Hinduism And Women

"Well-spoken, O princess, this that thou hast said! Be my wife, O beautiful one! What shall I do for thee? Golden garlands, robes, ear-rings of gold, white and handsome pearls, from various countries, golden coins, finest carpets, I shall present thee this very day. Let the whole of my kingdom be thine today, O beautiful one! Come to me, O timid one, wedding me, O beautiful one, according to the Gandharva form."

"If this be the course sanctioned by religion, if, indeed, I am my own disposer, hear, O thou foremost one of Puru's race, what my terms are. Promise truly to give me what I ask thee. The son that shall be begotten on me shall become thy heir-apparent. This, O king, is my fixed resolve. O Dushyanta, if thou grant this, then let our union take place."

"Damayanti was a princess who fell in love with the king Nala after hearing about his fame and virtues. She succeeded in her resolve to marry him, by correctly identifying him in the svayamvara although four gods had assumed Nala's appearance in order to marry Damayanti."

"The moment the king had left, Kanwa arrived at his abode. But Shakuntala, from a sense of shame, did not go out to receive her father. That great ascetic, however, possessed of spiritual knowledge, knew all. Indeed beholding everything with his spiritual eye, the illustrious one was pleased"

"After Dushyanta had left the asylum having made those promises unto Shakuntala, the latter... brought forth a boy of immeasurable energy. And when the child was three years old, he became in splendour like the blazing fire."

"When he was only six years of age, endued with great strength he used to seize and bind to the trees,... lions and tigers and bears and buffaloes and elephants. And he rode on some animals, and pursued others in sportive mood. The dwellers at Kanwa's asylum thereupon bestowed... on him a name called Sarvadamana (the subduer of all)."

"After they were seated, Damayanti, the fair-faced, entered the theater, stealing the eyes and the thoughts of the kings with her beauty. Then the names of the kings were announced, and Damayanti saw five men, all looking exactly alike. Nala was one of these; but which one, she could not distinguish. Each one she looked at seemed to be King Nala. In great distress, this beautiful girl tried to recall the signs that are said to distinguish gods from men, but all the signs she had ever heard of as marking the gods did not appear to belong to these."

"Hearing the piteous words of Damayanti uttered in this way, the gods assumed their own characteristics. She now saw them all without sweat, with unwinking eyes, with unwithered and tasteless garlands; and they stood upon air without touching the ground. She recognized Nala as the only one of these, who cast a shadow, had winking eyes, withered garlands, was covered with sweat, and stood on the ground."

"The mother is but the sheath of flesh; the son sprung from the father is the father himself. Therefore, O Dushyanta, cherish thy son, and insult not Shakuntala. O best of men, the son, who is but a form of one's own seed, rescueth (ancestors) from the region of Yama. Thou art the progenitor of this boy. Shakuntala hath spoken the truth. The husband, dividing his body in twain, is born of his wife in the form of son. Therefore, O Dushyanta, cherish, O monarch, thy son born of Shakuntala."

"A celestial voice spoke to Dushyanta"

"King Dushyanta, then, bestowed the name of Bharata upon his child, and formally installed him as the heir apparent"

"The tale of Satyavan and Savitri is recited in the Mahabharata as a story of conjugal love conquering death. But this legend is, as shown by many features of the human tale, one of the many symbolic myths of the Vedic cycle. Satyavan is the soul carrying the divine truth of being within itself but descended into the grip of death and ignorance; Savitri is the Divine Word, daughter of the Sun, goddess of the supreme Truth who comes down and is born to save; Aswapati, the Lord of the Horse, her human father, is the Lord of Tapasya, the concentrated energy of spiritual endeavour that helps us to rise from the mortal to the immortal planes; Dyumatsena, Lord of the Shining Hosts, father of Satyavan, is the Divine Mind here fallen blind, losing its celestial kingdom of vision, and through that loss its kingdom of glory. Still this is not a mere allegory, the characters are not personified qualities, but incarnations or emanations of living and conscious Forces with whom we can enter into concrete touch and they take human bodies in order to help man and show him the way from his mortal state to a divine consciousness and immortal life."

"In the story of Sāvitrī we have one of the finest of the many ideal female characters which the older epic poetry of India has created. Sāvitrī, daughter of Açvapati, king of Madra, chooses as her husband Satyavat, the handsome and noble son of a blind and exiled king, who dwells in a forest hermitage. Though warned by the sage Nārada that the prince is fated to live but a single year, she persists in her choice, and after the wedding departs with her husband to his father's forest retreat. Here she lives happily till she begins to be tortured with anxiety on the approach of the fatal day. When it arrives, she follows her husband on his way to cut wood in the forest. After a time he lies down exhausted. Yama, the god of death, appears, and taking his soul, departs. As Sāvitrī persistently follows him, Yama grants her various boons, always excepting the life of her husband; but yielding at last to her importunities, he restores the soul to the lifeless body. Satyavat recovers, and lives happily for many years with his faithful Sāvitrī."

"Gandhi, father of the nation, asked Indian women to follow the examples of pure and pious Sita, Savitri and Parvati and appreciated the firmness of the character of Draupadi and Damayanti."

"As surely as Nala was chosen by in for a husband, when 1 heard the word of the swan, so surely, may the gods point him out to me. As surely as I am not unfaithful in word or thought, in virtue of that, let the gods show him to me. As surely as the ruler of the Nishadhans has been ordained by the gods to be my husband, so surely, may the gods point him out to me. As surely as I have desired this Swayamvara to be appointed for the winning of Nala alone, so surely, may the gods let me know him. And may the Protectors of the World, the mighty Lords, take their own forms, in order that I may be able to recognize my Nala, the ruler of men"

"The Princes Savitri is so beautiful that people think she is a goddess. But is her mind and heart, not her beauty, which makes her a heroine. When she finds a man worthy to wed her, no one sway Savitri her from hearts path – not even Yama, the God of death. Savitri pursues him as she carries her husband’s spirit to his kingdom. It is finally Savitri’s, cleverness which wins back her husband’s life."

"Savitri, a lovely daughter of a king Ashwapati, loves Satyavan, the son of an old hermit, but is warned by a seer to overcome her attachments as Satyvan is doomed man, having only one year to live."

"Whether his years are few or many, be he gifted with all the grace Or graceless, him my heart has chosen, and it choseth not again."

"Finally, she saw that she must appeal to the gods themselves for aid. So, giving them adoration, both with her voice and with her mind, she knelt reverently before them, and tremblingly spoke:"

"The figure replies that he is Yama, king of death; that her husband's time is come, and that he must bind and take his spirit."

"After binding the spirit, Yama proceeds with it towards his own quarter, the south. The faithful wife follows him closely. Yama bids her go home and prepare her husband’s funeral rites, but she persists in following, till Yama pleased with her devotion grants her any boon she pleases except the life of her husband. She chooses that her husband’s father, who is blind may recover his sight. Yama consents, and bids her now return home. Two other boons are granted in the same way, and still Savitri follows closely on the heels of the king of death. At last, overcome by her constancy, Yama grants a boon without exception. The delighted Savitri exclaims."

"Nought, mighty king, this time hast thou excepted: let my husband live; Without him I desire not happiness, nor even heaven itself; Without him I must die. "So be it! faithful wife“, replied the king of death. “Thus I release him;” and with that he loosed the cord that bound his soul."

"Thus left alone, Damayanti wandered about in great distress. She did not go home, but she at length found service and protection with the princess of Chedi. Nala fell in with the king of serpents, who was under a curse from which Nala was to deliver him. The serpent bit Nala, and told him that the poison should work upon him till the evil spirit has gone out of him, and that he should be restored to all he loved. Through the effects of the bite he was transformed into a misshapen dwarf. In this form he entered the service of Rituparna, king of Ayodhya, as trainer of horses and an accomplished cook, under the name of Bahuka."

"Kanva sends Shakuntala, now pregnant, to the court of Dushyanta along with his disciples....Kalidasa portrays the farewell of sage Kanva to Shakuntala very touchingly. The whole ashram is plunged in sorrow. Kanva, Shakuntala’s maids, all shed tears at departure; even the trees, plants and birds bow down with grief."

"Thou, O Menaka, art the first of celestial Apsaras...My heart is trembling with fear. Indeed, O slender-waisted Menaka, this is thy business...you must see that Viswamitra of soul rapt in contemplation and engaged in the austerest penances, who might hurl me down from my seat. Go and tempt him and frustrating his continued austerities accomplish my good."

"Thou seest, O king, the fault of others, even though they be as small as a mustard seed. But seeing, thou noticest not thy own faults even though they be as large as the Vilwa fruit. Menaka is one of the celestials. Indeed, Menaka is reckoned as the first of celestials. My birth, therefore, O Dushmanta, is far higher than thine. Thou walkest upon the Earth, O king, but I roam in the skies! Behold, the difference between ourselves is as that between (the mountain) Meru and a mustard seed!Behold my power, O king!....O king, Truth is God himself; Truth is the highest vow. Therefore, violate not thy pledge, O monarch! Let Truth and thee be even united. If thou placest no credit in my words, I shall of my own accord go hence. Indeed, thy companionship should be avoided. But thou, O Dushyanta, that when thou art gone, this son of mine shall rule the whole Earth surrounded by the four seas and adorned with the king of the mountains.'"

"She then saw a dreadful being approaching with a crown on his head, and a noose in his hand. On Savitri asking him who he was, he said that he was Yama, come to take away Satyavan. Yama pulled out of the body of Satyavan his prana, about he size of the thumb."

"He immediately set out to find her. He reaches her father’s ashram, but she is no longer there. He goes deeper into the forest to find out Shakuntala. There he finds a young boy opening the mouth of a lion. The boy is counting its teeth. The king greets the boy. He is amazed by the boy's boldness and strength and asks his name. He feels surprised when the boy answers that he is Bharat, the son of king Dushyanta. The boy takes him to Shakuntala. Shakuntala and her son are accepted with dignity and reverence by Dushyanata."

"A fisherman is surprised to find a royal ring in the belly of a fish he has caught. He recognizes the royal seal. Upon seeing this ring Dushyanta’s memories of Shakuntala flashes into the mind. An old curse of forgetfulness laid on the king is broken and the king is repentant and becomes subdued."

"Amazed at the whole spectacle, the king, in the words of Kalidasa in his play thus speaks: In a dusty apparel, grey appearing With a face penance, impaired; with hair unknotted; So unkind as I was, yet chaste her bearing From myself, parted so long, remains devoted."

"Shakuntala tells him about the ring and tries to show it to him, but she is not able to find it on her finger... [She] failed to remind Dushyanta of his promise to marry him."

"When you may marry a god, how can you desire a human being. Let your mind be turned toward those World-creating, Noble Princes, to the dust of whose feet I am not equal. And, indeed, if you waver in your decision, you will bring me to a disgraceful death. Rescue me from that, O Faultless One...But I, with all reverence towards the gods, choose thee, O king, for my husband — I do indeed."

"Frustrated at this, Shakuntala leaves for the forest all alone and decides to give birth to the child...She lives in the penance grove of Maricha and learns the lessons of suffering. In due course she gives birth to a most beautiful and intelligent son. The boy is named Bharat. Bharat blossoms into a strong youth. His only human companion is his mother. He starts playing with wild animals and rides on them as one rides horses. The mother teaches him as a prince. He opens the mouths of tigers and lions to count their teeth."

"Thus, Shakuntala, the fine character in the Mahabharata and Kalidasa's Abhijnanasakuntalam has been the finest love. Although and the most striking specimen of romantic born of a heavenly nymph, she is shown essentially as human. She errs, suffers, corrects herself, and is elevated to the galaxy of great women."

"After some days, Shakuntala wonders why Dushyanta has not returned to her. Her worry almost turned into panic because of the fact that she is pregnant. Soon, her condition reveals the truth. Rishi Kanva and ladies of the ashram notice the change."

"Shakuntala becomes pregnant. One day a powerful rishi, Durvasa comes to the ashram. Since Shakuntala is lost in thoughts about Dushyanata, she fails to greet him properly. Incensed by this slight, the rishi curses Shakuntala, saying that the person she is dreaming of would forget about her altogether. As Durvasa is about to depart in a rage, one of Shakuntala's friends quickly explains to him the reason for Shakuntala's distraction. The rishi, realising that his extreme wrath is not warranted, modifies his curse, saying that the person who has forgotten Shakuntala would remember everything again if she shows him a personal token that had been given to her."

"Rishi Kanva had brought up Shakuntala as his own daughter, and hence, he decides to send her to her husband, King Dushyanta, where she should be accepted as Dushyanta's queen. On the way, they cross a river by a canoe ferry. Shakuntala feels charmed by the deep blue waters of the river and runs her fingers through the water Her ring slips of her finger, and she does not realize it."

"He [Dushyanta] first chooses to eavesdrop on all the young women and then introduces himself as an officer of the king. Of the three girls Shakuntala captures his fancy. Shakuntala appears to him as beautiful as the goddess of fortune, but dressed as an ascetic....he then feels that Shakuntala is his perfect bride."

"But since 1 have come as a messenger, Fair One, how can I have anything to say about myself Indeed, since I have given the gods my solemn promise, and have undertaken this matter for the sake of others, how can I, at this time, tell you about my own love? If at another time my opportunity shall come, then I will speak in my own behalf. So let it be now. Good Lady."

"Dushyanta and Damayanti fall in love with each other...They are married according to the Gandharva rites, while still basking in the euphoria of love. As an evidence of his office, the king shows her the ring with his own name Dushyanta inscribed on it. Dushyanta gets ready to leave for his capital and promises to send a huge escort sent to her later to bring her to the capital. But before leaving he gives his precious ring to Shakuntala, cautioning her not to loose it."

"Shakuntala reaches the court of Dushyanta. A message is sent to the king of the arrival of a woman who claims to be his wife. Dushyanta, under the influence of the ascetic's curse, disowns Shakuntala in open court, dashing her hopes, and crushing her reputation."

"King Dushyanta, while on a gaming expedition (safari), and arrives at the hermitage of sage Kanva. The latter was away and his adopted daughter Shakuntala looks after the distinguished guest’s needs. Dushyanta, immediately on seeing her, is struck by her beauty and offers to marry her. Shakuntala lays down a condition that the king should promise to hand over the kingdom to the son born to her and Dushyanata agrees. They marry and spend some happy days, after which the king returns to his capital."

"The epic Mahabharata tells the story of the noble descendants of King Bharat from whose name India, i.e., Bharat originated. Bharat was the son of Shakuntala and Dushyanta. This story is also the subject matter of Kalidasa's Abhijñānaśākuntala."

"In spite of several plus points to their credit – like the wisdom, courage, and sagacity of Draupadi, Tara and Damayanti, the keen and lively interest they evinced in their surroundings and also the part played by the former two in the management of their respective realms, the strong sense of duty, love and loyalty to their respective husbands as shown by Kunti, Mandodari and Shakuntala, the carving for knowledge as expressed by Maitreyi – none of them is a model for Hindu women."

"Shakuntala in both the epic and Kalidasa's play is shown as the daughter of the royal sage Vishwamitra and Menaka, the celestial nymph. Long ago, the powerful sage Vishwamitra is engaged in concentrated meditation, great austerities and penance that would give him almost absolute power over kingdom of earth and heaven Indra decided to put obstacles in his austerities and thereby break his sadhana..."

"Among the first works of Sanskrit literature translated into European languages, its skilful plot of thwarted love and eventual redemption has long charmed audiences around the world. Shakúntala's story is a leitmotiv that recurs in many works of Indian literature and culminates in the master Kalidasa's drama."

"English translation by Eastwich: Wouldst thou the young year's blossoms and the fruits of its decline, And all by which the soul is charmed, enraptured, feasted, fed? Wouldst thou the earth and heaven itself in one sole name combine? I name thee, O Shakuntala, and all at once is said."

"They [nine women in Hindu mythology] are Ahalya, Draupadi, Tara, Kunti, Mandodari, Sita, Savitri, Parvati, Damayanti, Maitreyi and Shakuntala. All of them were not held in the same degree of esteem and reverence. The first five women, known as pancakanya, may well be remembered in daily prayers but none of them is regarded as an ideal woman, at least not recommended by anyone for emulation by others."

"Menaka had to return to heaven. Therefore they leave the child amidst a beautiful garden near a lake. A swan in the lake sees the crying child and gives it some water. Then a sage named Kanva, who is passing by, sees the swan giving water to the child. In this way the child protected by birds (Shakunton in Sanskrit), and, therefore, she is named Shakuntala. The sage Kanva decides to take the child home and names it ‘Shakuntala’. Vishvamitra, whose tapas are broken, leaves for forest to retreat. Rishi Kanva brings up the child. Shakuntala blossoms as a most beautiful lady under the loving care of Kanva."

"It tells the story of the hermit girl Shakuntala, the daughter of the celestial nymph Menaka and the sage Vishvamitra. The poet Kalidasa intends Shakuntala to be the focus of attention. This is not the story of King Dushyanta, or their son Bharata, who according to Mahabharata is the emperor whose rule gives India its Sanskrit name Bharat."