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Stri Dharma (स्त्रीधर्मः) (view source)
Revision as of 18:28, 24 November 2022
, 18:28, 24 November 2022Adding content with reference - to be edited
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== Context Setting<ref name=":2">Nithin Sridhar (2022), [https://www.indica.today/research/research-papers/decoding-manusmrti-some-pointers-to-make-sense-of-dharmasastra-texts/ Decoding Manusmṛti: Some Pointers To Make Sense Of Dharmaśāstra Texts].</ref> ==
Owing to difference in their gender and the corresponding physical and psychological differences, men and women play a distinct but mutually complementary roles within family and outside in the larger society.
This distinction in ''dharma'' discourse regarding men and women is owing to the fact that men and women are distinct from each other in their physical, biological, psychological, social, and spiritual makeup. While men in general are more suited for ''karma-yoga'' in its aspect of austerity (''tapasyā'') and ritual performance (''karma-anuṣṭhāna''), women in general are more suited for ''karma-yoga'' with a stress on devotion (''bhakti'') and service (''śuśrūṣu''). As a result of this, while ''puruṣa-dharma'' is enunciated in terms of ''varṇāśrama-dharma'' which stresses on austerity and ritual performance, ''strī-dharma'' is enunciated in relational terms where devotion and service play important role. However, this does not mean that men’s obligations do not involve service or that women are ineligible for all forms of ritual performance. It merely indicates what constitutes the predominant means of pursuing ''dharma'' for men and women.
For eg. In ''Manusmṛti'' 2.228-2.237, a man is told to always act in accordance with his mother, father and ''ācārya''. To serve these three is told be highest austerity. This service to parents and teachers is an integral part of ''varṇāśrama-dharma''. Likewise, when ''Manusmṛti'' 5.153 says that there is no separate sacrificing, observations or fastings for women, other than serving her husband, it does not mean total exclusion, but only that all other religious activities are secondary and a limb of serving the husband which is primary ''dharma'' and hence, her ritual practice must be done either together with the husband or with the permission of the husband, a point noted by Medhatithi in his commentary on the verse.<ref name=":2" />
== Bhagavata Purana ==
== Bhagavata Purana ==
बालया वा युवत्या वा वृद्धया वापि योषिता । न स्वातन्त्र्येण कर्तव्यं किं चिद्कार्यं गृहेष्वपि । । ५.१४७[१४५ं] । ।
बालया वा युवत्या वा वृद्धया वापि योषिता । न स्वातन्त्र्येण कर्तव्यं किं चिद्कार्यं गृहेष्वपि । । ५.१४७[१४५ं] । ।
बाल्ये पितुर्वशे तिष्ठेत्पाणिग्राहस्य यौवने । पुत्राणां भर्तरि प्रेते न भजेत्स्त्री स्वतन्त्रताम् । । ५.१४८[१४६ं] । ।
बाल्ये पितुर्वशे तिष्ठेत्पाणिग्राहस्य यौवने । पुत्राणां भर्तरि प्रेते न भजेत्स्त्री स्वतन्त्रताम् । । ५.१४८[१४६ं] । ।<ref name=":3" />
Meaning: In childhood she should remain under the control of ie. dependent upon her father, in youth under that of her husband, and on the husband’s death under that of her sons; the woman should never have recourse to independence.
On the contrary to popular interpretation which takes it as an infringement of women’s rights and as impeding women empowerment, it is primarily a statement with respect to pursuit of ''dharma'' and not concerned with pursuit of ''artha'' or ''kāma''. That it is a statement with respect to ''dharma'' and not ''artha'' or ''kāma'' is explicitly highlighted in ''Gautama Dharmasūtras'' 18.1 which says “A wife is not independent with respect to the fulfilment of ''dharma.''<blockquote>''asvatantrādharmestrī | Gautama Dharmasūtras''18.1 (Gautama Dharma Sutra n.d.)</blockquote>Consequently, this dependence in dharmic practice does not in any way come in the way of women pursuing what they love or empowering themselves.
Furthermore, this verse it defines ''strī-dharma'' in terms of relational dharma that women have with her closest male relationship, namely father, husband, and son.
As children, both men and women are dependent upon their parents, the first teachers, who teach the child what is dharma and what is adharma. Therefore, when it is said that women in their childhood must remain dependent upon their father, the fact that children are dependent upon their parents for nourishment, love, education and protection is emphasized. In the same way, in old age, the parents depend upon their children in multiple number of ways including in matters of dharma wherein the children play the role of facilitator.
As a couple, the husband and wife enter into gṛhastha–āśrama (householder life) to practice varṇāśramadharma in the pursuit of the 4 puruṣārthas. Though the goal pursued is same, the roles played by the man and the woman in a marriage are different. While the man plays the role of a husband and a father, the woman plays the role of a wife and a mother. While the husband takes the role of yajamāna, the conductor of the rituals and other dharmic duties, the wife takes up the role of saha-dharmachāriṇī, one who accompanies the husband in fulfilment of dharmic activities. Infact, the role played by the wife is identified with the sacred fires of the house itself without whom a gṛhastha man cannot perform any dharmic rituals or actions. And for the wife, facilitating the husband in the accomplishment of the gṛhastha duties is itself the dharmic duty and a means for her overall emancipation. By this, the husband himself becomes the direct means for accomplishing all the puruṣārtha-s for wife.
Therefore, in recognition of the fact of direct dependence of women on their husbands in dharmic matters and secondarily on fathers and sons, the ''strī-dharma'' has been enunciated in terms of women’s relational ''dharma'' towards people who are closest to her.<ref name=":2" />
पित्रा भर्त्रा सुतैर्वापि नेच्छेद्विरहं आत्मनः । एषां हि विरहेण स्त्री गर्ह्ये कुर्यादुभे कुले । । ५.१४९[१४७ं] । ।
पित्रा भर्त्रा सुतैर्वापि नेच्छेद्विरहं आत्मनः । एषां हि विरहेण स्त्री गर्ह्ये कुर्यादुभे कुले । । ५.१४९[१४७ं] । ।
अनेन नारी वृत्तेन मनोवाग्देहसंयता । इहाग्र्यां कीर्तिं आप्नोति पतिलोकं परत्र च । । ५.१६६[१६४ं] । ।
अनेन नारी वृत्तेन मनोवाग्देहसंयता । इहाग्र्यां कीर्तिं आप्नोति पतिलोकं परत्र च । । ५.१६६[१६४ं] । ।
एवं वृत्तां सवर्णां स्त्रीं द्विजातिः पूर्वमारिणीम् । दाहयेदग्निहोत्रेण यज्ञपात्रैश्च धर्मवित् । । ५.१६७[१६५ं] । ।<ref>Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%9E%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 5]</ref>
एवं वृत्तां सवर्णां स्त्रीं द्विजातिः पूर्वमारिणीम् । दाहयेदग्निहोत्रेण यज्ञपात्रैश्च धर्मवित् । । ५.१६७[१६५ं] । ।<ref name=":3">Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%9E%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 5]</ref>
Subsistence
Subsistence
विधाय प्रोषिते वृत्तिं जीवेन्नियमं आस्थिता । प्रोषिते त्वविधायैव जीवेच्छिल्पैरगर्हितैः । । ९.७५ । ।<ref>Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 9]</ref>
विधाय प्रोषिते वृत्तिं जीवेन्नियमं आस्थिता । प्रोषिते त्वविधायैव जीवेच्छिल्पैरगर्हितैः । । ९.७५ । ।<ref>Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 9]</ref>
Further reference:
Devanathan, Ramanuja. 2020. “Understanding Manu Smriti Part I: Women and Freedom.” ''Indica Today.'' October 27. Accessed August 04, 2022. <nowiki>https://www.indica.today/quick-reads/understanding-manu-smriti-part-i-women-freedom/</nowiki>.<ref name=":2" />
== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />
[[Category:Dharmas]]
[[Category:Dharmas]]