STATUS OF WOMEN IN HINDU MYTHOLOGY;
DENIGRATION OF FIVE LEGENDARY "MODEL" CHARACTERS.
Hindu religion through its mythology and epics continues to
keep the women at the low level. In the Hindu-Indian mythology five
women are portrayed and showed as role model for other women. They are
Sita, Savitri, Draupadi, Ahalya and Arundhati. Sita is the obedient
wife of the Ramayana epic's god, Rama. Her obedience is shown also to
her brother-in-law. In the case of failure of this obedience, she will
face problems and hardships. The epic tells that Sita disobeyed her
brother-in-law and, consequently, was abducted by the evil person
Ravana. The lesson from this epic is that wife should obey if not she
will suffer.
Another story of suffering and obedient wife is contained in the
Mahabaratha epic. This second “model” woman is Savitri. She is a queen
chooses a blind the one who is going to die soon, as a marriage
partner. She is given as model as the one who suffered and scarified
her life for the sake of her husband. Savitri is shown as an ideal
wife.[12] Dr. R. Dhanjal observes that for the low and degradation
position of women is due to the ongoing cultural and religious mind
set up imposed on Indian women. Dhanjal says; “All men want their
wives to be like Sita – long suffering and obedient. The lot of most
Indian women today is similar to that of Savitri and Sita, but with a
slight difference.” Dhanjal further says; “Modern-day Indian women put
up with indignity and degradation from sheer economic necessity, being
not trained for any profession. Taught from childhood that a husband's
word is law, most find it easier to suffer rather, than leave the
security of the home to look for a job to support themselves and their
children. That is one reason for the low divorce rate in India.”[13]
The third role model for women is Draupadi. Her story comes in the
epic of Mahabaratha. Draupadi is the wife for five princes. Although
she was married to only one prince later she was asked to be the wife
for her four brother-in-laws. She kept silent and obeyed her husbands
even in the extreme situation when she was gambled away by one of her
five husbands. In the gamble her husbands were defeated and they were
sent to exile for 13 years. Even in these critical and painful
situations she kept quiet, obeyed and accompanied her husbands
wherever they went. Never raised her voice against her husbands
behavior.
Ahalya an epic woman narrated in the Ramayana is the fourth one.
Ahalya is the wife of Gautama a Hindu rishi (hermit). She was seduced
by god Indra and had sexual relationship with god Indra when she was
unconscious. Due to her infidelity she was cursed by her husband to
become stone. Ahalya´s life is shown as an example to Indian women
that if any wives are seduced by other men will be punished by their
husbands even if it happens without the consent of the women. Even
though the wives are not responsible for the seduction they have to
undergo punishment. The fifth woman is Arundhati the wife of Vashishta
a sage. Her story is narrated in many Hindu epics. She is shown as
model for her chastity.
The Hindu-Indian tradition again and again imprints in the hearts and
minds of the women that women should obey to her husband undergo
suffering and should be chaste. If they violate this tradition they
will face the same problems as the Hindu epic women faced. Margaret R.
Higonnet observes it was the duty of the women to prove that they are
chaste. She says; “As traditional narrative model, these legends
(Ahalya and Sita) propose purification for the violated woman through
symbolic death (transformation into a stone, passage through fire), to
resolve the crisis of rape or attempted rape.”[14] Kailash
Vijayavargiya, a BJP political party minister in Madhya Pradesh,[15]
quoting Ramayana, Vijayavargiya said just like Sita was abducted by
Ravana, a woman will be punished if she crosses her limits,”[16]
commented following the gang rape and murder of 23 years old girl in
New Delhi. In the same context, Mohan Bhagwat the RSS (a Hindu
fundamentalism part) leader, commented that “A husband and wife are
involved in a contract under which the husband has said that you
should take care of my house and I will take care of all your needs. I
will keep you safe. So the husband follows the contract terms. Till
the time, the wife follows the contract, the husband stays with her,
if the wife violates the contract, he can disown her.”[17] Commending
the Bhagwat statement, Brinda Karat, CPI (M) communist political party
leader, said the Hindu fundamentalist groups want to create a new
Indian constitution based on Manushriti.[18]
keep the women at the low level. In the Hindu-Indian mythology five
women are portrayed and showed as role model for other women. They are
Sita, Savitri, Draupadi, Ahalya and Arundhati. Sita is the obedient
wife of the Ramayana epic's god, Rama. Her obedience is shown also to
her brother-in-law. In the case of failure of this obedience, she will
face problems and hardships. The epic tells that Sita disobeyed her
brother-in-law and, consequently, was abducted by the evil person
Ravana. The lesson from this epic is that wife should obey if not she
will suffer.
Another story of suffering and obedient wife is contained in the
Mahabaratha epic. This second “model” woman is Savitri. She is a queen
chooses a blind the one who is going to die soon, as a marriage
partner. She is given as model as the one who suffered and scarified
her life for the sake of her husband. Savitri is shown as an ideal
wife.[12] Dr. R. Dhanjal observes that for the low and degradation
position of women is due to the ongoing cultural and religious mind
set up imposed on Indian women. Dhanjal says; “All men want their
wives to be like Sita – long suffering and obedient. The lot of most
Indian women today is similar to that of Savitri and Sita, but with a
slight difference.” Dhanjal further says; “Modern-day Indian women put
up with indignity and degradation from sheer economic necessity, being
not trained for any profession. Taught from childhood that a husband's
word is law, most find it easier to suffer rather, than leave the
security of the home to look for a job to support themselves and their
children. That is one reason for the low divorce rate in India.”[13]
The third role model for women is Draupadi. Her story comes in the
epic of Mahabaratha. Draupadi is the wife for five princes. Although
she was married to only one prince later she was asked to be the wife
for her four brother-in-laws. She kept silent and obeyed her husbands
even in the extreme situation when she was gambled away by one of her
five husbands. In the gamble her husbands were defeated and they were
sent to exile for 13 years. Even in these critical and painful
situations she kept quiet, obeyed and accompanied her husbands
wherever they went. Never raised her voice against her husbands
behavior.
Ahalya an epic woman narrated in the Ramayana is the fourth one.
Ahalya is the wife of Gautama a Hindu rishi (hermit). She was seduced
by god Indra and had sexual relationship with god Indra when she was
unconscious. Due to her infidelity she was cursed by her husband to
become stone. Ahalya´s life is shown as an example to Indian women
that if any wives are seduced by other men will be punished by their
husbands even if it happens without the consent of the women. Even
though the wives are not responsible for the seduction they have to
undergo punishment. The fifth woman is Arundhati the wife of Vashishta
a sage. Her story is narrated in many Hindu epics. She is shown as
model for her chastity.
The Hindu-Indian tradition again and again imprints in the hearts and
minds of the women that women should obey to her husband undergo
suffering and should be chaste. If they violate this tradition they
will face the same problems as the Hindu epic women faced. Margaret R.
Higonnet observes it was the duty of the women to prove that they are
chaste. She says; “As traditional narrative model, these legends
(Ahalya and Sita) propose purification for the violated woman through
symbolic death (transformation into a stone, passage through fire), to
resolve the crisis of rape or attempted rape.”[14] Kailash
Vijayavargiya, a BJP political party minister in Madhya Pradesh,[15]
quoting Ramayana, Vijayavargiya said just like Sita was abducted by
Ravana, a woman will be punished if she crosses her limits,”[16]
commented following the gang rape and murder of 23 years old girl in
New Delhi. In the same context, Mohan Bhagwat the RSS (a Hindu
fundamentalism part) leader, commented that “A husband and wife are
involved in a contract under which the husband has said that you
should take care of my house and I will take care of all your needs. I
will keep you safe. So the husband follows the contract terms. Till
the time, the wife follows the contract, the husband stays with her,
if the wife violates the contract, he can disown her.”[17] Commending
the Bhagwat statement, Brinda Karat, CPI (M) communist political party
leader, said the Hindu fundamentalist groups want to create a new
Indian constitution based on Manushriti.[18]
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