Guest guest Posted February 7, 2002 Report Share Posted February 7, 2002 Dear krishna, As you rightly say, we should not be discussing this here as this is off topic. This is my last post on the subject. You right in saying that the interpretations is different from the ideal. This is true not only for religion but also for other disciplines as well. But ergo, what if I have some problems with some tenets of the religious? I may be very spiritually inclined but I cannot accept some tenets of manusmriti, specially the varnashrama bits. It goes against certain sensibilities. Similarly I cannot accept that women cannot read/study the scriptures, specially the vedas. I already do. Now tell me in what way does it affect, my, yours or the world's sensibilities? You think by going 'against' the age-old decree, the sky has fallen on my head or that I have practised adharma? Contrarily, it has lifted me to a finer plane of spirituality. No, don't tell me, just think about it. Namaste, Sarbani Krishna Padmasola wrote: Namaste Sarbani, The nature of Dharma cannot be grasped by normal people (atindriya -- beyond the senses, is the word used to describe the nature of Dharma). Dharma differentiates a human from an animal. Some people may interpret Dharma to suit their own selfish interests and act accordingly (usually they act first and try to justify it later), but does that make the act dharmic (your examples of burning etc.)? The ideal of Dharma is very different from what you'll find in practice, especially in this yuga. One need not be surprised about it -- but that doesn't change the Dharma itself. regards, Krishna. P.S. I apologize for posting these articles which are not directly related to vedic astrology. Sarbani Sarkar wrote: > Dear Krishna, > > It is interesting that such decisions concerning women were and are > being made by men. Such decisions should be made by woman as to whether > they wish to pursue knowledge or not. I read the scriptures and I am a > woman. No body can forbid me to do so. If they do, I can challenge them > in court under Articles 14, 15 and 19 of the Constitution of the India. > In the medieval times, the church used to burn women branding them as > witches. This happens in India too where woman and men belonging to > scheduled castes are burned alive under the logic of the varnashram > dharma. Do you think this is right? You do not think as rational > thinking beings, we repudiate the inhuman and deprecating tenets of the > religions of both east and west? Religion was one of the main structures > through which men maintained their authority over woman, through > dominance. This is an established sociological truth. Preventing women > from reading and being learned stemmed from a fear. Nevertheless we had > Gargi, Maitreyee and the puranas cite stories of quite a few women who > were 'bidushis'. Specially the Mahabharata. Preventing women from > reading the scriptures or burning them, exhibit the same mindset and it > existed in all parts of the world, including India. The rishis were > learned, no doubt, but they were not gods, and they are not sacrosanct. > If that were so, I should go against the constitutional law of our > country which abolishes untouchability and allows them to enter our > temples. If I followed the rishis in toto, then this too is against the > code of 'everything is not for everybody'. I believe in a lot that our > rishis have taught but I also believe in social justice and universal > human values. We are living here, now, in 2002 A.D. Not in the time when > the rishis were living. A lot water has flown since then. Each yug has > its good and bad. And although it is crucial that we revive and rescue > our lost traditions which are forgotten, it will be wise to forget the > more discriminatory and inhuman elements of that age. You take the best > from the and the best from now and that is how synthesis is made and > evolution occurs. > > Krishna Padmasola wrote: > > Namaste friends. > > Equality does not mean that everyone has a right/duty to do everything. > This is the root of misunderstanding. People can be equal doing their > respective assigned duties (varna-asrama dharmas). > > Clearly the samskaras/dharmas prescribed for women are different from > those prescribed for a man. The sages gave the path of fastest progress > for each kind of person (man/woman/brahmana//vaishya etc.) out of > compassion. The duties enjoined to various types of persons can be > found > in the various dharmasastras. > > For those who cannot follow the dharmasastras in the original modern > day > saints have interpreted them so lay people can understand and benefit > from them. One such book is 'Hindu Dharma' which is a collection of > speeches by the Paramacharya of Kanchi Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati > which has been published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Reading this is a > must for clearing up such misconceptions. > > regards, > Krishna. > > > J.K.Dasgupta wrote: > > > Dear sreenivas, > > > > > > > > first, you cannot compare women with pigs, it is not a logic at all. > > second. please show me the scripture, where it is written there is > > seperate rules for women folks. in fact there are great women saints > > like gargi, maitreyi - who were respected. read Mahabharata, > where women > > were given equal, if not more rights & importance. > > > > > > > > regards, > > > > > > > > jk dasgupta > > > > - > > > > sreenivas g <gsreenivasr > > > > vedic astrology > > <vedic astrology> > > > > Wednesday, February 06, 2002 10:05 PM > > > > Re: [vedic astrology] Re: Mantrapushpam > > > > > > Dear jk dasguptaji > > I understand that you have a broad mind,and i > > appreciate it,But sometimes rules are rules,For > > example even a brahma gyani(liberated sage..like > > buddha)who understands that this whole universe is > > nothing but brahma(sarvam khalvidam brahma)has to > > behave according to the rules,for example he knows > > that a pig also is created by brahma,but he does not > > put his mouth in the pigs mouth,because he has to > > stick to the rules of humans,only in his minds > > background he knows that the pig is also a creation of > > brahma......our Hindu religion is not imperialistic,it > > does not proclaim one religipon one country one people > > one language one finger one leg etc.....so no one rule > > for females and males,each have different rules,you > > cannot give same medicine to people suffering from > > different diseases..... > > I agree that females should be looked upon as equal > > to man(ex:ardha naareeshwara)but if the scriptures > > gave different rules then we should adopt it,and we > > should not behave as if we are broad minded and the > > rishis who created these rules are nothing,we > > sometimes get frustrated by seeing these rules and > > wonder why the sexes have been seperated in this > > manner,but the rishis are transcendental,they give us > > rules only for our betterment,and not with > > bias.......and the subject is too deep for us to > > understand...... > > Please excuse me if i have hurt you,but i am giving > > my opinion.....sarve jana sukhionobhavanthu > > gsr > > > > > > > > > > > > Send FREE Valentine eCards with Greetings! > > http://greetings. > > > > > > > > > > Group info: > vedic astrology/info.html > > > > To UNSUBSCRIBE: Blank mail to > vedic astrology- > > > > ....... May Jupiter's light shine on us ....... > > > > || Om Tat Sat || Attachment: vcard [not shown] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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