hinduism-and-women

"The real place of women is the house and she has been exempted from outdoor duties…She has however been allowed to go out of the house to fulfil her genuine needs, but whilst going out she must observe complete modesty. Neither should she wear glamorous clothes and attract attention, nor should she cherish the desire to display the charms of the face and the hand, nor should she walk in a manner which may attract attention of others. Moreover she should not speak to them without necessity, and if she has to speak she should not speak in a sweet and soft voice."

"Translation from Urdu:".. I asked them where has your veil gone/They said that it is covering the intellect of men. ..""

"But far from achieving the purpose, purdah has adversely affected the mortals of Muslim men. Owing to purdah, a Muslim man has no contact with any woman outside those who belong to his own household. Even with them, his contact extends only to occasional conversation... For a male, there is no company of, and no commingling with, the females, except those who are children or aged. This isolation of the males from females is sure to produce bad effects on the morals of men. It requires no psychoanalyst to say that a social system which cuts off all contacts between the two sexes produces an unhealthy tendency towards sexual excesses and unnatural and other morbid habits and ways."

"A virtuous wife should constantly serve her husband like a god, even if he behaves badly freely indulges his lust, and is devoid of any good qualities."

"to the women of this country... I would say exactly what I say to the men. Believe in India and in our Indian faith. Be strong and hopeful and unashamed, and remember that with something to take, Hindus have immeasurably more to give than any other people in the world."

"...When her father, or her brother with her father's permission, gives her to someone, she should obey that man while he is alive and not violate her vow to him when he is dead..."

"Education for girls was regarded as quite important. While Brahmin girls were taught Vedic wisdom, girls of the Ksatriya community were taught the use of the bow and arrow. The Barhut sculptures represent skilful horsewomen in the army. Patanjali mentions the spearbearers (saktikis). Megasthenes speaks of Chandragupta's bodyguard of Amazonian women. Kautilya mentions women archers (striganaih dhanvibhih). In houses as well as in the forest Universities of India, boys and girls were educated together. Atreyi studied under Valmiki along with Lava and Kusa, the sons of Rama. Fine arts like music, dancing and painting was specially encouraged in the case of girls."

"And that cow which yielded the fast-milk for the (Sacrificer's) wife he gives to the chanters, for it is they, the Udgatris, that do, as it were ,the wife's work on this occasion: therefore he gives it to the chanters."

"Nevertheless, despite all this equipment, woman fared poorly in India. Her high status in Vedic days was lost under priestly influence and Mohammedan example. The Code of Manu set the tone against her in phrases reminiscent of an early stage in Christian theology... Doubtless the influx of Islamic ideas had something to do with the decline in the status of woman in India after Vedic days. The custom of purdah (curtain)—the seclusion of married women—came into India with the Persians and the Mohammedans, and has therefore been stronger in the north than in the south. Partly to protect their wives from the Moslems, Hindu husbands developed a system of purdah so rigid that a respectable woman could show herself only to her husband and her sons, and could move in public only under a heavy veil; even the doctor who treated her and took her pulse had to do so through a curtain."

"In Sanskrit more than in any other language women poets have at all times been held in high honour. Apart from quotations in well-known anthologies, many notable works by women poets of earlier time have come down to us."

"The next idea of the Aryans is the freedom of women. It is in the Aryan literature that we find women in ancient times taking the same share as men, and in no other literature of the world."

"And it may be confidently asserted that in no nation of antiquity were women held in so much esteem as amongst the Hindus."

"...in fact, some of the Vedic hymns were written and doubtlessly also chanted by women... In the Arya Samaj, girls get the complete Vedic initiation, as apparently they used to in the Vedic Age itself."

"This is proven by the fact that in the Vedic period their women were not placed apart from men in penetralia, or "Zenanas." Their seclusion began when the Mahomedans -- the next heirs to Hebrew symbolism after Christian ecclesiasticism -- had conquered the land and gradually enforced their ways and customs upon the Hindus. The pre- and post-Vedic woman was as free as man; and no impure terrestrial thought was ever mixed with the religious symbology of the early Aryans."

"It will seem incredible to the provincial mind that the same people that tolerated such institutions as child marriage, temple prostitution and suttee was also pre-eminent in gentleness, decency and courtesy. Aside from a few devadasis, prostitutes were rare in India, and sexual propriety was exceptionally high. “It must be admitted,” says the unsympathetic Dubois, “that the laws of etiquette and social politeness are much more clearly laid down, and much better observed by all classes of Hindus, even by the lowest, than they are by people of corresponding social position in Europe.” ... A Hindu woman might go anywhere in public without fear of molestation or insult; indeed the risk, as the Oriental saw the matter, was all on the other side. Manu warns men: “Woman is by nature ever inclined to tempt man; hence a man should not sit in a secluded place even with his nearest female relative”; and he must never look higher than the ankles of a passing girl."

"With woman there can be no lasting friendship: hearts of hyenas are the hearts of women."

"Marriage might be entered into by forcible abduction of the bride, by purchase of her, or by mutual consent. Marriage by consent, however, was considered slightly disreputable; women thought it more honorable to be bought and paid for, and a great compliment to be stolen. Polygamy was permitted, and was encouraged among the great; it was an act of merit to support several wives, and to transmit ability. The story of Draupadi, who married five brothers at once, indicates the occasional occurrence, in Epic days, of that strange polyandry the marriage of one woman to several men, usually brothers which survived in Ceylon till 1859, and still lingers in the mountain villages of Tibet. But polygamy was usually the privilege of the male, who ruled the Aryan household with patriarchal omnipotence. He held the right of ownership over his wives and his children, and might in certain cases sell them or cast them out."

"Padmini Sengupta has written in her book, Everyday Life in Ancient India: "The position of women in ancient India was free and emancipated, and women were well educated and respected members of society. A wife shared all her husband's privileges and was his companion and help-mate in his activities." The position of women was far better than in other countries of ancient times. How else could it be in a culture which placed the Mother before the Father in priority for reverence? Matr devo bhava - was the first Upanisadic exhortation to the young. So far as we know, Hinduism is the only religion whose symbolism places the Feminine on a par with the Masculine in the profound concept of Siva-Sakti culminating in the image of Ardharnari-Isvara. The Hindu has honored his country as his Motherland - Bharat Mata and his nationalism has grown up from the seed Mantra - Vande Mataram."

"Where women are honoured there the gods delight, where they are not honoured there all acts become fruitless."

"He took the rotundity of the moon, and the curves of creepers, and the clinging of tendrils, and the trembling of grass, and the slenderness of the reed, and the bloom of flowers, and the lightness of leaves, and the tapering of the elephant’s trunk, and the glances of deer, and the clustering of rows of bees, and the joyous gaiety of sunbeams, and the weeping of clouds, and the fickleness of the winds, and the timidity of the hare, and the vanity of the peacock, and the softness of the parrot’s bosom, and the hardness of adamant, and the sweetness of honey, and the cruelty of the tiger, and the warm glow of fire, and the coldness of snow, and the chattering of jays, and the cooing of the kokila, and the hypocrisy of the crane, and the fidelity of the chakravaka; and compounding all these together he made woman, and gave her to man."

"Nevertheless, woman 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 might, like Gargi, engage in philosophic disputation. If she was left a widow there were no restrictions upon her remarriage. In the Heroic Age woman seems to have lost something of this liberty. She was discouraged from mental pursuits, on the ground that "for a woman to study the Vedas indicates confusion in the realm;" the remarriage of widows became uncommon; purdah the seclusion of women began; and the practice of suttee, almost unknown in Vedic times, increased. The ideal woman was now typified in the heroine of the Ramayana that faithful Sita who follows and obeys her husband humbly, through every test of fidelity and courage, until her death."

"For about three thousand years, the women – and only the women – of Mithila have been making devotional paintings of the gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. It is no exaggeration, then, to say that this art is the expression of the most genuine aspect of Indian civilization."

"Hindu dharma reverenced women; therefore, it had no difficulty in conceiving Goddesses. Hindus also learnt to give their women the honour they gave to their deities. Hindu lawgivers taught that women must be honoured by their fathers, brothers, husbands and brothers-in-law, who desire their own welfare; that Gods are pleased where women are honoured, but where they are not honoured sacred rites yield no rewards."

"Where women are honored there the gods are pleased; but where they are not honored no sacred rite yields rewards," declares Manu Smriti (III.56) a text on social conduct. "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) In an old Shakta hymn it is said - Striyah devah, Striyah pranah "Women are Devas, women are life itself."

"Once on a time, O monarch, many kings repaired to a self-choice at the capital of Chitrangada, the ruler of the country of the Kalingas. The city, O Bharata, full of opulence, was known by the name of Rajapura. Hundreds of rulers repaired thither for obtaining the hand of the maiden. Hearing that diverse kings had assembled there, Duryodhana also, on his golden car, proceeded thither, accompanied by Karna. When the festivities commenced in that self-choice, diverse rulers, O best of kings, came thither for the hand of the maiden. There were amongst them Sisupala and Jarasandha and Bhishmaka and Vakra, and Kapotaroman and Nila and Rukmi of steady prowess, and Sringa who was ruler of the kingdom females, and Asoka and Satadhanwan and the heroic ruler of the Bhojas. Besides these, many others who dwelt in the countries of the South, and many preceptors (in arms) of the mlechcha tribes, and many rulers from the East and the North, O Bharata, came there. All of them were adorned with golden Angadas, and possessed of the splendour of pure gold. Of effulgent bodies, they were like tigers of fierce might. After all those kings had taken their seats, O Bharata, the maiden entered the arena, accompanied by her nurse and a guard of eunuchs. Whilst being informed of the names of the kings (as she made her round), that maiden of the fairest complexion passed by the son of Dhritarashtra (as she had passed others before him). Duryodhana, however, of Kuru's race, could not tolerate that rejection of himself. Disregarding all the kings, he commanded the maiden to stop. Intoxicated with the pride of energy, and relying upon Bhishma and Drona, king Duryodhana, taking up that maiden on his car, abducted her with force. Armed with sword, clad in mail, and his fingers cased in leathern fences, Karna, that foremost of all wielders of weapons riding on his car, proceeded along Duryodhana's rear. A great uproar then took place among the kings, all of whom were actuated by the desire for fight, 'Put on your coats of mail! Let the cars be made ready!' (These were the sounds that were heard). Filled with wrath, they pursued Karna and Duryodhana, showering their arrows upon them like masses of clouds pouring rain upon a couple of hills. As they thus pursued them, Karna felled their bows and arrows on the ground, each with a single arrow. Amongst them some became bowless, some rushed bow in hand, some were on the point of shooting their shafts, and some pursued them, armed with darts and maces. Possessed of great lightness of hands, Karna, that foremost of all smiters, afflicted them all. He deprived many kings of their drivers and thus vanquished all those lords of earth. They then themselves took up the reins of their steeds, and saying, 'Go away, go away', turned away from the battle with cheerless hearts. Protected by Karna, Duryodhana also came away, with a joyous heart, bringing with him the maiden to the city called after the elephant."

"Without doubt, the beautiful and large-eyed mother of Lakshmana, made sonless and husbandless, will soon meet with her death!"

"Behold, that lady of faultless limbs and slender waist, seeing this terrible carnage, falleth down, overwhelmed with grief. Beholding this princess, this mother of Lakshmana, O thou of mighty arms, my heart is torn with grief."

"Act II opens with an ominous dream of Bhānumatī, Duryodhana's queen; an ichneumon (nakula) has slain a hundred serpents; it is a presage that the Pāṇḍavas—of whom Nakula is one—will slay the hundred Kauravas."

"Bhishma mistook Draupadi for Bhanumati. He blessed her and said she would not be widowed. Then Draupadi lifted her veil, and Bhishma realised that Krishna was behind the trick. Bhishma said that he did penance to make the Kauravas win, but dharma would always prevail in the end. Krishna would ensure this."

"Abstention from cruelty is the highest Religion. Abstention from cruelty is the greatest self-restraint. Abstention from cruelty is the highest gift. Abstention from cruelty is the highest penance. Abstention from cruelty is the highest sacrifice. Abstention from cruelty is the highest power. Abstention from cruelty is the greatest friend. Abstention from cruelty is the greatest happiness."

"Krishna was meditating, when Yudhishtra approached Him and asked Him of whom He was thinking. The Lord replied that He was thinking of Bhishma, the best of His devotees, and the one who was always thinking of Him. How great should a person be to have himself described in such glowing terms by the Lord Himself!"

"I will never have children. I am incapable of having children now. Does this satisfy you?"

"My oath is not for myself. My dharma is far beyond my own selfishness and more important than your life. Forgive me for what has happened if you can. You may remain here in our city for the rest of your life and your every comfort will be seen to. But as for marrying you, Amba, that I cannot do."

""Bhishma said: That man who wishes to increase his own flesh by the meat of another living creature is such that there is none meaner and more cruel than he. In this world there is nothing that is dearer to a creature than his life. Hence, one should show mercy to the lives of others as he does to his own life. Forsooth, O son, flesh has its origin in the vital seed. There is great sin attached to its eating, as, indeed, there is merit in abstaining from it."

"From those two Lobha [Greed] and Nikrita [Cunning] were born, oh great soul. And from the both of them there were Krodha [Anger] and Himsâ [Malice]. From these two [irreligiously being bound in incest] Kali and the sister called Durukti [Harsh Speech] were born. Oh best of the truthful, bound to Durukti Kali produced Bhaya [Fearfulness] and Mrityu [Death] and of those two combined Yâtanâ [Excessive Pain] and Niraya [Hell] took birth."

"They called him Bhishma, one who was terribly harsh on himself, without anyone forcing him to take such a step."

"Meanwhile, Krodh and Himsa also produced a horrible daughter who was as horrendous as Kali had been. She established union with Kali to produce deadly son called Bhayanak and a daughter called Mrityu (death)."

"In the Kali Yuga, demons take birth in the families of Brahmins."

""Hence a person of purified soul should be merciful to all living creatures. That man, O king, who abstains from every kind of meat from his birth forsooth, acquires a large space in the celestial region. They who eat the flesh of animals who are desirous of life, are themselves [later] eaten by the animals they eat. This is my opinion. Since he has eaten me, I shall eat him in return. This, O Bharata, forms the character as Mamsah [meaning flesh] of Mamsah [me he, or "me he" will eat for having eaten him]. The destroyer is always slain. After him the eater meets with the same fate."

"According to Skanda Purana and Kamba Ramayana from the union of Shiva and Mohini a child named Shasta was born. In Kerala there is a sacred mountain named Sabarimala on which there is a very ancient temple of Shasta (Ayyappa)"

"The king [Rukmangada] forgot his responsibilities as a ruler and spent his time with Mohini. He obeyed her wishes in all respects except one, and that was in breaking the Ekadashi fast. Mohini forced him repeatedly, in desperation the king agreed to grant any wish of hers except the breaking of his fast. Mohini angrily demanded the head of his son. Rukmangada's son readily agreed to keep the word of his father and put his head on the block. In the nick of time Vishnu appeared and saved Rukmangada's son. He blessed the king and all the inhabitants of his kingdom."

"Manohar Laxman Varadpande in: Mythology of Vishnu and His Incarnations, Gyan Publishing House, 2009, p. 170."

"Mohini's clothes and hairstyle are of a woman though the image is identified as Vishnu, the male householder form of God. The parrot and lotus flower in his hand indicates his close association with Kama, the god of love. Mohini is the female form of Vishnu."

"The practice of Ekadashi [[Eleventh Lunar Days of every month] by the king [Rukmangada] and his people throughout his kingdom made the inhabitants healthy and long-lived. In order to break the pious practice of Ekadashi, Brahma sent an enchantress Mohini, who won Rukmangada's affection."

"During the Brahmotsavam festivities, when Vishnu's image is bedecked as Mohini, the devotee is presented with the female form of the lord, the incarnation that enchants and deludes the greedy power hungry Asuras and the egotistical sages. The devotee is exhorted to look beyond the appearances that delude (Mohini) into the reality that liberates (Vishnu)."

"Mohini is the family deity of Gauda Saraswat Brahmins, who refer to her as “Shri Mahalasa Narayani”. Though the deity is viewed as female and is worshipped as a manifestation of the mother goddess, the devotee is constantly reminded that the goddess is in essence a form of Vishnu."

"She hurled a discus, cut Rahu's throat, and prevented the divine liquid from entering the Daitya's body. The other Daityas realized Vishnu had duped them. They declared war on the Adityas. Led by Vishnu, the Adityas drove the Daityas to the nether realms. The laying claim over all the treasures that emerged from the ocean of milk, the Adityas rose to the celestial realm where they set up their city, Amravati, the city of the immortals."

"Mohini and approached the Daityas, titillating them with her sensuous walk. “May I serve the divine liquid,” she asked flirtatiously. The Asuras, bewitched by beauty, could not refuse. They gave her the pot. So besotted were they by her sultry smile and her voluptuous figure that they failed to notice she was distributing the Amrita amongst the Adityas. The Daitya Rahu suspected the intentions of this damsel and sat amongst the Adityas as one of them. Just as he was about to take a sip of the elixir, the sun and the moon recognized him and alerted Mohini."

"A group of sages performed rituals in the forest and believed themselves to be as powerful as the gods. To humble them, Shiva and Vishnu entered this forest in the guise of a handsome beggar called Bhikshatan and a beautiful maid called Mohini. The sages and their wives saw the couple and were overwhelmed with desire. The men ran after Mohini while the women chased Bhikshatan. Some time later, they regained control of their senses and held Bhikshatan and Mohini responsible for the momentary lapse in their reason. Using their magic powers, they drew out of fire, a serpent, a lion, an elephant, and a goblin. Shiva picked up the serpent and wound it round his neck. He flayed the lion and the elephant and wrapped their skins round his body. He then jumped on the goblins' back and began to dance, displaying his divine splendor. The sages watched and realized their folly."

"At no point do Devas forget that Mohini is Vishnu. The word Mohini, meaning delusion personified, comes from the root ‘moha'—“enchantment”. A weak and unenlightened mind, embodied in the Daitya, fails to discover the truth of Vishnu and is seduced by Mohini. Thus another attribute of Hindu demons in their inability to recognize the divine. This the scriptures, state. Their subterranean abode is even farther away- when compared to the world of humans – from the celestial realms of knowledge and truth."