Padmanabhan Janakiraman
Member
WOMEN DURING VEDIC PERIOD.
The Rig Veda was supposed to have been revealed to 18 women seers. Hinduism was the only religion with the concept of female deities. Knowledge, wealth and valor, 3 prime requisites for leading a human life were attributed to Goddess Sri Saraswathi, Sri Lakshmi and Sri Parvati.
The concept of Ardhanariswara, half man and half woman is a Hindu concept. So many sukthams which are part of Sruti are dedicated to goddesses like durga suktham, sri suktham, devi suktham. If a man loses his wife, he loses the right to perform yagnas or sacrifices. The wife is called "Saha dharma chaarini" meaning to do one's dharma you need to do it with your wife.
There is a hymn which says "Striyah Devah, Striyah Pranah" meaning "Women are devas and Women are life itself".
The Manu smiriti says the following about women -
"Where women are honored there the gods are pleased; but where they are not honored no sacred rite yields rewards," Manu Smriti (III.56)
"Women must be honored and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands and brothers-in-law, who desire their own welfare." (Manu Smriti III, 55)
" Where the female relations live in grief, the family soon wholly perishes; but that family where they are not unhappy ever prospers." (Manu Smriti III, 57).
"The houses on which female relations, not being duly honored, pronounce a curse, perish completely as if destroyed by magic." (Manu Smriti III, 58)
" 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, 59)
The Sikshavalli of the Tattriyo Upanishad says "Matro Devo Bhava" putting the mother above father, guru and even god. This Upanishad is part of Krishna Yajurveda which is a revealed text.
The Rig Veda says "Yatr nariyastu poojayante ramante tatr devah", where woman is worshipped, Gods preside there.
The Devi-Mahatmiyam says this
By you this universe is borne, by you this world is created. By you it is protected, O Devi: By you it is consumed at the end. You are the Supreme Knowledge, as well as ignorance, intellect and contemplation...
The earth itself was worshiped as Mother Earth or Bhoomi Devi.
There is a translation of the essence of Vishnu Purana which says the following -
She is Language, he is Thought
She is Prudence, he is Law
He is Reason; she is Sense
She is Duty; he is Right
He is Will; she is Wish
He is Pity; she is Gift
He is Song; she is Note
She is Fuel; he is Fire
She is Glory; he is Sun
She is Motion; he is Wind
He is Owner; she is Wealth
He is Battle ; she is Might
He is Lamp; she is Light
He is Day; she is Night
He is Justice; she is Pity
He is Channel; she is River
She is Beauty; he is Strength
She is Body; he is Soul
The above are just some examples of the high status of women in those times. Just to show the present day ill treatment of women has absolutely no precedent from those times.
Louis Jaccoliot was a government official in the times of French India between 1837 to 1890. He translated a lot of Vedic hymns into French and this was what he said.
"India of the Vedas entertained a respect for women amounting to worship; a fact which we seem little to suspect in Europe when we accuse the extreme East of having denied the dignity of woman, and of having only made her an instrument of pleasure and of passive obedience." He also said: "What! here is a civilization, which you cannot deny to be older than your own, which places the woman on a level with the man and gives her an equal place in the family and in society."
Will Durant, the American historian says this
"Women enjoyed far greater freedom in the Vedic period than in later India. She had more to say in the choice of her mate than the forms of marriage might suggest. She appeared freely at feasts and dances, and joined with men in religious sacrifice. She could study, and like Gargi, engage in philosophical disputation.
This Post is for sharing knowledge only, no intention to violate any copyrights.
The Rig Veda was supposed to have been revealed to 18 women seers. Hinduism was the only religion with the concept of female deities. Knowledge, wealth and valor, 3 prime requisites for leading a human life were attributed to Goddess Sri Saraswathi, Sri Lakshmi and Sri Parvati.
The concept of Ardhanariswara, half man and half woman is a Hindu concept. So many sukthams which are part of Sruti are dedicated to goddesses like durga suktham, sri suktham, devi suktham. If a man loses his wife, he loses the right to perform yagnas or sacrifices. The wife is called "Saha dharma chaarini" meaning to do one's dharma you need to do it with your wife.
There is a hymn which says "Striyah Devah, Striyah Pranah" meaning "Women are devas and Women are life itself".
The Manu smiriti says the following about women -
"Where women are honored there the gods are pleased; but where they are not honored no sacred rite yields rewards," Manu Smriti (III.56)
"Women must be honored and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands and brothers-in-law, who desire their own welfare." (Manu Smriti III, 55)
" Where the female relations live in grief, the family soon wholly perishes; but that family where they are not unhappy ever prospers." (Manu Smriti III, 57).
"The houses on which female relations, not being duly honored, pronounce a curse, perish completely as if destroyed by magic." (Manu Smriti III, 58)
" 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, 59)
The Sikshavalli of the Tattriyo Upanishad says "Matro Devo Bhava" putting the mother above father, guru and even god. This Upanishad is part of Krishna Yajurveda which is a revealed text.
The Rig Veda says "Yatr nariyastu poojayante ramante tatr devah", where woman is worshipped, Gods preside there.
The Devi-Mahatmiyam says this
By you this universe is borne, by you this world is created. By you it is protected, O Devi: By you it is consumed at the end. You are the Supreme Knowledge, as well as ignorance, intellect and contemplation...
The earth itself was worshiped as Mother Earth or Bhoomi Devi.
There is a translation of the essence of Vishnu Purana which says the following -
She is Language, he is Thought
She is Prudence, he is Law
He is Reason; she is Sense
She is Duty; he is Right
He is Will; she is Wish
He is Pity; she is Gift
He is Song; she is Note
She is Fuel; he is Fire
She is Glory; he is Sun
She is Motion; he is Wind
He is Owner; she is Wealth
He is Battle ; she is Might
He is Lamp; she is Light
He is Day; she is Night
He is Justice; she is Pity
He is Channel; she is River
She is Beauty; he is Strength
She is Body; he is Soul
The above are just some examples of the high status of women in those times. Just to show the present day ill treatment of women has absolutely no precedent from those times.
Louis Jaccoliot was a government official in the times of French India between 1837 to 1890. He translated a lot of Vedic hymns into French and this was what he said.
"India of the Vedas entertained a respect for women amounting to worship; a fact which we seem little to suspect in Europe when we accuse the extreme East of having denied the dignity of woman, and of having only made her an instrument of pleasure and of passive obedience." He also said: "What! here is a civilization, which you cannot deny to be older than your own, which places the woman on a level with the man and gives her an equal place in the family and in society."
Will Durant, the American historian says this
"Women enjoyed far greater freedom in the Vedic period than in later India. She had more to say in the choice of her mate than the forms of marriage might suggest. She appeared freely at feasts and dances, and joined with men in religious sacrifice. She could study, and like Gargi, engage in philosophical disputation.
This Post is for sharing knowledge only, no intention to violate any copyrights.
