WOMEN STATUS IN VEDAS (Part-2)

 

Written By - Vedic Dharmi Ashish

Regarding the social status of women in the Vedic period, many scholars have agreed that the status of women in the Vedic period was very highest. Even B.R. Ambedkar has also written that in the Vedic period, women had all the rights equal to men.

Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Writings and Speeches (Vol 36,Pg 502-503)

But websites like Ved Ka Bhed are spreading false propaganda about the status of women in the Vedas.So some of the allegations of it which we will refute today.

Have women been compared to dogs, crows etc in the Vedic scriptures?

The Ved Ka Bhed website and other fool momins like Elaina Ali etc has objected to Shatapath Brahmana (14/1/1/31) on the basis that it compares women to dogs and crows and also calls them false. This website is spreading lies by just picking up one or two verses without reading its full context.

Shatpath Brahmana (14/1/1/31)

In fact if we read its entire context then we come to know the truth that here talking about ascetics. And as we know, in Sanatan Dharma, ascetics are prohibited from associating with women and ignorant people(shudras) because it may disrupt their penance because if ascetic people stay in the company of women, they may develop lust. And similarly, if ascetic people stay in the company of ignorant people, they may also develop ignorance.

So in this context, keeping in mind the penance of the ascetics, they have been asked to stay away from women and Shudras (ignorants).

Now the second thing here is that apart from women and Shudras, it is also said to stay away from dogs and crows. Now You all must be wondering what does this mean?

So let me tell that the style of Brahmin texts is extremely esoteric and symbolic.So to understand this statement of Shatapath, we need to understand its expression.

Nirukta(3/18)

To understand this, understand two statements of Nirukta. It is clearly written in Nirukta (3/18) that "सिंहो व्याघ्र इति पूजायाम् ।" - means: The words lion and tiger are used in praise. For example if there is a courageous person, he can be praised with words like lion or tiger. that he is as courageous as a lion or tiger.

Similarly, it is also written in Nirukta that- "श्वा काक इति कुत्सायाम्" -means: The words like dog and crow are used for condemnation. For example, these words can be used for a person with condemnable behavior.

The same thing is mentioned in Shatpath Brahman (14/1/1/31) where it is prescribed for ascetics that they should stay away from women, Shudras and people with reprehensible conduct because this can disrupt their asceticism. Since company has an impact, such a rule is there. Here, women or Shudras have not been compared to dogs or crows because there is only one rule here which is only for ascetics.

Atharvaveda (4/5/2)

The second allegation is also made on Atharvaveda (4/5/2) when in fact it is mentioned here that for the women to have a good sleep, dogs etc which disturb their sleep by barking outside at night should be put to sleep and silenced so that the women's sleep is not disturbed. 

In our Vedas and Brahmin texts, women have been given more respect than in any other religious book.

Atharvaveda(14/1/44)

It is clearly written in Atharvaveda (14/1/44) and Rigveda (10/85/46) that a woman is superior to all the relatives in her house. She has the position of owner of above all.

Similarly, it is written in Taittireeya Brahmana (3/9/4/7) that "श्रिया वाएतद् रुप्यं यत् पत्नयः।"- means: The wife is Laxmi.

Not only that It is also written in Shatapath Brahmana (3/3/1/10) that - गृहा वै पत्न्यै प्रतिष्ठा - means: Wife is the prestige of the house.

So these are proves that women have been given a very high status in Vedic scriptures.

Women's Status In Islam:

Muslims who make baseless allegations against Sanatan Dharma should first look at their own religion and see what is the status of women in Islam.

Women are like dogs and donkeys: 

According to the Prophet Muhammad, women are equal to dogs and donkeys because they can br severed the prayer.

In Islam, women have been compared to dogs and donkeys; this has been accepted even by Prophet Muhammad's wife Aisha herself.

In Islam, women are considered as bad omen:

In Islam women have been termed as inauspicious, whereas in the Vedas women have been termed as auspicious.

Atharvaveda (14/2/28)

So all the Momins should first look at their own Islam and see what is the status of women in their religion and then blame others.