beatting women

[Guest guest]

> > I am not trying to start a controversial discussion, but I would like to

> > know how to answer the following question. Why would it be OK to beat

> > (ordinary) women? The other day I was asked this question and all I could

> > say was that I wouldn't do it.

>

> If it were Tulsi das who originally said that it is ok to beat women, then

> maybe we don't have to take it seriously. He is hardly an absolute Vedic

> authority of the same stature as Jiva Goswami or Bhaktivinode Thakur. Maybe

> Tulsi das just had a real bad wife.

Well Tulsi das may not have much importance to us, but I have seen his

influence in Northern India. He is probably the greatest saint Northern India

has produced.

 

As far as your question, I don't think there's a simple answer. I would say

that one would have to do an in depth study of the type of culture that

prevailed at that time.

 

I mean the type of wife beating that I see going on in Braj these days, is

mostly the result of easy availability of wine, beer, ect. and is done in a

drumken stupor, mostly inspired by unfufilled lust that of course was inspired

by the film industry.

 

My parents also spanked (beat) me, but it was done soberly with a view to

correct my errant ways. I never beat my wife or any woman for that matter and

would also respond like you, in the modern context, I wouldn't do it.

 

> For the same reason it would be OK to beat (ordinary) sudras.

Well I have seen at Kumbha Mela and other such events, the only way to manage

the crowd is the police waving sticks as ninety percent are simple villagers

(who are also mentioned in the original verse along with sudras). Mostly I see

them waving their sticks but hardly ever beating, and I haven't seen any other

succesful method to keep order under those circumstances, except the barricades

that they put up everywhere to keep everyone in line, that also happen to be

made of sticks.

 

dhol, gamar, sudra, pasu, nari

ye sab taran ki adhikari

 

Dholak (drum), peasants, sudras, animals (pasu could be any type of animal, not

just dogs), all are worthy to be beaten.

 

Now we would also have to understand the language of that time also. Since this

verse could be interpreted many ways. Adhikari indicates that they are worthy

to be beaten, but not necessarily says that they should be beaten. Just like we

see in Braja, the little boy keeps his stick swinging to keep his cows (or

unfortuntately, more likely, bufaloes) moving along. He rarely has to beat

them.

 

In service of Srimati Vrinda Devi,

Deena Bandhu dasa