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Brahmavadinis (ब्रह्मवादिन्यः) (view source)
Revision as of 17:11, 16 February 2022
, 17:11, 16 February 2022added content in the discussion section
These learned women were interested in discussing about ब्रह्मन् or Parabrahman, the Absolute, and perform adhyatmik practices to realize the same. Girls who devoted themselves to education after Upanayana thus had to follow the regulations laid down for a male Upaneeta with some exceptions and modifications. They were never looked adversely by the society and some parents performed penance to obtain such progeny. The Brhdaranyaka Upanishad as given below, prescribes an offering of cooked sesame and rice in yajna for obtaining a daughter who becomes a Brahmavadini and stay with them for entire life.<ref name=":7" /> <blockquote>अथ य इच्छेद् दुहिता मे पण्डिता जायेत सर्वमायुरियादिति तिलौदनं पाचयित्वा सर्पिष्मन्तमश्नीयाताम् । ईश्वरौ जनयितवै ॥ बृह. ६,४.१७ ॥ (Brhd. Upan. 6.4.17) atha ya icched duhitā me paṇḍitā jāyeta sarvamāyuriyāditi tilaudanaṁ pācayitvā sarpiṣmantamaśnīyātām । īśvarau janayitavai ॥ </blockquote>
These learned women were interested in discussing about ब्रह्मन् or Parabrahman, the Absolute, and perform adhyatmik practices to realize the same. Girls who devoted themselves to education after Upanayana thus had to follow the regulations laid down for a male Upaneeta with some exceptions and modifications. They were never looked adversely by the society and some parents performed penance to obtain such progeny. The Brhdaranyaka Upanishad as given below, prescribes an offering of cooked sesame and rice in yajna for obtaining a daughter who becomes a Brahmavadini and stay with them for entire life.<ref name=":7" /> <blockquote>अथ य इच्छेद् दुहिता मे पण्डिता जायेत सर्वमायुरियादिति तिलौदनं पाचयित्वा सर्पिष्मन्तमश्नीयाताम् । ईश्वरौ जनयितवै ॥ बृह. ६,४.१७ ॥ (Brhd. Upan. 6.4.17) atha ya icched duhitā me paṇḍitā jāyeta sarvamāyuriyāditi tilaudanaṁ pācayitvā sarpiṣmantamaśnīyātām । īśvarau janayitavai ॥ </blockquote>
=== Coeducation ===
Coeducation prevailed in the past, but the sources throw little light on this subject. In the Christian era, we have Bhavabhuti the author of Malatimadhava, who mentions that Kamandaki was educated alsong with Bhurivasu and Devarata at a famous education center. In Uttara Ramacharita he mentions Atreyi receiving her education along with Kusa and Lava in Valmiki ashrama. The stories of Kahoda and Sujata, Ruruand Pramadvaara narrated in the Puranas, also point to prevalence of co-education of children. This evidence points out that at least some centuries earlier, in some time boys and girls were educated together while receiving higher education.<ref name=":0" />
Coeducation prevailed in the past, but the sources throw little light on this subject. In the Christian era, we have Bhavabhuti the author of Malatimadhava, who mentions that Kamandaki was educated alsong with Bhurivasu and Devarata at a famous education center. In Uttara Ramacharita he mentions Atreyi receiving her education along with Kusa and Lava in Valmiki ashrama. The stories of Kahoda and Sujata, Ruruand Pramadvaara narrated in the Puranas, also point to prevalence of co-education of children. This evidence points out that at least some centuries earlier, in some time boys and girls were educated together while receiving higher education.<ref name=":0" />
== Discussion ==
== Discussion ==
Many dharmik practitioners have been primarily criticized as encouraging gender inequality between men and women, which proved to detrimental to the Indian women. A list of such misconceptions are summarized below.
=== Reasons for decline in Upanayana and Vedic Studies<ref name=":9">Altekar, A. S. (1938) ''The Position of Women in Hindu Civilization. From Prehistoric Times to the Present Day.'' Benares: The Culture Publication House, Benares Hindu University. (Pages 238-250)</ref> ===
In the time Upanayana and vedic study was common for girls it is needless to add that women used to offer morning and evening prayers as regularly as men. Gradually the both Upanayana and Vedic study for girls declined owing to many reasons.
* At the time of composition of [[Brahmana (ब्राह्मणम्)|Brahmanas]] the volume of vedic studies became extensive, subsidiary sciences ([[Shad Vedangas (षड्वेदाङ्गानि)|Vedangas]]) were developed with many commentaries. Subject became extensive and a long period of time was required to complete the studies.
* The spoken dialect of the age had begun to differ considerably from the language of the Vedic hymns, and the theory had found universal acceptance that to commit a single most minor mistake in the recitation of a Vedic Mantra would produce most disastrous consequences to the reciter.
<blockquote>मंत्रो हीनः स्वरतो वर्णतो वा मिथ्याप्रयुक्तो न तमर्थमाह । स वाग्वज्रो यजमान हिनस्ति यथेन्द्रशत्रुः स्वरतोऽपराधात् ॥ (Panini Shiksha 52)</blockquote>
* As a consequence, society began to insist that those who wanted to undertake Vedic studies must be prepared to devote a fairly long period, of about 12 to 16 years to the task. Women used to be married at about the age of 16 or 17, and could thus give only 7 or 8 years to their Vedic studies. So short a period was quite insufficient for an efficient grounding in the Vedic lore in the age of the Brahamanas. Society was not prepared to tolerate dilettante Vedic studies, and as a consequence, lady Vedic scholars began to become rarer and rarer.
* Vaidika yajnas also became very complicate at this time ; they could be properly performed only by those who had studied their minute intricacies very carefully. As a consequence, the participation of women in yajnas gradually became a mere matter of formality. Gradually male substitutes were assigned duties in the yajnas.
* The wife was originally entitled to offer oblations in the Grihya fire in the absence of the husband ; now a son, or a brother-in-law began to act in her place (Sank. Grhy. Sutr. 2. 17, 13). She continued to perform the evening offerings down to the beginning of the Christian era, but the recitation of the Vedic Mantras was prohibited to her on the occasion.
* Since women did not have to recite Vedic mantras for any yajnas, gradually the associated Upanayana samskara for their education was gone as a formality just before their marriage. Later in the Smriti age, it was advocated that girls' Upanayana may be performed but without Vaidika mantras (Manu 2.66). Some texts prohibited the ceremony altogether.
* A theory came about that service of the husband corresponded to the service of the preceptor, therefore Upanayana was unnecessary for girls. When upanayana was discontinued in the case of girls, it began to be advocated that other rituals also should be permitted to them, only if they were performed without the recitation of the Vedic Mantras. This position has been taken up by almost all the Smriti writers.
The prohibition of upanayana amounted to spiritual disenfranchisement of women and produced a disastrous effect upon their general position in society. It reduced them to the status of Shudras. The practice of women performing sacrifices by themselves, however, died down by the beginning of the Christian era.
The advent of Buddhism and Jainism which were ascetic religions was mainly to counter the brahminical rituals of the Vedas. While these religions accepted women not much attention was given to them. The concept of Vedas was that the husband and the wife are equal and necessary partners in divine worship. The principle implies that men and women have equal rights and responsibilities in matters temporal as well. Since the spiritual disenfranchisement of women, men have become accustomed to regard them as their inferiors in all the spheres of life. Upanayana has become a meaningless formality even in the case of boys; women naturally feel that they have nothing to gain by becoming re-eligible for it. It is true that the religious disenfranchisement that resulted from the ineligibility for upanayana produced a disastrous consequence upon the general status of women in society.<ref name=":9" />
In the later ages as focus on education of girl child declined, with the invasions of foreigners, protection became paramount. Child marriages which were once not thought of now became significant. This further led to the fall of a woman's status in the society. We see how education and marriage was interlinked in maintaining the status of the women in the society.
Many dharmik practitioners have been primarily criticized as encouraging gender inequality between men and women, which proved to be detrimental to the Indian women. A list of such misconceptions are summarized below.
# Women in ancient times were uneducated and exploited.
# Women in ancient times were uneducated and exploited.
# Costs of education were supported by parents
# Costs of education were supported by parents
Our Sanskrit literature and history also support the view that the absolute seclusion and restraint of women were not the practicing dharmik customs. The practice was unknown in India till the advent of the Muhammandans, when partly in self defence, partly in imitation of their masters, the upper classes of the society began to seclude their women. Bharatiya Parampara also supported education of women. Advaitavedanta Acharya Sri. Adi Sankaracharya is said to have engaged in a debate with Bharati, the learned wife of Mandana Mishra.
Our Sanskrit literature and history also support the view that the absolute seclusion and restraint of women were not the practicing dharmik customs. The practice was unknown in India till the advent of the Muhammandans, when partly in self defense, partly in imitation of their masters, the upper classes of the society began to seclude their women. Bharatiya Parampara also supported education of women. Advaitavedanta Acharya Sri. Adi Sankaracharya is said to have engaged in a debate with Bharati, the learned wife of Mandana Mishra.
== References ==
== References ==
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