DENIGRATION OF WOMEN IN HINDU SCRIPTURES !
In Hinduism fate of women has been hanging in between Durga to Devdasi,closer to Devdasi than to Durga.For a long time,because of high valuation placed on the idea of sanyasa in Hinduism,women were despised as source of worldliness. They were regarded as the "torch lighting the way to hell."They were considered to be a bad influence on men,a positive hind

rance in the meaningful development of their personality. Kabir asked men to shun the company of women,saying-"Kabira tin ki kya ghat jo nit nari kay sang".She was looked down upon as a 'potential temptress'.Tulsidas,author of Ramcharitmanas,placed women at par with animal,by saying-"dhol,ganwar,sudr,pasu,

nari-sakal tadana kay adhikari."Yoghi Gorakh Nath has described women as "baghni" a she wolf who robbed men of their youthful vigor. Both Krishna and Shankracharya have described women as "paap yoniya"[product of sin and immorality] and "narak dwar"[door to hell] respectively.
Basically, out present attitude towards women streams from our religious scriptures which refer to women as contempt. Our oldest book are the 'Vedas' which contain highly objectionable and condemnable passages concerning women. Taking cue from the 'Vedas' authors of subsequent religious scriptures referred to women in more contemptuous form. 'Sati pratha' (custom of burning the widow with the body of her husband), 'Dasi Pratha' (keeping the slave girls), 'Niyog Pratha' (ancient Aryan custom of childless widow or women having sexual intercourse with a man other than husband to beget child), were among cruel customs responsible for the plight of the women.


Naturally, seeking shelter under such religious sanctions, unscrupulous women disgraced women to the maximum possible extent and made them means of satisfying their lust. No one wanted a daughter. As a result; female infant came to be considered unwanted. No one wanted a daughter. Everyone was interested in having a son. The birth of the son was celebrated, but the birth of the daughter plunged family into gloom. This attitude still persists, even though certain other customs have undergone changes.

'Rig Veda' itself says that a women should beget sons. The newly married wife is blessed so that she could have 10 sons. So much so, that for begetting a son, 'Vedas' prescribe a special ritual
called 'Punsawan sanskar' (a ceremony performed during third month of pregnancy). During the ceremony it is prayed:

"Almighty God, you have created this womb. Women may be born somewhere else but sons should be born from this womb" - Atharva Ved 6/11/3

"O Husband protect the son to be born. Do not make him a women" - Atharva Ved 2/3/23

In 'Shatpath Puran (shatpath Brahman)' a sonless women has been termed as unfortunate.

'Rig Veda' censures women by saying:
"Lord Indra himself has said that women has very little intelligence. She cannot be taught" - Rig Ved 8/33/17

At another placein Rig Veda it is written:
"There cannot be any friendship with a women. Her heart is more cruel than heyna" - Rig Ved 10/95/15.

'Yajur Ved (Taitriya Sanhita)'m- "Women code says that the women are without energy. They should not get a share in property. Even to the wicked they speak in feeble manner" - Yajur Ved 6/5/8/2

Shatpath Puran, preachings of the 'Yajur Veda' clubs women, 'shudras'(untouchables), doga, crows together and says falsehood, sin and gloom remain integrated in them. (14/1/1/31)

In 'Aiterey Puran', preaching of the 'Rig Veda' in harsih chandra -Narad dialogue, Narad says: "The daughter causes pain"