[Advaita-l] women reading the Vedas

[Sunil Bhattacharjya]

Michaelji,
 
Women are not inferior to man and even man has also to learn from woman. Certain things can be done only by woman and not man. Even in mmanagement sometime ago I read a paper by a management expert where he asks man to learn "management" from his wife and the author showed how the wives (albeit unassumingly) have been applying all the  principles of modern management in managing the house. We also know that in ancient times Gargi matched Yajnavalkya in Vedic / Vedantic knowledge. Moreover did not a woman in Yoga Vasishtha give the upadesham of  the Brahma-jnanam to her husband?
 
But most of the women could not be initiated to Vedic studies due to the logistical problems and in deference to the practical injunctions of Manu, the earliest law-giver, that the daughter has always to be under the protection of father till marriage. Thus naturally they could not be allowed to read the Vedas as without a thorough study of the six Vedangas as well as the puranas and the Itihasa one should not read the Vedas, even if he is a man. There was the fear of mispronunciation, misunderstanding due to misinterpretation if the uninitiated were to read the Vedic verses and the possible consequent corruption of the matter, which was transmitted in those days only orally. Because of these fears Manu recommended harsh deterrent punishment to uninitiated people trying to learn the Vedic verses by listening to the chanting of the Vedas. Without caring to understand the logic behind Manu's injunctions subsequently some of the puritans
 interpreted it in a way that it is a crime to hear Vedic chanting even in the passing and the anti-Sanatan-dharmi people interpreted it as denying the privilege of reading the Vedas to the women and the Shudras.
 
Regards,
 
Sunil K. Bhattacharjya
 
 
 
 --- On Wed, 9/23/09, Michael Shepherd <michael at shepherd87.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:


From: Michael Shepherd <michael at shepherd87.fsnet.co.uk>
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] women reading the Vedas
To: vijaya1.kambhampati at tiscali.co.uk, "A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta" <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 7:09 AM


Vijaya ji,

Previous discussion on these lists, often based on interpretations of
Manusmrti, have suggested that 'book-study' and jnana of the Veda was not
required of women; but understanding of the Veda and  Vedanta was received
by the husband from his guru, and by the wife from her husband (and thereby
strengthening the bond between them for the benefit of both: Shiva and
Shakti in human karma).

That seems to me to leave the situation open for modern interpretation.
Women seem to 'hear' the shastra in a much more practical way of
understanding than men...

OK, shoot me down after that ! :)

Michael

-----Original Message-----
From: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
[mailto:advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org]On Behalf Of
vijaya1.kambhampati at tiscali.co.uk
Sent: 23 September 2009 14:35
To: advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] women reading the Vedas







Dear Satish and advaita request list,

Sorry but I am not entirely clear.

Are women prohibited from even listenning to and understanding a pravachan
of Vedanta? By Vedas do we mean Vedanta? ie. Is even listenning and
understanding the philosophy of the Upanishads is prohibited to them??

Chanting is difficult for most people and so it is understandable that there
are restrictions on who does the chanting. However, vedanta (pravachans on
Upanishads) seem to be widely available for all to listen to, understand and
enjoy these days.

Surely there is no restriction on a woman attending a talk on the
upanishads??? or even imbibing that learning in her life?????

Thanks

Vijaya.
----Original Message----
From: satisharigela at yahoo.com
Date: 23/09/2009 11:21
To: <vijaya1.kambhampati at tiscali.co.uk>
Subj: Re: women reading the Vedas






>So vedas can be read by one who is physically male or female so long
>as they have full consciousness of the play of the three gunas within
>them.

I have tried in vain to understand why some people insist that some groups
should learn the veda when it is clarified in hundreds of works that they
are not meant to say the veda.

There are like thousand spiritual options for these groups(like women
shUdra-s) mentioned in the purANa-s and Agama-s. Why this fixation with
chanting only that which is forbidden and leave all the other options that
the tradition provides?

To me this is simply a case of attraction towards that which is forbidden.
Like in the story where "the doctor advises the patient not to think about a
monkey... and for the next couple of hours the patient could only think of
the monkey". :)

>Thats what I feel is OK in todays world.

Somebody else might feel puruShamedha is ok in today's world based on some
vague references and ritually slaughter the guy next door...So you or me
feeling something does not make it right. He will be sent to jail for man
slaughter...so is it with women saying the veda-s..

I find it really hard to understand this:...why when many many religious
options are given and said do not chant the veda-s but you are free to
follow any of those thousand options....still people yearn for the one
things which is forbidden leaving all legitimate options???

--- On Wed, 9/23/09, vijaya1.kambhampati at tiscali.co.uk
<vijaya1.kambhampati at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:


From: vijaya1.kambhampati at tiscali.co.uk <vijaya1.kambhampati at tiscali.co.uk>
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] women reading the Vedas
To: advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 4:14 AM


Dear Advaita request list,

Sorry to go back to a few weeks ago. But there was a question
regarding whether women should read the Vedas or not.

I have been told by a source that the word 'STRI' can be split to SA +
TRI  meaning one wedded to the three gunas. This could refer to one who
is physically male or female.

So vedas can be read by one who is physically male or female so long
as they have full consciousness of the play of the three gunas within
them.

Thats what I feel is OK in todays world.

Also there have been instances of Sages teaching women the Vedas and
of women being well versed in the Vedas.

Women brahmacharinis exist in may hindu organistations doing excellent
work from a good understanding of the hindu religion.

Vijaya Kambhampati.







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