WOMEN IN THE VEDAS

 

Written By - Vedic Dharmi Ashish 

Wisdom of women in Vedas:

Often, this kind of false propaganda is spread by heretics like Muslims, Christians, New Buddhists that it is written in the Vedas that women have small intelligence.And to prove this, these people give evidence from Rigveda (8/33/17). Now let us review this mantra.

Wrong Translation Of Rigveda (8/33/17)

There are two words in this mantra of Rigveda "क्रतुं रघुम्" which has been misinterpreted by many Hindi commentators That women have less intelligence.

For this reason, along with the contradiction in context of the interpretation of this mantra, there is also a contradiction in this interpretation with other Veda mantras.

In fact, if we understand the context of this mantra, we will know the true meaning of the word "रघुम्" here.

It is written in this mantra that Lord Indra has said that- "it is difficult for any person to control the mind of women." 

Now all of you think that if in this mantra the intelligence of women is said to be small then why is it written that it is difficult to control the mind of a woman because we know that it is very easy for any person to control the mind of that person who has low intelligence. 

For this reason, the meaning of "क्रतुं रघुम्" here cannot be meant as low intelligence because such a meaning is contrary to the context.

The Real Meaning Of The Word "रघुम्" :

In the mantra of Rigveda(8.33.17) the word "रघुम्" has been used through the Second vibhakti one vachan from the root word "रघु".

Some stupid people even say that by changing "रघु" to "रघुम्" its meaning changes. But no such rule is found in Sanskrit grammar. Similarly, in Sanskrit grammar the Second vibhakti one vachan of the word "बालक" is the word called "बालकम्", but it does not change the original meaning of that word.

There is a sutra of Maharshi Panini's Ashtadhyayi(8/2/18) that is "कृपः रः लः" Maharshi Patanjali's Mahabhasya (8/2/18) states on it that "वालमूललघ्वलमङ्गुलीनां वा लो रमापद्यत इति वक्तव्यम्" means the substitute of 'ल' of the words 'वाल', 'मूल', 'लघु', 'आलम्', and 'अंगुली' is ''र'' for example 'वार' from 'वाल', 'मूर' from 'मूल', 'रघु' from 'लघु', 'आरम्' from 'आलम्', and 'अंगुरी' from 'अंगुली' are alternative form. Thus the word 'रघु' is a synonymical form of the word 'लघु' because the word 'रघु' has originated from the word 'लघु'.

Unadi Sutra (1/29)

 According to Panini's Unadi Sutra(1/29) and Paniniya Dhatu Path( Dhatu-No-108) the word  'लघु' comes from the root "लघि गत्यर्थः" which is used in the meaning of speed or fast. Therefore, from the root words from which the word "रघुम्" is derived, its original meaning is fast.

If we look at the Sanskrit dictionary, we get two meanings of the word "Raghum", the first is small and the second is sharp. So according to the context, the meaning of "Raghum" here would be fast.

Amar Kosh

Similarly in the Amar kosh dictionary has also interpreted the meaning of the word  'लघु' as fast or speed.

Valmiki Ramayana (1/24/11)

Similarly, in Valmiki Ramayana also the word "लघु" has been used here in the sense of fast or speed. So it makes my point even more confirmed.

Raghuvansh mahakavyam 3.21

And also In the 'Raghuvansh', Kalidas has explained the origin of the word 'Raghu' from the root meaning 'fast'. Kalidasa says (Raghuvanshmahakavyam 3.21)- "श्रुतस्य यायादयमन्तमर्भकस्तथा परेषां युधि चेति पार्थिवः। अवेक्ष्य धातोर्गमनार्थमर्थविच्चकार नाम्ना रघुमात्मसम्भवम्" means- this child will very sharp in studying the Shruti scriptures and in the war should go till the end of the enemies (i.e. should destroy the enemies). Thinking this, King Dilip, who knew the meaning of the root word of 'fast', named his son 'Raghu'.

Sayana Commentry Of Rigveda (1/64/7)

Acharya Sayana also has interpreted the word "Raghu" in this mantra as the meaning of fast moving one.

Commentry Of Acharya Venkat On Rigveda(8/33/17)

Ancient commentator Acharya Venkat has also interested the meaning of "Raghum" in this mantra as fast (चपलम्)

R.L. Kashyap Translation On Rigveda (8/33/17)

R.L kashyap has also taken the meaning of the word "Raghum" is Swift.

Translation Of Pandit Harisaran sidhantlankar On RV(8/33/17)

Pandit Harisaran has also given the same interpretation of this mantra that the mind of women cannot be controlled because their intelligence is sharp. Not only that in the following mantra it is also said that “स्त्री हि ब्रह्मा बभूविथ”(Rigveda 8/33/19) i.e. a woman has the right to be Brahma.

So which In the Vedic Dharma women have the right to become even Brahma there women will be definitely considered intelligent not unintelligent 

According to the Vedas, women have superior intelligence:

Women have also been considered supreme intelligent in Rigveda and Atharvaveda.

Rigveda (10/159/2)

Women are highly knowledgeable like a high flag.

Atharvaveda (14/2/75) By Shree Ram Sharma Acharya 

Atharvaveda(14/2/75) By Pt Harisaran sidhantlankar 

In this mantra, the words "सुबुधा" and "बुध्यमाना" have been used for women, which means womans has excellent knowledge. This clearly shows that in the Vedas, women are considered to have high intelligence.

Atharveda (14/2/31)

It is even written in the Atharva Veda that the intelligence of women is equal to Goddess Indrani. In this mantra also the word "सुबुधा" has been used for women which means superior intellect women.

Atharvaveda (2/36/1)

In this mantra of Atharvaveda also women have been called "सुमति" which means highly intelligent. It is also written in this mantra that women have similar thoughts as other intelligent people.

Yajurveda (22/22)

In Yajurveda, women have been called "पुरन्धिर्योषा" which means very intelligent Women.

Nirukta (6/13)

पुरन्धि = पुर: + धि, In Nirukta (6/13) the word पुरन्धि has been explained as "पुरन्धिर्बहुधीः" i.e. "पुर:" means very and "धि" means intelligence. According to Nighantu (3/9) of Yaska the word "धि" is a name of Intelligence. So the word "पुरन्धि" means Very Intelligent and the word "योषा" means Women. So पुरन्धिर्योषा means Very Intelligent Women.

Same thing is said in Shatapatha Brahmana (13/1/9/6), Kathak Samhita of Krishna Yajurveda (5/14), Taittiriya Samhita of Krishna Yajurveda (7/5/18/1), Taittiriya Brahmana (3/8/13/2 ) also women have been called "पुरन्धि" i.e. very intelligent.

Chanakya Niti (1/17)

Acharya Chanakya has also said that the intelligence of a women is four times more than of a men. 

Have women been compared to wolves in the Rigveda?

This allegation is also made on Rigveda (10/95/15) that In this mantra, the hearts of women are said to be like wolves.

At first glance, this part of the mantra seems to be a denunciation of women, but if we look at the context, the truth is clear. The noteworthy thing is that the Ishwar has not said all this here, it is said by a woman Urvashi, who has said all this. This mantra is from the conversation between Pururava and Urvashi. Pururava is extremely lustful for womens, so Urvashi has said these words to bring him on the right path.

Now just as someone forbids someone from doing a condemned act by saying that if you do this, then no one will be worse than me. Similarly here, Urvashi, who is also a woman, has made such a statement to stop Pururava's lust towards women.

And also In our culture, even in ordinary conversation, women are addressed as  "श्रीमती". In this, "श्री" means Lakshmi and  "मती" means intelligence. So even the word with which we generally address women are in that women as considered intelligent.