[Advaita-l] Women and Vedas

[Krunal Makwana]

namo nArAyana

Dear Jaldharji and list members,

I was having conversation a couple of days ago about vedas and who can and 
who can't recite, read, learn etc.

What is AcAryaji's opinion on this matter?

I found a quote by SankarAcaryaji stating "vaidya'andhikaaraat" (women do 
not have 'adhikaara' on veda) , please note that i do not know the 
authenticity of this quote but have read it from 'gAyAtri mahAvijnAna by 
shrI rAm Sarma Acarya founder of Gayatri Pariwar (published in gujrati).

If women are not allowed to study veda does that not go against the whole 
teaching of advaita...that everyone and everything is brahman in reality 
'sarva khalu idam brahma'. and if we distinguish between genders are we not 
deepening our hole of ignorance?

Also the book also quotes other AcArya's giving similar quotes but about 
shUdras, small children etc. But having read abit of the book it goes on to 
saying that women are allowed to learn the vedas and etc and refutes the 
epistemological foundation of SankarAcarya.

can the learned members please clarify this point.....

what is SankarAcaryaji's stance on this?
are women allowed to study, recite etc the vedas?
if no, why? please give a detailed answer

Kind regards,

Krunal

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