Hindu Woman in the Realm of Religion
(Compilation for a discourse by
N.R.Srinivasan, March 2015)
International Women’s Day is a time
to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of
courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary
role in the history of their countries and communities.
UN Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon said: “To be truly trans-formative, the post-2015 agenda must
prioritize gender equality and women’s empowerment. The world will never realize 100 percent of its goals if 50 percent cannot
realize their full potential”.
This year’s theme of International Women’s Day "Empowering Women--Empowering Humanity; Picture It" envisions
a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as
participating in religious worship, politics, getting an education, having an
income, and living in societies free from violence and discrimination. In 2015,
International Women’s Day
highlighted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on March, a historic road map signed by 189 governments 20 years ago
that set the agenda for realizing
women’s rights. While there have been many achievements since then, many
serious gaps remain. The object of this historic Meet was to uphold women’s
achievements, recognize challenges, and focus greater attention on women’s
rights and gender equality to mobilize all people to do their part.
In the realm of
religion, among various other things, there
is still lot of work that has to be done as many faith traditions continue to bar women
from seeking ordination (priest hood, pastors, religious guides etc.) and fail
to recognize the important role women play in the spiritual lives of their
communities. In Christianity women have made serious strides in the last year,
taking on new leadership roles in their denominations and houses of worship,
expressing their faith through art and spearheading activist movements.
In studies pertaining
to gender patterns in religions, it has been widely accepted that females are
more likely to be religious than males. This is more so in Hindu American
families. In 1997, statistics gathered
by Beit-Halloumi and Argyle theorized this phenomenon into three primary
causes. The first explanation is that women feel emotions at greater heights
than men do, thus women tend to turn to religion more in times of high emotions
such as gratitude or guilt. The second explanation is that female socialization
is more likely to align with values that are commonly found in religion such as
conflict mediation, tenderness, and humility. In contrast, male socialization
is more likely to emphasize rebellion, thus making the guideline aspects of
religion less appealing. The third explanation, which is also the most recent
theory, is that females are more likely to be able to identify with religion as
a natural consequence of societal structures. For example, since a majority of
religions emphasize women as caretakers of the home, the societal expectation
of women to take greater responsibility than men for the upbringing of a child
makes religion an appealing commitment. Another example is that traditionally,
men tend to work outside the home whereas women tend to work inside the home,
which corresponds to studies that have shown that people are more likely to be
religious when working inside of their homes.
“The
stated role of women in Hinduism varies from one of equal status with
men, to one of restriction in many aspects of life. Elements which determine
the role of women in Hinduism include scriptural texts, historical era,
location, context within the family and tradition. Some see Hinduism itself as
the repressive force. Others argue that the lower status of Hindu women is the
result of culture and custom rather than religion, citing the Vedic literature
where women may be given the status of goddess, and noting their shakti
(force) without which, the status of man would be nil. You may kindly recall
how Rama had to make an icon of his wife, Seeta, in order to perform
Asvamedha Yaaga ( Horse fire sacrifice)”
says Wikipedia.
Recognition of the feminine aspect of God by Tantric Sakti religious leaders, has led to
the legitimization of the female teachers and female Gurus in Hinduism. A notable example was Ramakrishna Paramahamsa who worshiped his wife as the
embodiment of the divine feminine. Notable other women in recent years are Gurumaayi Chidvilasananda, a teacher in the lineage of
Siddhayoga, Mata Amritananandamayi, Mata Karunaamayi, Mukthananda of Nityananda Group and Mother Meera referred
to as a "female guru" by author Karen Pechili.
Upanishads, the philosophical
part of Vedas mention several female sages and seers. Among them are Gaargi and Maitreyi. In Sanskrit the word acharyaa means a
"female teacher" (in contrast acharya means
"teacher" and an acharyini
is a teacher's wife), indicating that some women were known as Gurus. The Harita
Dharmasutra (of the Maitrayaniya school of Yajurveda) states there are two
kinds of women: sadhyavadhu who marry, and the brahmavaadini who
are religious, wear the sacred thread, perform rituals like the
agnihotra and read
the Vedas. Nothing bars a women graduating from Sanskrit
Pathasaalas, the schools for Vedic Education and priesthood.
There are 11 highly venerated Brahmavadins, whose
compositions of mantras have been recorded in the Holy Scriptures. The names of
these famous revered woman who achieved the honorable and exalted status in
Hindu Society through their own efforts and caliber are: Gargi, Maitreyi, Lopamudra, Apppala, Ghosha,
Sulabha, Vaach, Romasha, Ambhirini, Vishwavara, and Saswat. In the Vedic period
women were also allowed to remain unmarried, like present day Nuns in
Christianity, and practice tough austerities.
Dhritivrata, Sulbha and Srutaavati decided not to get married by their
own free will and pursued spiritual life. The Brahmavadins of Vedic Period were
epitomes of intellectual and spiritual attainments and distinguished themselves
not only as great scholars but also as
eloquent speakers and debaters at the religious conferences organized by the
kings and learned sages of that period.
In the Vedic Era women
dominated the social scene and were the virtual head of the family: “Samraajyedhi
shwashu-reshu samraajyut devrishu nanaanduh samraajyedhi samraajyut shushravah”—May your father-in-law respect you
as the head of the household, may your brother-in-law and sister-in-law accept
your instructions and may your mother-in-law respect you as the Queen in the
family (Atharva veda). In the ritualistic worship the woman’s role was very
significant. Both husband and wife offered all the prayers jointly which
practice is continuing even today.
Female spiritual scholars appear
in plays and epic poems. The 8th century poet, Bhavabhuti describes in his play, Uttararamacharita
(verse 2 - 3), how the character, Atreyi, travelled to Southern India where she
studied the Vedas and Indian philosophy. In Madhva’s Shankaradigvijaya, Sankara debates with the
female philosopher, Ubhaya Bharati and in verses 9 - 63 it is mentioned that
she was well versed in the Vedas. Tirukkoneri Dasyai, a 15th-century scholar,
wrote a commentary on Nammazhvar’s Tiruvaayamozhi, with
reference to Vedic texts such as the Taittiriya
Yajurveda.
“The woman should be respected and honored for blessing the
family with children, and continuing the household chores with love, peace and
humility. She illumines everything and brings good fortune and prosperity” says
Manu in his Manusmriti (9.26). “Matru
devo Bhava”, Let your
mother be the embodiment of God to you says Taittreeya Upanishad. In Hindu
homes it is the mother who motivates the child in learning alphabets, religious
hymns singing and offering prayers. This is more so in Hindu American families
where the father is often materialistic and opportunity seeking. Hindu American Woman often gets the nickname
Helicopter Mother hovering around her child watching every-step of its progress
and driving it to achieve even things
which child feels impossible. In the case
of parents coming from differing religious followings, it is the Hindu Mother
that prevents the child from turning atheist confused by the parentage and
brings home the merits of uniqueness of liberal Hinduism to her husband and
children. She succeeds in convincing her partner that Sanatana Dharma the basis on
which Hinduism is currently practiced in many ways could be followed by all in
the world as Universal Religion and Religion of the Future. In such families
the family either turns to Hinduism or become indifferent to any religious
following. Of late one does not fail to notice such families attending Hindu American
Temples in groups where Hindu temples are kept open for all
unlike the sectarian, conservative and orthodox Hindu Temples of India.
It is interesting to note the status of women in Jainism
which is close to Hinduism in its ritualistic approach differs between the two
main sects, Digambara and Svetambara. Jainism prohibits women from appearing
naked; because of this, Digambaras, who consider renunciation of clothes
essential to Moksha (attaining heaven), say that they cannot attain
enlightenment in the same life and are to be born as men. Svetambaras, who allow sadhus to wear
clothes, believe that women can attain Moksha. There are more Svetambara
sadhvis than sadhus and women have always been influential in the Jain
religion. Some of the
notable Sadhvis are: Mallinath,
the 19th Tirthankara; she was female according to Svetambaras but male
according to Digambaras; Marudevi,
mother of Rishabha; Trishala, the mother of Mahavira.
From time immemorial Hindu Society is known for its devotional musicians,
devotional dancers, Bhajan singers and Harikatha Kaalakshepam Pauranikas (narrators of religious
discourses). Many run religious
Asrams of their own too. But there
are neither women Mathadhipatis in reputed monasteries nor women priests in famous temples. Probably this is
because women have progressively given up the study of Vedas and do not also
undergo Uppanayana samskara as in the case of Brahmavadins of Vedic days.
After Independence the democratic secular government of India has been
constantly struggling to safeguard the women’s interest and bring back the
ancient glory of Vedic Society when women were privileged with equal rights in
almost every single field of life. Unfortunately it cannot go into conflict with religious
orthodoxy in a secular government. It is for the religious heads to correct the
situation and restore the glory of women in religious and spiritual fields of
the Hindu Society as in Vedic Period.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This lecture is prepared by drawing assistance from “Status of
Women in Hindu Society”, by Prabha Duneja, (Book on Hinduism), “Women in Hindu Society through the Ages”, by N.R. Srinivasan (Hindu Reflections, <nrsrini.blogspot.com), Wikipedia,
various Internet sources and Huffington-post Religious columns by the compiler
which is gratefully acknowledged.
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