veda raksanam.

As that population shrank, it reduced to any living married woman and further got corrupted to seeking the boon of wives dying earlier than husband.

But you are right. There's no document or proof of these. It's just my understanding and view.

 

[a-TB]

There are two concerns regarding the thesis you are presenting. One pertains to the idea of veda rakshanam, which is divided into those performing veda parayanam/rakshanam and others ensuring that those engaged in the parayanam are well supported. Your second point is that women, while assisting their husbands with complex rituals and what you term veda rakshanam, also participate in events like sumangali vratham for themselves. Please let me know if I have misunderstood your thesis.

I have reservations about both points, and I would like to explain further.

Hinduism represents a way of life, view of life and a perspective on existence. The Vedas express this way of life and viewpoint. There is no notion of some individuals engaging in veda rakshanam while others support them, as the Vedas hold no significance without practical application in daily life. One Mahatma likened the Vedas to a vast supermarket, where you go to obtain what you need. Much of it consists of kamya karmas, which even include rituals aimed at vanquishing enemies. The true method of protection lies in adhering to the principles of living, as the Vedas are intrinsically linked to life itself.

Today's puja Vidhi and even shraddha Vidhi are based on ancient descriptions, such as the story of the Kathopanishad, where Lord Yama interacted with Nachiketas. This tradition is thousands of years old. Systems that endure the test of time possess inherent self-correction and resilience. Only in the face of physical and external threats is there a need for a kshatriya class (varna, not caste). Yagna, danam, and Tapas are integral to living according to Vedic teachings and principles. There are no distinct groups tasked with protecting one another; all are part of a unified system.

Any system that attempts to adopt a dual approach—one for the system and another for its protection—will ultimately decline. Many matams are becoming irrelevant because, in the name of safeguarding the Vedas, they are merely protecting their own systems and egos.

Women have not been relegated to supportive roles in rituals; they are equal partners. While their roles may differ, they complement one another. During Shraddham, which is not conducted for veda rakshanam but for a different purpose, my mother would rise at 4 am to prepare all the food. Although women's roles in rituals may be fewer, collectively, they contribute to a unified effort. Thus, women do not require a separate ritual for themselves.

Worshipping sumangalis is commendable, provided that superstitious beliefs do not demean widows.

Therefore, the true protection of the Vedas comes from dispelling ignorance.

The best way for any of us to safeguard this knowledge is to thoroughly comprehend what is being done and why. We should strive for a holistic understanding, which is available to everyone. If I can make some progress in a decade, so can anyone; I was once entirely uninformed.

However, the culture tends to be anti-learning and resists understanding the significance in detail. Superstition and unfounded beliefs have taken precedence, posing a genuine threat to what is referred to as sanatana dharma. What is deemed eternal dharma is largely rooted in ignorance, and it is disheartening that there is a reluctance to appreciate the depth of the Hindu dharma system.

There are many puranic stories lacking any significance that have really done a lasting damage to Hinduism. Also there are mischievous interpolations and extrapolations to many of our scriptures that have done enormous damage to the whole sanatana dharma. For example, Valmiki Ramayana has many flawed interpolations according to experts, and the entirety of uttara kanda is a flawed extrapolations. The manu smruthi itself is corrupted There is supposed to be a parent text called Manu samhita that is lost over annals of time and it is known only by reference to it is by Adi Sankara. So veda rakshanam for any of us is to get the lofty vision of vedas as a whole, identify all the wrong notions and reject superstitions. Much of the origin for all these wrong ideas goes to the biblical religions though Jesus himself taught the essence of Advita vedanata!