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MARRIAGE & WORKING WOMEN.
Women are receiving higher education and are working is a great step forward," proclaim the reformists. "A great injustice done to them in the past has
been undone," they add. My own view is that no injustice was ever done to......
Cont...
Women are receiving higher education and are working is a great step forward," proclaim the reformists. "A great injustice done to them in the past has
been undone," they add. My own view is that no injustice was ever done to......
Cont...
women in the past and I would go to the extent of saying that, if at all any injustice was done, it was to men.
You may be amused by this remark. Let me explain‘. A male, after his student—bachelorhood, graduates to the stage of the householder.
You may be amused by this remark. Let me explain‘. A male, after his student—bachelorhood, graduates to the stage of the householder.
A woman attains the same goal by dedicating hrslf to her husband
and to do so is to go beyond all the samskaras performed by a man. Though reformists think this to be an injustice done to women, to me it appears that the Sastras favr women more than they do men. I tell you why.
and to do so is to go beyond all the samskaras performed by a man. Though reformists think this to be an injustice done to women, to me it appears that the Sastras favr women more than they do men. I tell you why.
How does a man realise himself? He has to perform many religious works; he has to learn the Truth and feel it inwardly through nididhyasana. In this way alone does he erase his
mind .. A pativrata does not need such difficult sadhana,.....cont.....
mind .. A pativrata does not need such difficult sadhana,.....cont.....
such ardent and intense practice, ta reach the same goal and all she has to do is to surrender to her
husband, By respecting the wishes of her husband such a wife obliterates not only her own wishes, but all feelings of honour and dishonour and all ego—sense.
husband, By respecting the wishes of her husband such a wife obliterates not only her own wishes, but all feelings of honour and dishonour and all ego—sense.
In this way she comes close to stilling her mind.
When the mind is utterly dedicated to
another person in an attitude of surrender, should it not be close to being blotted out? Is there any "promotion" for a woman higher than this?
When the mind is utterly dedicated to
another person in an attitude of surrender, should it not be close to being blotted out? Is there any "promotion" for a woman higher than this?
A woman exalted by inner purity occupies a position far ‘higher. than
| another who earns a promotion in her office. This is how many a woman in the history of this land won powers far greater than those earned even by the sages.
According to Tiruvalluvar......cont...
| another who earns a promotion in her office. This is how many a woman in the history of this land won powers far greater than those earned even by the sages.
According to Tiruvalluvar......cont...
if such a woman says, "Let there be rain", it will rain, it must rain. If she says to the sun, "Don‘t rise",it will not rise. Such a woman can retrieve her husband from Yama.Our sastras,our traditions,give these women a place more elevated than that accorded to any sage or deity.
We see from the Puranas that a woman of lofty character can transform even gods into little _
children by sprinkling water on them.
Our religious texts speak about how a
woman may rise to true heights of glory and how she is enshrined in a temple and.......cont....
children by sprinkling water on them.
Our religious texts speak about how a
woman may rise to true heights of glory and how she is enshrined in a temple and.......cont....
worshippers Ther ao ns nee an ane nees nie hing mon nome to the neights of that tis the reformists who do so by preventing her from rising to the heights of glory. If marriage is one of the many samskaras to render a man pure, for a woman it is the single samskara.....cont...
that gives her the ultimate fruits of all samskaras. Now the essence of this samskara is cast away and what remains, the refuse, is
retained. Marriage and the householder‘s stage of life are not meant for carnal
pleasure alone.
retained. Marriage and the householder‘s stage of life are not meant for carnal
pleasure alone.
They constitute a path for liberation. If this truth is understood
people will appreciate that the role assigned to women by the sastras is just and proper. Few seem to have realised the undesirable economic consequences of women going to work.
people will appreciate that the role assigned to women by the sastras is just and proper. Few seem to have realised the undesirable economic consequences of women going to work.
I am referring to the unemployment problem. Until some years ago parents had this excuse for their daughters going to work : "Let her work till she gets married. Otherwise she will have to stay at home brooding over things and being sorry for herself.
Going to work will be a way of spending the time. Besides, the girl‘s earnings will come in handy for the dowry and other expenses of marriage." The idea then was to let the daughter work until her
marriage and then ask her to resign her job.
marriage and then ask her to resign her job.
The groom and his people thought it
demeaning for the bride to work after the marriage.
This attitude changed not before long,.
How? During the past one century or
so, the Brahmin community has developed an increasing appetite for money.
demeaning for the bride to work after the marriage.
This attitude changed not before long,.
How? During the past one century or
so, the Brahmin community has developed an increasing appetite for money.
~ Owing to this greed that grew with the years, girls going to work even after their marriage became a more widely accepted practice. The result is that the noble duties of motherhood like child care are neglected.
It is the same as in Western
countries and there is no warmth and sincerity governing relationships involving parents and children and other family members.
On the economic front too the phenomenon of more and more women working has had an undesirable consequence.
countries and there is no warmth and sincerity governing relationships involving parents and children and other family members.
On the economic front too the phenomenon of more and more women working has had an undesirable consequence.
These days hundreds of thousands
of young men are unemployed. At the same time, in some families both husband and wife work and earn. If the husband alone worked, the wife‘s job would go to a young man who is without work.
of young men are unemployed. At the same time, in some families both husband and wife work and earn. If the husband alone worked, the wife‘s job would go to a young man who is without work.
Unfortunately, husbands no longer take pride in caring for the wife and family with their earnings alone; they want the wife also to earn: At first the parents reluctantly sent their daughters to work. Then the husband did the same perhaps half heartedly.
As for the wife, she is now proud to
be working. In fact, she is so used to working outside that she does not like being confined to her home. When she earns on her own she wants to spend as she likes
without being questioned by her husband.
be working. In fact, she is so used to working outside that she does not like being confined to her home. When she earns on her own she wants to spend as she likes
without being questioned by her husband.
To stay at home does not mean to be locked in. There is no shortage of
sastras and Puranas in Sanskrit and in other languages. If women develop a taste for. them, they will keep reading them for a whole lifetime and find happiness.
sastras and Puranas in Sanskrit and in other languages. If women develop a taste for. them, they will keep reading them for a whole lifetime and find happiness.
They may form satsanga‘ groups and read such books by turns at home. There is no need to form a club or some other organisation nor any board. The satsanga may. be: held at home without any office—bearers like president, secretary, committee members and so on.
I suggest this to avoid contests and rivalry for positions: Women may also keep themselves occupied in making pure kumkuma from turmeric and in collecting unbroken rice grains ("aksata") for use in mathas, temples and other religious establishments.
To stay at home does not mean being
caged in while doing such work. Besides, women will not lose their most precious possession, femininity. Work mentioned above will be a means for the freedom of
their Self and for bliss.
caged in while doing such work. Besides, women will not lose their most precious possession, femininity. Work mentioned above will be a means for the freedom of
their Self and for bliss.
For women, surely, this is far better than going to work out of greed and
losing their femininity in the process, not to speak of earning the higher reward of Atmic well—being. It is also in keeping with a woman‘s nature.
To be continued..........
losing their femininity in the process, not to speak of earning the higher reward of Atmic well—being. It is also in keeping with a woman‘s nature.
To be continued..........
