Guest guest Posted February 24, 2007 Report Share Posted February 24, 2007 A warm namaste to everyone! I have heard it said that women are not allowed to read/know/recite the vedas. Can anyone tell me if this is true? If so, is there any mantra (or evidence)in any of the Vedas which says this? I ask this not as a disrespectful argument but as a genuine desire to know what the text actually says, if it does indeed say anything at all on the subject. Also I have heard that a Brahmin who does have the right to recite/use the mantras has to follow a certain (very strict) way of life. Is this too mentioned in any of these 'books' (for want of a better word)? Regards Rohini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 ||Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya|| Dear Rohini Ji, Namaste. I humbly share my understanding here, though not as detailed as expected by you. For learning of Vedas, one has to be 'initiated' or in common parlance has to be given 'Mantra'. It is this Mantra, which when recired regularly with devotion which opens up thedors of all spiritual and Vedic knowledge for the person. As regards the disallowance of Veda learning to the ladies, there is ample proof available that this is a later development, maybe during the present post-Mughal era. Apala, Ashwaghosha and so many others are the ladies held in high esteem due to their Vedic knowledge. Leelvati, daughter-in-law of great Varahamihira is also a renowned name for her astrological accumen, again in a vedanga. This however relates to Kaliyuga itself, therefore we can not ascribe the disallowance women of Veda-learning to the Kaliyuga. In the Hindu (Sanatana) Culture, earlier Yajnopavita/Upanayan samskara (Sacred thread ceremony) was held for the women also, after which they were considered eligible for the Veda learning. Now-a-days this sacred thread ceremony is held for the males only, and probably this is somehow related to the tradition. During this Yajnopavita samskara, one is also given a Guru-mantra, which is the key to all knowledge as it opens the doors of the learning process for the Batuka, the person who is being given the thread and Mantra. Even now, any traditional knowledge, be it astrology (a vedanga), Vedas, or even for the music learning from any classical GHARANAs, the disciple is initiated through a ceremony, given mantra; or a " GANDA " or talisman is tied by the guru on the arm of the Shishya (disciple) before the teachings begin. This " GANDA " or talisman again contains a mantra written on some piece of paper or birch-bark (Bhoja- patra). So it boils down to the " Mantra " that establishes a rapport between the Guru and the Shishya. Well, learning of Vedas is therefore not allowed without subscribing to a Guru, being a spiritual knowledge. There are various criteria to debar one from learning Vedas, enumerated in Manu-smriti and other scriptures; and this inelligibility of women is a long-drawn extension from such criteria. regards, ||Om Shri Krishnarpanamastu|| Himanshu Mohan , " rohinipurang " <rohinipurang wrote: > > A warm namaste to everyone! > > I have heard it said that women are not allowed to read/know/recite the > vedas. Can anyone tell me if this is true? If so, is there any mantra > (or evidence)in any of the Vedas which says this? > > I ask this not as a disrespectful argument but as a genuine desire to > know what the text actually says, if it does indeed say anything at all > on the subject. > > Also I have heard that a Brahmin who does have the right to recite/use > the mantras has to follow a certain (very strict) way of life. Is this > too mentioned in any of these 'books' (for want of a better word)? > > Regards > > Rohini > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Hi Rohini, Statement about women is absolutely false. Many of the Vedic mantras were themselves " seen " by women. Check this website by the Aurobindo Institute http://www.vedah.com/org2/literature/essence/women_ & _rishikas.html So, when women rishikas themselves are the origins of the mantras is there anything left to say!! PS: This site also has a lot of articles on Vedas for the interested. Thanks Vasudev , " rohinipurang " <rohinipurang wrote: > > A warm namaste to everyone! > > I have heard it said that women are not allowed to read/know/recite the > vedas. Can anyone tell me if this is true? If so, is there any mantra > (or evidence)in any of the Vedas which says this? > > I ask this not as a disrespectful argument but as a genuine desire to > know what the text actually says, if it does indeed say anything at all > on the subject. > > Also I have heard that a Brahmin who does have the right to recite/use > the mantras has to follow a certain (very strict) way of life. Is this > too mentioned in any of these 'books' (for want of a better word)? > > Regards > > Rohini > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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