What about Women ?

[Guest guest]

What about Women ?

(HinduDharma: Brahmacaryasrama)

 

 

I said that the twice-born must perform sandhyavandana with the well-

being of women and other jatis in mind. I also explained why all

samskaras are not prescribed for the fourth varna. Now we must

consider the question of women, why they do not have such rituals

and samskaras.

 

Even though we perform the punyaha-vacana and namakarana of newborn

girls and celebrate their first birthday, we do not conduct their

caula and upanayana nor the other samskaras or vows laid down for

brahmacarins. Of course, they have the marriage samskara. But in

other rites like sacrifices the main part is that of the husband,

though she (the wife) has to be by his side. In aupasana alone does

a woman have a part in making oblations in the sacred fire.

 

Why is it so?

 

The rites performed before a child is born are intended for the

birth of a male child (niseka, pumsavana, simanta). Does it mean, as

present-day reformers and women's libbers say, that Hindu women were

downgraded and kept in darkness?

 

What reason did I mention for the fourth varna not having to perform

many of the samskaras? That these were not necessary considering

their vocations and the fact that they can work for the welfare of

the world without the physical and mental benefits to be derived

from the samskaras. If they also spend their time in Vedic learning

and in sacrifices, what will happen to their duties? So most of the

samskaras are not necessary for them. They reach the desire goal

without these rites by carrying out their duties. "Svakarmana tam

abhyarcya siddhim vindati manavah", so says the Gita. I have spoken

to you about this earlier.

 

Just as society is divided according to occupations and the

samskaras are correspondingly different, so too there are

differences between men and women in domestic life. Running a

household means different types of work, cooking, keeping the house

clean, bringing up the children, etc. By nature women can do these

chores better than men. If they also take an active part in rituals,

what will happen to such work? Each by serving her husband and by

looking after her household becomes inwardly pure.

 

In truth three is no disparity between men and women, nor are women

discriminated against as present-day reformers allege. Work is

divided for the proper maintenance not only of the home but the

nation on the whole; and care has been taken not to have any

duplication. There is no intention of lowering the status of any

section in this division of labour.

 

The body, in the case of certain people, is meant to preserve the

mantras and there are samskaras which have the purpose of making it

worthy of the same. Why should the same rituals be prescribed for

those who do not have such tasks to carry out? Glassware to be sent

by railway parcel is specially taken care of since it is fragile.

Even greater care is taken in dispatching kerosene or petrol. If the

same precautions are not taken in transporting other goods, does it

mean that they are poorly thought of? Astronauts are kept in

isolation before being sent up in space and after their return.

Mantras have their own radiation that is even more powerful than

what is found in space. If you appreciate this fact, you will

understand why Brahmins are separated from the rest and special

samskaras prescribed for them.

 

The body of a Brahmin (male) is involved in the nurturing of

mantras. So from the time of conception itself it is to be made pure

through samskaras like pumsavana, simanta and so on. There are

samskaras with the same objective also after the boy child is born.

 

The vocations have to be properly divided for the welfare of

mankind. If everybody paid attention to this fact, instead of

talking of rights, it would be realised that the sastras have not

discriminated against women or any of the jatis.

http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part17/chap14.htm