Misconceptions, Menstruation & Ritual Purity

[Guest guest]

Dear Lili:

 

Your last post contained the broad generalization that "blood is

considered 'polluting' by these traditions,and so when her menarche

commences, she is therefore 'unclean' ... [etc]"

 

I do not know the depth of your familiarity with Eastern occult

spiritual systems, but it appears that you are painting with an

overly broad brush and without a very subtle knowledge of "these

traditions" (into which phrase it appears you are lumping together

all the vast, diverse array of Hindu and Buddhist spiritual systems).

 

Since this group's subject is SHAKTISM, one of the four major schools

of Hinduism, I suppose I should step in and clarify that your

generalization does not apply to this tradition.

 

The obvious and sensationalistic examples are Tantric Shakta

scriptures such as the widely known Yoni Tantra, in which menstrual

fluids are an object of veneration; or the Kamakhya Temple in Assam

(see post from earlier today if you are interested), where the most

holy time is that the Goddess's menstruation, and cloths soaked in

the red fluid that naturally pours from the stone yoni in the sanctum

sanctorum during this period are the most prized relics sought by

pilgrims to the site.

 

But we need not even go to such "far out" examples in order to

understand the inapplicability of your generalizations to this group.

One simply has to examine the scriptures and traditions: Take the

great Mahaganapati Tarpanam ritual of Sri Vidya (a most sophisticated

and revered form of Hindu Shaktism) -- the sacred scriptures

recommend doing this ritual for 40 days, i.e. doing 444 tarpanams

every day for 40 days. Sri Amritananda Natha Saraswati, arguably the

greatest exponent of Shakta tradition in our time, has stated clearly

that, "Women should continue the 40-day routine even during the time

of their monthly periods," adding, "this 40-day ritual was in fact

designed by the ancient sages to show in no uncertain terms that it

is perfectly fine for women to do puja during their monthly periods."

 

I appreciate your input, and I do not doubt that it was intended in

an honest and compassionate spirit. It is true that much of

mainstream Hinduism is affected by the same sorts of

menstruation/purity issues that dog Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

But much of these prejudiced were imported into Hinduism recently,

during centuries of Muslim [Mughal] and Christian [british] rule and

social influences. Originally, the red tilak traditionally worn on

the forehead of married Hindu women was marked with menstrual blood,

not merely kumkum.

 

I do not object to informed critiques of Shaktism or its practices.

Part of the purpose of this group is to provide a forum in which to

air these important issues. But whenever possible, we ought not to

attack broad targets like "these traditions" without first refiniong

our understanding of what "these traditions" actually are. As

concerns the Kumari, it's as I noted in my earlier response -- it's

problematic. If the actual complexities of the situation interest

you, I provided a few links to commentary and previous groups

discussions.

 

Aum MAtangyai NamaH

 

, Lili Masamura

<sephirah5> wrote:

> Blood is considered "polluting" by these traditions,

> and so when her menarche commences, she is therefore

> "unclean", and hence no longer fit to be a Goddess, I

> suppose! Funny how blood is NOT polluting when it is

> inside one's veins and keeping one alive, but the

> minute it appears externally, it becomes "polluting".

> Lilith M.

> --- danw1960 <danw1960> wrote:

>

> > So what is the implied message when this girl's

> > "goddess-hood" is

> > revoked by the onset of puberty? I would have

> > expected goddess

> > status to be a bit more permanent.

> >

> > , "Devi Bhakta"

> >

> > <devi_bhakta> wrote:

> > > KATHMANDU (Sept. 27, 2004): A seven-year-old girl

> > revered by Hindus

> > > and Buddhists as a living goddess has had a rare

> > festive excursion

> > > from the house where she is usually confined in

> > the Nepalese

> > capital,

> > > Kathmandu.

> > >

> > > Crowds roar and young men yell as they tug an

> > ancient wooden chariot

> > > through the lanes of the old city.

> > >

> > > Inside is little Preeti Shakya who herself has

> > been revered as the

> > > Kumari and incarnation of the Hindu mother goddess

> > Durga for the

> > past

> > > three years, in a tradition going back centuries.

> > >

> > > Each Kumari is chosen aged only three or four,

> > always from the same

> > > Buddhist clan, and has to have 32 attributes,

> > including thighs like

> > > those of a deer and a neck like a conch shell.

> > >

> > > She lives a confined life, only coming out of her

> > palace three or

> > four

> > > times a year until she reaches puberty when

> > another Kumari must be

> > found.

> > >

> > > This main outing coincides with a festival of

> > thanks to the local

> > rain

> > > god and as always, her feet must never touch the

> > ground unless there

> > > is a red carpet beneath them.

> > >

> > > FACING FREEDOM

> > >

> > > Some former Kumaris have recently been speaking

> > out about the

> > > difficulties of rejoining a family you hardly

> > know.

> > >

> > > One said it was a real shock being told what to do

> > by teachers and

> > > difficult playing with other children.

> > >

> > > Another, that she simply did not know how to face

> > her freedom.

> > >

> > > A woman MP has even called for the tradition to be

> > abolished.

> > >

> > > But today's Kumari is perhaps relatively lucky.

> > >

> > > Under quite new arrangements, living goddesses

> > nowadays are all

> > > entitled to a formal education with a tutor of

> > their choice.

> > >

> > > SOURCE: BBC News, "Living goddess makes rare

> > outing", by Charles

> > > Haviland, BBC correspondent in Kathmandu

> > > URL [with photos]:

> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3695426.stm

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

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