hindu view of women

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Hindu View on Womenby Asha Lata PandeyTo understand the social and cultural life

of the Hindus and their view on women, one must understand Hinduism. Hinduism is

for the world and there is no 'unworldiness' in it.In Hindu society, every

worldly activity is under the control of religion. It orders ceremonies

throughout his life and gives instructions to his descendants, which they must

follow in order that his happiness may be secured. So to find out the Hindu

view on women, one has to have a look at the life of the Hindus, the position,

the importance and the working area of the women in their everyday life.The

status of women in early Hindu society was an enviable one. They could avail of

the highest learning and there were many seers and philosophers among them.

Ghosha, Apala, Lopamudra, Vishwvara, Surya, Indrani, Yami, Romasha – all these

names highlight the position and the esteem which Hindu women enjoyed in the

Vedic period. Devi-Sukta'of the Rgveda is courtesy 'vac'( daughter of sage

Ambhrna). In a theosophical debate between Shankaracharya and Mandana Mishra,

the latter's wife was appointed to be the judge – obviously because of her

superior knowledge and spiritual attainments.

Vrihadaranyakopanishad(2.34)1gives the evidence of Maitreyi opting for

Brhamvidya rather than wealth and worldly pleasures. Women were also allowed to

observe celibacy1 (Atharvaveda 12.3.17). and study Vedas. Not only this, the

Ashvalayana and Gobhil Grihyasutras and Harit-Dharmasutra show even the sacred

thread ceremony (the Upanayana Samskara) being performed for women. Women used

to teach also.2 Paninikalin Bharat by Dr. Vasudeo Sharan Aggarwal, page

281).Additionally, queens like Kaikeyi helped their husbands in the

battlefield. It would thus be seen that at that time there was not a single

area where women did not take part or excel their counterpart's – men.As far as

the history of ordinary womenfolk goes, their position on the whole was free.

Girls were normally not married till they were in their late teens and

sometimes even later. They had a fair amount of choice in the selection of a

mate, which is evidenced by the – then prevalence of the "swayamvara-system".

The cases of Sita, Damayanti, Draupadi, Shakuntala (the adopted daughter of

sage Kanva) are the instances of the choice women enjoyed in choosing their

husbands. From birth till death a Hindu had (and even today has) to perform

hundreds of ceremonies and not even one of them could be performed without the

presence of the wife(Rgveda 5.102).During the 7th to the 9th century A. D. also

we find that the general level of the culture and position of women was high.

Women, including those not belonging to the higher classes, had some

opportunities for liberal education, as well as training in fine arts

(especially those of painting, music and versification). Rajyashree(sister of

the renowned king Harshvardhana)was a disciple of Lord Buddha and her advice

was sought on various important matters. Rajshekhar(Kavya-Mimamsa) quotes

examples of princesses, daughters of high officials, of courtesans, and of

concubines who were poetesses as well as adepts in sciences. Avantisundari, the

wife of the poet Rajshekhar, was an exceptionally accomplished woman.

Rajshekhar's Karpurmanjari was produced at her request and Hemachandra quotes

three of her stanzas. The dramas and prose romances of this age also illustrate

the contemporary state of learning among women. Here we find that court ladies

and even the queens' maid-in-waiting are capable of composing excellent

Sanskrit and Prakrit verses. Shila-Mahadevi, wife of Rashtrakuta emperor

Dhruva, probably ruled jointly with her husband and enjoyed the privilege of

granting large gifts. Several queens of the Kara dynasty ruled in Orissa.

Sugandha and Didda of Kashmir administered extensive kingdoms as dowager

queens.It was only with the invasion of foreigners on our country that changes

occurred which affected the position of women. As the life, property and the

chastity of women were of little value to the invaders, each community built a

fortress of social norms to protect their women – resulting in the rigid

systems, child marriages( before a girl could be of an age attractive enough to

be abducted),the shaving of widows heads(to make them look unattractive),the

widespread practice of Sati (though Alberuni has written that 'Sati-system was

prevalent, yet a widow was not compelled to immolate herself. She had the

option – see Alberuni's India, Vol 2, P.151-52). Rigveda has evidence where a

widow was allowed to marry her late husband's brother (10.40.2). (Medieval

Indian Culture by A. L. Srivastava on page 23). These then became the norms

during this unsettled period of Indian history, and Hindu women could not enjoy

the same sort of liberty and equality, which they had enjoyed during the early

periods. Yet there is evidence that shows them taking part in the battlefield

and outdoor games with the men. Though the Hindu society is a patriarchal

society where male is the head of the family, yet the mother enjoys a very high

status. The sculptures always say that in order of preference worship your

mother first (Mahabharata,Shantiparva 267.31 ,348.18;Vanparva313.60,Apastamba

Dharmsutra i.10.28.9,Manusmriti2.145 etc.)However, there is no denying the fact

that during the period when the country was under the rule of foreigners, the

position of women in Hindu society did decline, particularly in the economic

context. With the advent of independence, attempts were made to secure the

economic independence of women and to give her back her right place in society.

The Constitution of India guarantees equality of status to Indian women with

that of men. The Hindu woman has improved her social status considerably during

the post independence period. Her legal disabilities with regard to the

marriage, inheritance, guardianship and adoption have been removed. She

inherits, by right, the property of her father on the basis of equality with

her brothers. With regard to her economic rights, she can hold and acquire

property and can enter public services and can take to any profession.In

conclusion, once can say that due of certain circumstances, the position of

women may have changed from time to time, yet a Hindu has always maintained his

view that a woman should be respected and get her due as a mother, sister and

wife (Shatapatha Brahman 5.2.1.10, 8.7.2.3 Taittiriya Samhita 6.1.8.5, Aitereya

Brahman 1.2.5 Manusmriti 3.56 etc). As before, he still believes in Manu's

saying that –"Yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra Devata, yatraitaastu na

pujyante sarvaastatrafalaah kriyaah" Manusmriti 3.56 – which translated reads :

"whenever women are given their due respect, even the deities like to reside

there and where they are not respected, all action remains

unfruitful."(published in Dharma-marg a quarterly Journal of The Vedic Research

and Cultural Foundation, New Delhi, India),July,43-45).Notes:1

Vrihadaranyakopanishad(2.34)1 Atharvaveda 12.3.172 Paninikalin Bharat by Dr.

Vasudeo Sharan Aggarwal, page 281

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