Women in Hindu Scriptures By Raj Shah
"Hinduism has the strongest presence of the divine feminine among major world religions, from ancient times to the present” says Edwin Bryant, an American Indologist and professor of Religions of India at Rutgers University.
respect of women. Maharishi Manu speaks wisely and offers noble ideas about women and womanhood. Whatever misquotes we come across against women citing the Manusmriti are from an adulterated portion of the ancient text.
The goddess is viewed as central in Shakti and Shiva Hindu traditions. Matriarchal theology is quite prevalent in Sanskritic traditions and village Hinduism relating to the worship of Shakti, and there are numerous Hindu communities that are matriarchal.
Here are two famous quotes among many respecting the women in Manusmriti. yatra nāryastu pūjyante ramante tatra devatāh. yatraitāstu na pūjyante sarvāstatrāphalāh.kriyāh.
²~¢ Ý¢²üS¼é ÐêÁ²‹¼ï Ú¹‹¼ï ¼~¢ ¨ï±¼¢: J ²~¢ñ¼¢S¼é Ý ÐêÁ²‹¼ï „±¢üS¼~¢¢ÈUH¢: çRU²¢: JJ The divine are extremely happy where women are respected; where they are not, all actions are fruitless. Manusmriti 3.56 Prajnarth mahabhaga pujhra grihdipatyaIstriya triyashc geheyshu na visheshosti kashchan
Ðí¿¢¢ƒZ }¢ã¢|¢¢ïx¢æ Ðê…Ú¢ x¢ëëãç{Ðç¼ §ç¼ çRU²¢ ~¢è²¢„ x¢ïï㢲¢„é Ý¢ ç±à¢ïࢢïïSÅè ÜU¢à¢™¢Ý It means that women bring good luck to a household through procreation; they deserve respect and reverence; they irradiate the house with their presence. In fact there is no difference between the goddess of wealth and women. Manusmriti 1.26 June McDaniel, Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Religious Studies Program at the College of Charleston states, “The Devi Sukta ideas of the Rigveda are further developed in the relatively later composed Shakta Upanishads where the Devi asserts that she is Brahman, from her arise Prakŗti (matter) and Purusha (consciousness), she is bliss and non-bliss, the Vedas and what is different from it, the born and the unborn, and the feminine is thus all of the universe. She is presented as all the five elements, as well as all that is different from these elements, what is above, what is below, what is around, and thus the universe in its entirety.” Maharshi Manu is the first great man of the world to have given society the highest ideals about women, which adds remarkably to the dignity, status and self
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Ancient texts of Hinduism expound a reverence for the feminine. The Rigveda, for example, asserts the feminine to be the supreme principle behind all of cosmos through the following slokas: May you be empress and lead all. Rigveda 10.85.46 O brilliant woman, remove ignorance with your bright intellect and provide bliss to all. Rigveda 4.14.3 O woman, you are the motherly force that provides direction to our life. Rigveda 2.41.16
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