Guest guest Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 In furthering our recent discussions on the social implications of Shaktism, I'd like to recommend an excellent, well-written essay on the subject of Women in the broader context of Hinduism in general. It might be an eye-opener for many people. It comes from the excellent "Tribute to Hinduism" website; I've excerpted part of the introduction below -- the full story (nicely laid out, with lots of color and illustrations) appears at http://www.atributetohinduism.com/Women_in_Hinduism.htm "In ancient India, women occupied a very important position, in fact a superior position to, men. It is a culture whose only words for strength and power are feminine - 'Shakti' means 'power' and 'strength.' All male power comes from the feminine. Literary evidence suggests that kings and towns were destroyed because a single woman was wronged by the state. For example, Valmiki's Ramayana teaches us that Ravana and his entire clan was wiped out because he abducted Sita. Veda Vyasa's Mahabharatha teaches us that all the Kauravas were killed because they humiliated Draupadi in public. Elango Adigal's Sillapathigaram teaches us Madurai, the capital of the Pandyas was burnt because Pandyan Nedunchezhiyan mistakenly killed her husband on theft charges. "In Vedic times women and men were equal as far as education and religion was concerned. Women participated in the public sacrifices alongside men. One text mentions a female rishi Visvara. Some Vedic hymns, are attributed to women such as Apala, the daughter of Atri, Ghosa, the daughter of Kaksivant or Indrani, the wife of Indra. Apparently in early Vedic times women also received the sacred thread and could study the Vedas. The Haritasmrti mentions a class of women called brahmavadinis who remained unmarried and spent their lives in study and ritual. Panini's distinction between arcarya (a lady teacher) and acaryani (a teacher's wife), and upadhyaya (a woman preceptor) and upadhyayani ( a preceptor's wife) indicates that women at that time could not only be students but also teachers of sacred lore. He mentions the names of several noteworthy women scholars of the past such as Kathi, Kalapi, and Bahvici. The Upanishads refer to several women philosophers, who disputed with their male colleagues such as Vacaknavi, who challenged Yajnavalkya. The Rig Veda also refers to women engaged in warfare. One queen Bispala is mentioned, and even as late a witness as Megasthenes (fifth century B.C. E.) mentions heavily armed women guards protecting Chandragupta's palace. "Louis Jaccoliot, the celebrated French author of the Bible in India 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.'" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 Rainbow, how about male ego and propery rights<Om Ganesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 Can we ever get back there? What was the difference between now and then? What changed? I constantly wonder about these things. Especially "what changed?" Blessings, prainbow , "Devi Bhakta <devi_bhakta>" <devi_bhakta> wrote: > In furthering our recent discussions on the social implications of > Shaktism, I'd like to recommend an excellent, well-written essay on > the subject of Women in the broader context of Hinduism in general. > It might be an eye-opener for many people. It comes from the > excellent "Tribute to Hinduism" website; I've excerpted part of the > introduction below -- the full story (nicely laid out, with lots of > color and illustrations) appears at > http://www.atributetohinduism.com/Women_in_Hinduism.htm > > "In ancient India, women occupied a very important position, in fact > a superior position to, men. It is a culture whose only words for > strength and power are feminine - 'Shakti' means 'power' > and 'strength.' All male power comes from the feminine. Literary > evidence suggests that kings and towns were destroyed because a > single woman was wronged by the state. For example, Valmiki's > Ramayana teaches us that Ravana and his entire clan was wiped out > because he abducted Sita. Veda Vyasa's Mahabharatha teaches us that > all the Kauravas were killed because they humiliated Draupadi in > public. Elango Adigal's Sillapathigaram teaches us Madurai, the > capital of the Pandyas was burnt because Pandyan Nedunchezhiyan > mistakenly killed her husband on theft charges. > > "In Vedic times women and men were equal as far as education and > religion was concerned. Women participated in the public sacrifices > alongside men. One text mentions a female rishi Visvara. Some Vedic > hymns, are attributed to women such as Apala, the daughter of Atri, > Ghosa, the daughter of Kaksivant or Indrani, the wife of Indra. > Apparently in early Vedic times women also received the sacred thread > and could study the Vedas. The Haritasmrti mentions a class of women > called brahmavadinis who remained unmarried and spent their lives in > study and ritual. Panini's distinction between arcarya (a lady > teacher) and acaryani (a teacher's wife), and upadhyaya (a woman > preceptor) and upadhyayani ( a preceptor's wife) indicates that women > at that time could not only be students but also teachers of sacred > lore. He mentions the names of several noteworthy women scholars of > the past such as Kathi, Kalapi, and Bahvici. The Upanishads refer to > several women philosophers, who disputed with their male colleagues > such as Vacaknavi, who challenged Yajnavalkya. The Rig Veda also > refers to women engaged in warfare. One queen Bispala is mentioned, > and even as late a witness as Megasthenes (fifth century B.C. E.) > mentions heavily armed women guards protecting Chandragupta's palace. > > "Louis Jaccoliot, the celebrated French author of the Bible in India > 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.'" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 Greetings Prainbow Just my spontaneous opinion: Can we ever get back there? Why not? What stop us from getting back there? What was the difference between now and then? Its our own perception that make the distinction of now and then. What changed? We changed that is. Because change is the natural thing to be. Not to change is stagnation, and stagnation is the begginning of the end. If we want change then we should initiate the change and we first must change. Be a ripple, only then the things around us will change according to our change. PS its a very gloomy day here. I cant even see the sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 Hi Prainbow: I would also like to respond to your questions asking "What happened?" and "How can we get back there?" I offer the following to join with Nora's response, and an earlier post by Omprem, too. Good ideas can be used against people, and I fear that the good idea expressed in "Be the change you want to see in the world" is sometimes used to try to silence people who share things that other people find upsetting, or simply don't understand. People in their misunderstandings or lack of understanding can be harsh and judgmental in their expressions, which may discourage others from expressing themselves. The quoted passages are from Chapter 8 called Patience, the Vitalizing Power of Enthusiasm, from the book entitled Enthusiasm, by Gurumayi. I feel these passages deal well with something good, in this case, patience, that has become misunderstood and used in a way that can hinder growth and development. "Please understand, from the spiritual point of view patience is not about grinding your teeth and waiting for the most opportune time to spring into action. It is not about standing still like a hunter waiting for the prey to come into range. Patience is not about biding your time until your wishes can be fulfilled. All these perspectives have given patience a very unappealing reputation. If anyone is bit restless and demands something, he is told,"Be patient!" If someone speaks a mile a minute to drive a point home, she is told: "Be patient!" ... "But patience is not just another way of saying, "Calm down" or "Be quiet." It is not a euphemism for these things. ... When you keep hearing, "Be patient, be patient, be patient," you think the right thing to do is to shut down and wait it out until something better happens. Can this be why the scriptures, the saints and the sages praise patience? No, I don't think so. "Think about it. Does patience really mean suppressing your freedom and strength? Does patience mean confining your thinking power wihin borders that are narrow and tame? Does patience mean subjugating your own wisdom and good sense to the opinion of others? Does patience mean letting others trample through your life? ... Obviously, the answer is no." I find this very meaningful and sustaining when I am experiencing harshness in response to expressing myself, or to simply being myself in the world. I hope this can be meaningful to others in Shakti Sadhana too. Love to all. , "Nora <ashwini_puralasamy>" <ashwini_puralasamy> wrote: > Greetings Prainbow > > Just my spontaneous opinion: > > Can we ever get back there? > Why not? What stop us from getting back there? > > What was the difference between now and then? > Its our own perception that make the distinction of now and then. > > What changed? > We changed that is. Because change is the natural thing to be. Not to > change is stagnation, and stagnation is the begginning of the end. If > we want change then we should initiate the change and we first must > change. Be a ripple, only then the things around us will change > according to our change. > > > PS its a very gloomy day here. I cant even see the sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Beautiful Mary Ann, Thank you Im a person of few words today. Chinnamasta and Tara Devi have taken over my concentration. Only these words come into my mind : If you want to swim against the tide, you must be strong. Be very strong and focus. Know you destinations and your bearings or you too will get swayed away and drown. Om Maha devyai namah "Salutation to Her who is the supreme goddess" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Nora, is this : > "Salutation to Her who is the supreme goddess"> what this: > Om Maha devyai namah means? Blessings, prainbow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Good Morning Prainbow, Om Maha devyai namah "Salutation to Her who is the supreme goddess" is from the Sri Lalitha-sahasra Namavalih ( the thousand names of Sri Lalitha ). Other names attributes to Sri lalitha are : Om Sri Matra Namah Salutations to the Divine Mother, who is the mother of all. Om Sri Maha Rajnyai Namah Salutations to the great Empress of the whole universe. Om Srimat-simhasan esvaryai Namah Salutations to the great Sovereign enthroned on the lion's back And there are many more. Love always Nora Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 31, 2003 Report Share Posted January 31, 2003 Oh so cool! Thank you Nora! <bows low> prainbow , "Nora <ashwini_puralasamy>" <ashwini_puralasamy> wrote: > Good Morning Prainbow, > > Om Maha devyai namah > "Salutation to Her who is the supreme goddess" > > is from the Sri Lalitha-sahasra Namavalih ( the thousand names of Sri > Lalitha ). Other names attributes to Sri lalitha are : > > Om Sri Matra Namah > Salutations to the Divine Mother, who is the mother of all. > > Om Sri Maha Rajnyai Namah > Salutations to the great Empress of the whole universe. > > Om Srimat-simhasan esvaryai Namah > Salutations to the great Sovereign enthroned on the lion's back > > And there are many more. > > > Love always > Nora Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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