Brahmavidya and Women - Baba

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Brahmavidya and Women

 

Q. You were talking of strict regimen; men too should

follow this, is it not?

 

A. Of course! They too are flesh and blood, bone and

marrow; they too are afflicted with illness. Each and

every person who is afflicted with birth and death and

suffering from this cycle is in need of this medicine.

And, whoever helps himself to this treatment has to

follow the regimen too. Man or woman, whoever neglects

the regimen, cannot get rid of the illness. Men cannot

afford to say that they are free from it; they have to

stick to it closely and observe it strictly. Even if

they have had Brahmopadesam (initiation into the

spiritual path of Brahma-realisation), if they are

devoid of virtues like Sama and Dama they cannot save

themselves, whether they are men or women.

 

Q. But then, Swami, why do many scholars learned in

the Sastras declare that women have no right for

acquiring Brahmavidya? What is the reason?

 

A. There is no reason at all in declaring that women

are not entitled to Brahmavidya. Vishnumurthy taught

Bhudevi the glory of the Githa; Parameswara taught

Parvathi the Brahmathathva through the Guru-Githa.

That is what the Guru-Githa means when it says,

" Parvathi Uvaacha " . What do these words mean? Besides,

Easwara initiated Parvathi into Yogasastra and

Manthrasastra. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad mentions

that Yajnavalkya taught Maitreyi this very same

Brahmavidya. This is a well known fact. Now, you can

yourself judge and draw your own conclusion whether

women are entitled to Brahmavidya or not.

 

Q. There are some others, Swami, who declare that

women are not entitled to Brahmacharya and Sanyasa. Is

it true? Do the Vedas prohibit it?

 

A. The Vedas have two sections: Karmakanda and

Jnanakanda. The Karmakanda is for beginners, for the

undeveloped; and the Jnanakanda is for the more

advanced, the developed intelligences. There is no

reference to men or women in connection with these.

The beginners are worldly; how can they understand the

immortal message of the Jnanakanda about the Atma? In

the Brihadaranyaka we have mention of Gargi and

Maitreyi who shine in the spiritual splendour of

Brahmacharya and Sanyasa. In the Mahabharatha also, we

have Subha Yogini and other women who are ideal women,

full of virtue.

 

Q. Can women win Brahmajnana, even while leading the

householder's life?

 

A. Why not? Madaalasa and others were able to get

Brahmajnana while in the Grihastha stage of life, the

house-holder status. You must have heard of these from

the Yogavasishta and the Puranas, how they attained

the height of auspiciousness, Brahmajnana itself. Then

again, do not the Upanishads declare that Kaathyayini,

Sarangi, Sulabha, Viswaveda and others were adepts in

Brahmajnana?

 

Q. Swami, are there any women who have attained

Brahmajnana while in the Grihasdtha stage? And who

attained it while in the Sanyasa stage? Or any who

realised it while in the Vaanaprastha stage? Are there

women who got it in the Brahmacharya stage of life?

 

A. Do not think that there are no women who have

realised Brahmajnana while in any one of these stages.

Choodaala attained it while a Grihastha; Sulabhayogini

won it while a Sanyasini; Maitreyi attained it while

in the Vaanaprastha stage of life; and Gargi got it in

the Brahmacharya stage. There were other great women

of Bharath who have achieved this height. Why, there

are even today many who are of this great category. I

simply mentioned some four names because you came up

with that question now; so do not in the least loose

enthusiasm. There is no need for loss of heart.

 

Q. When we have so many examples of women who have

attained Brahmajnana, how is it that so many argue

against it? Why do they impose limitations on women?

 

A. It is sheer absurdity to deny women the right to

earn Brahmajnana. But in worldly matters, it is

necessary that some limitations are respected by them.

They are laid down only in the interests of Dharma and

for Loka-kalyana. For the sake of the upkeep of morals

and for social health in the world, women have to be

bound by them. They are too weak to maintain certain

standards of life and discipline; they have some

natural handicaps; that is the reason for these

limitations.

 

This does not mean any fundamental inferiority. Why,

even Pundits and men learned in the Sastras acquire

their Jnana through the reverential homage they pay to

the Feminine Deity, Saraswathi. The patron Deity of

Vidya, as well as of Wealth and Jnana are all three

feminine. They are Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Parvathi.

Even in customary correspondence, when women are

addressed, they are referred to as, " To...who is equal

to Lakshmi " etc. You always speak of Maatha-Pithaa,

Gowri-Sankara, Lakshmi-Narayana, Seetha-Rama,

Radha-Krishna etc. The feminine name comes first and

then the masculine. From this itself you can gather

how much reverence is paid to women here.

 

Q. The distinction between man and woman - do you

condemn it as Mithya-jnana or do you value it as

Atma-jnana?

 

A. My dear fellow! The Atma has no such distinction;

it is eternally conscious, pure, self-effulgent. So,

it can only be Mithya-jnana; it can never be

Atma-jnana. It is a distinction based on the Upadhi,

the mask, the Limitation. The Atma is neither

masculine, feminine nor neuter; it is the form that

limits and deludes and that wears the names.