[Advaita-l] Women and Vedas

[sriram]

Dear members
If one has absolute faith in the Vedas one has to agree that Women were not eligible to recite Vedas.The why of it we have to admit honestly that we do not know.We may speculate only.We may not be able to avoid criticism on that count.We need not play a defencive role either.For e.g Lalitha Saharanamam has to be recited after purification of the body by taking bath and wearing- madi-that is dried clothes not mixed with already worn clothes.But Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam canbe recited without restrictions even while journeying.How do I know this?My father has told me like this and I accepted that.It did not occur to me to question that bidding.So as SriJaldar has pointed out one has to go by his/her family elders advice with all humility and faith in these matters.So let us accept What our Acharyas have said in interpretation that it is only for our good.This does not mean that women are inferior or they cannot get liberation etc.If out of curiosity if a woman is really interested to know what is in theVedas she can attend to discourses by eminent Vedic scholars.I don`t think any body would object to that.This applies to all including Brahmanas.Durimg certain religious functions our Ganabadigal used to recite relevant Vedic mantras and also give the meaning and reason why certain things have to be done in certainways only.So I think this discussion will not take us any far.Before the eyes of God all are equal.We have many instances in our puranic stories that all are equqally treated by the Almighty,whether one isa scholar or an illiterate.
Pranams,R.krishnamoorthy.