Can we find such chaste women today in our society???

[krsna]

stories of chaste women <HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->

There are many stories of Sati, chaste woman. Nala-damayanti. Her husband

became so poverty-stricken. He was king, but he became later on so

poverty-stricken that he had no sufficient cloth. The husband and wife was

putting on the same cloth, half and half. So still, still there was no

divorce. You see. Still the woman did not consider... She was also king's

daughter. But the husband has fallen down to so much poverty-stricken

condition. "So why shall I live with him?" These are some of the extreme

examples of chastity.

 

Not to speak of olden days, I have seen in Bombay, in 1935 or '34, on the

roadside, there was a beggar. The beggar, the face was defaced. Might be

some accident. His eyes and everything became defaced. He could not see,

everything became useless. So he, he was sitting on the roadside, and his

wife also, also sitting. But I saw that beggar was neat and clean. The wife

was also neat and clean. The wife's business was that to keep the husband

always neat and clean and fresh and bring him there and again take him at

home. Young woman. So I could understand that the wife is so chaste. She has

not left such ugly husband. Because his face was defaced. And helping him.

Because they require some money. So we have seen.

 

There are many stories of chaste woman. Many stories. There was one disciple

of Ramanujacarya, a very poor. So Ramanujacarya came in that poor disciple's

house and he saw there was no one in the house. So he thought: "What is

this? This is my disciple's house. He's family man. Why there is none?" That

means he could understand that the door is not locked. Door was closed only.

Then he could understand that within the door his wife is there. Therefore

he knocked the door, and there was response also, knocking, but she could

not come out. That means she, she was so poor that she had no garment. She

was keeping herself within the room, naked. So Ramanujacarya could

understand that "There is his wife. Maybe she has no sufficient clothing."

So immediately, his own cloth he gave her, within the room, and the woman

came out, putting on that... And then offered obeisances. So he could

understand the position. They were very, very poor. Even no clothing. So

after putting on the cloth, she went to the grocer's shop. Because

Ramanujacarya is there. She must receive. Grocer shop. The grocer knew that

this woman is very woman, uh, very poor, so his business was to entice her.

But she never agreed, although she was young. Now this woman went to the

grocer's shop that: "You know that I am very poor. I require immediately

some grains, ghee, and other things. My Guru Maharaja has come at home. I

must receive. So tonight I agree with your proposal. Please give me. Even at

the sacrifice of my chastity I want this." So the grocer was very glad. "Oh,

this woman, I have canvassed her, I have tried to induce her. She never

agreed. And now she's agreeing." So: "All right, you take, whatever you

like. Take." So she was given all kinds of food grains, as much as she

wanted. And she cooked and gave to the spiritual master and his associates,

his servants. Everything was very nice. In the meantime, the husband came,

working whole day. And he saw that everything was nicely done. "Guru

Maharaja is fed, and his associates, they're fed." So he asked his wife:

"How did you get all these things?" Then she narrated the whole story. Then

husband also said: "Yes, you have promised. All right. Take some prasadam

and go to him. Because you have promised to meet him this evening. So go."

Then the grocer heard the whole story and his mind became changed. "Oh, such

a chaste woman. Such a faithful... You are my mother. You take more

ingredients, grains, as much as you like, you shall..."

 

So there are still. That is not very long ago. So this was the training. And

the psychology is that woman, the first man she meets and if she is kept

carefully, she becomes staunch lover. This is psychology. There is good

psychology in maintaining the society. Therefore a woman, especially in

India, especially in Bengal, before attaining puberty, she was married. Not

to meet the husband unless she attains puberty. But she remained at father's

house, but she must know that: "I am married. I have got husband." This

psychology. Then she becomes very chaste. Because she thinks of her husband,

and becomes more and more devoted. So this arrangement that woman must be

married before puberty... Or even after puberty, she must get a husband. So

if this dharma... It is called kanya-daya, kanya-daya. Kanya-daya means it

is very obligatory that the father must get the daughter married. This is

dharma. So if this dharma, or this religious principle is violated, that

is... Arjuna is marking: adharma-abhi, abhi-bhava. When people become

neglectful of the family tradition and religious principles, adharma

abhibhavat krsna pradusyanti kula-striyah [bg. 1.40]. Kula-striyah.

Kula-striyah means... Kula means family, and striyah means woman. So woman

must be belonging to a respectable family. Therefore it is said:

kula-striyah. Not society-girls. Kula-striyah. Of the family. We have got

experience in our school, college days. I was sitting in a friend's house

and one sweeper woman, sweeper, with broomstick and with, what is called,

covering?

 

Devotee: Shawl.

 

Prabhupada: She was standing, say, about twenty yards distant from our

sitting place. So I asked my friend that: "Your, this sweeper woman wants to

come in. She's waiting because we are sitting. She is ashamed to come. So

let us come here." So we stood separately. That means although she was a

sweeper woman, still we had to honor her to enter. We stood up separately.

She was feeling that; "How can I go between two men?" This we have seen in

our... So this is Vedic culture. Woman should not be allowed to mix with

man. Not allowed. In Japan also, the same system. Before marriage, they can

mix. But after marriage they cannot mix. In Japan also I have seen. But in

India still the system is there. Woman, without husband, cannot talk with

any man. That is also psychological. In the Bhagavata it is stated that man

is like ghee, butterpot, and woman is like fire. Therefore, as they, as soon

as there is fire and butter pot, the butter pot must melt. Therefore they

should be kept aside. These are the statements. And the sastra says that in

a solitary place you should not remain even with your daughter, even with

your sister, even with your mother.

 

matr-svasra-duhitravan

na viviktah sanevaset

balavan indriya-gramo

vidvams api karsati

 

Either your mother or sister, or daughter. No, nobody becomes lusty with

mother or sister or daughter. But sastra says: "Even your mother or sister

or daughter, you should not live in a solitary place." Then one may question

that "How it is possible?" No. The sastra says: balavan indriya-gramah. The

senses are so strong that it becomes polluted. "Now it may be, some rascal

fools may be polluted like that." No. Sastra... Vidvams api karsati. Even

the most learned, he can be polluted.

 

So sometimes in India, I am criticized that I keep women and men in the same

temple. In India, that is not allowed. No women can live at night. They can

come and go. But I defend myself that this is the system of the country, the

women and men, they intermingle. How can I check it? Then the women, shall I

not give them any chance for chanting Hare Krsna? No, I shall do this

chance, I shall give this chance to woman even at the risk. That is my

reply.

 

So therefore chastity is very, very important thing for producing good

population, nice population.

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973

[Guest guest]

The answer is yes. Despite the high rate of official divorces around the world today, there are still millions of women forced into submission by cultural oppression and fear.

 

The law of Manu is that no one should go hungry. If a man must begg because of disability, it should not fall on the wife to fend for his needs, but on the government. So long Government of men are unchaste, i.e., not following the law of Manu, the whole of humanity will perish. This we see in Kali Yuga and at all times.

[Kulapavana]

 

stories of chaste women

why just have high expectations for women? actually, since men supposed to be the leaders, we should have much higher standards for them. not that: I'm a rascal like Nal, why is my wife not like Damayanti?

[Guest guest]

 

why just have high expectations for women? actually, since men supposed to be the leaders, we should have much higher standards for them. not that: I'm a rascal like Nal, why is my wife not like Damayanti?

 

As long as the quest for chastity of women is motivated by economics, there will be conflict of interests. Artha, economic development, is a human right. But so is kama, the right to pursuance of hapinness through fulfilling relationships in human life.

 

When kama must serve artha, there is conflict and consequent violation of human rights in various forms throughout different cultures.

 

Humanity, that is, men and women in cooperation, must find a solution for such problem.