WOMEN’S RIGHT TO DO GAYATRI SADHANA
Women have always been accorded high respect in the Indian culture. They have been regarded more pious than men. They are often addressed as devi. Girls are named as Shantidevi, Gangadevi, Dayadevi. The word devi is thus often annexed to their names. Girls are adorned not by degrees etc. but by their inherent God-given feminine virtues.
Gods and great personalities are often known through the names of their wives. In various names like Sitaram Radheshyam, Gaurishankar, Lakhyaminarayan, Uma-Mahesh, Maya-Brahma, Savitri- Satyavan; women, have been given precedence over men. All thoughtful and wise persons have regarded women more prominent in respect of virtues like chastity, loyalty, mercy, compassion, service, sympathy, love, affection, generosity, devotion etc.
Women have, in general been given prominence and respect in all religious and spiritual pursuits. If one goes through the Vedas it will appear that not only rishis but several wives of rishis were also seers to whom Vedic hymns were revealed. How could the great God who is kind-hearted, just and impartial discriminate between man and woman who are his own children?
The rishi of the Mantras of RigVed (10/85) is a female named Surya
Savitri. In Nirukt, a rishi has been defined as one who is a seer of Mantras, who understands the secret behind them and transmits it to others (“Rishi darshanat stoman dadarshati, Rishyo Mantra drastarah”).
In twenty-fourth chapter of Vrihad Devta, a list of women rishis in RigVed has been given which includes the names of Ghosha, Godha, Vishvavara, Aapala, Upnishad, Juhu, Adity, Indrani, Sarama, Romasha, Urvashi, Lopamudra, Yami, Shaswati, Surya, Savitri as being brahmavadinis. The seers of Rigveda’s sukta 10-134, 10-39,1040, 10-91, 10-95,10-107,10-109,10-154,10-159,10-189,5-28,891 etc. were women. There is ample evidence which proves that, like males, females used to perform Yagya. They were experts in Yagya technique and religious learning. Several women used to guide their fathers/husbands in this respect. Ida had told Manu that she would do avadhan on fire in such a way that he would get worldly riches, pleasures and respect and attain heaven. In shatpath Brahman, Yagyavalkya’s wife Maitreyi has been called brahmavadini, which means brahmavadan-sheel. Brahma means Ved and brahmavadansheel means one who gives discourses on Vedas.
Adi-Shankaracharya had to enter into a spiritual debate with Bharati Devi. Her exposition of the scriptures was so marvellous that even eminent scholars were wonder-struck. Shankaracharya was unable to answer her profound questions and had to seek one month’s time to respond. In Shankar Digvijaya (3/16) it is written that Bharati Devi was well-versed in all the Vedas and other scriptures and branches of Knowledge. None excelled her in knowledge. How can a ban now be imposed on study of the scriptures by women? If there had been such a restriction in the ancient times, how could there have been women who could have philosophical debates with persons like Yagyavalkya, Shankaracharya etc. ? In fact, in those days all men and women had equal opportunities for studying the Vedas.
In Shatpath (1/9/2/2/1 and 1/9/2/22,23) there are directions for women about pronouncing Mantras 23/23, 25,27,29 of Yajurved. Same is the case with Mantras 1/1/10 of Tettriya Samhita. Ashvalayan Grahya Sutra 1/1/9 provides that in the absence of yajman, his wife, son or unmarried daughter could perform Yagya. Kathak Grahy Sutra (3/1/ 30 and 26/3) and Logakshi Grahya Sutra (25) propound study and chanting of Ved Mantras and performance of Vedic karmakand by women.
In Paraskar Grahya Sutra 1/5/1,2 the bride herself chants Mantras of Laja Hom at the time of marriage. She also chants YajurVed Mantras (teachchakshurdevhitam 36/24) while seeing the sun. While doing samajjan at the time of marriage both the bride and the groom are required to chant RigVed Mantras (10/85/48).
In Tandya Brahman (5/6/8) women have been directed to play on Veena and sing Mantra of SamVed in the battle. The other Mantras direct to keep a pitcher (kalash) on their heads and take a round singing the Ved-Mantras. In Etreya (5/5/29) there is a story about Kumari Gandharva Grahta which proves that unmarried girls were authorised to study Vedas and perform Yagya. In Katyayan Shrout sootras (1/17,4/1,22/10/13,6/6/3,26/4/13,27/7/28,26/7/1,20/6/12) there are clear directions about chanting by women of particular VedMantras. Latyayan Shrout sootra provides that wife should sing Mantras of Samveda with rhythm. In Shankhayan Shrout sutra 1/12/ 13 and Ashvalayan Shrout sutra 1/11/1 similar directions have been given. Brahman 1/2/3 directs unmarried girls to chant Ved–Mantras.
Gayatri Sadhana by Women in Ancient Times
In the ancient days Gargi, Maitreyi, Madalsa, Anusuiya, Arundhati, Devyani, Ahilya, Kunti, Satrupa, Vrinda, Mandodari, Tara, Dropadi, Damyanti, Gautami, Apala, Sulaha, Shavati, Ushija. Savitri, Lopamudra, Pratisheyi, Vaishalini, Bendula, Suneeti, Shakuntala,
Pingala, Jarutkaar, Rohini, Bhadra, Vidula, Gandhari, Anjani, Seeta, Devhooti, Parvati, Aditi, Shachi. Satyavati, Sukanya, Shaivya etc. were highly learned and spirutally illumined women who were worshippers of Gayatri. They had elevated their souls and attained yoga Siddhis by Gayatri Sadhana. Though, they lived family lives they had achieved spiritual eminence by worshipping Savitri (Gayatri). It is hardly possible to narrate in this small book details of the glorious lives lived and Siddhis achieved by these great women. Those who have studied ancient Indian history and scriptures know it well that all the aforesaid women were unparalleled shining stars in their own right in exemplifying virtues like learning, courage, energy, valour, far-sightedness, morality, righteousness, devotion, spiritual awakening etc. They had displayed awe-inspiring excellence in their spiritual and mental attainments.
In the ancient days Savitri performed Gayatri–Jap for a year and acquired powers by which she could stand up to even the God of Death (Yamraj) and revive her dead husband. It was Damyanti’s tap which burnt the hunter to ashes when he tried to molest her. Gandhari who had blindfolded her eyes and thus performed great tap had developed such a power in her vision that by her mere glance Duryodhan’s body became invulnerable except the portion around his loins which he had covered for the sake of modesty, which remained vulnerable. Bheem struck Duryodhan on this part and killed him. Anusuiya’s tap turned Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh into small children. The strength of the tap of a chaste lady, Shandili had stopped the chariot of the Sun. Sukanya’s tap transformed the old and wornout body of Chyavan rishi into youthfulness. The history of tap performed by women is in no way inferior to that done by men. It is obvious that whether it be men or women, the highway of tap for all is Gayatri Sadhana.
Even in present times, I am well-acquainted with several women who are deeply immersed in Gayatri Sadhana and who have attained material and spiritual happiness and peace.
Why should there be Restriction on Women
The meaning of Gayatri worship is to regard God as Mother and sit in her lap. Of all the relations in the world, the relationship of mother and child is most loving and intimate. With whatever devotion we turn to God, He responds according to our faith. When the devotee visualises God in the form of Mother and sits in her lap he gets affectionate response accordingly.
The qualities of love, affection, compassion, tenderness, generosity are, by nature, found in greater digree in women than in men. Rishis have, therefore, been worshipping God in the form of mother since days immemorial and they have directed every person having faith in religion to adopt this easy and safe path of Sadhana. Gayatri worship is supposed to be the daily religious routine of every Indian. Whatever may be the system of sandhya vandan, Gayatri is an essential element in it. One may or may not perform Gayatri Sadhana for a specific worldly or spiritual purpose but he is guilty of neglecting his religious duties, if he does not perform daily routine of Sadhana.
Daughter and son both are beloved children of the mother. Man and woman are both equally dear to God. No impartial and just parents discriminate between their children on the ground of sex. God has provided facilities for performance of religious duties and Sadhana for self-realization both to man and woman. This is but appropriate on the grounds of equality, justice and impartiality and is proved by logic as well. This simple truth hardly calls for debate and dispute.
It is gratifying to note that in the recent past wise and farsighted eminent persons men have been trying to abolish evil customs of the dark middle ages. They have started realizing that our nation will not be able to regain its ancient glory so long as women are not liberated from the iron grip of narrow-mindedness in which they have been encased since the middle ages. Since women constitute half of our population we will be able to make all-round progress only by restoring them to their rightful position of dignity, which they enjoyed in the golden era of our hoary past. The Blind adherence to orthodoxy which considers evil traditions and conventions prevalent since middle ages as religion is bound to oppose enlightened reforms tooth and nail but it has to be faced boldly by such refomist movements.
Decision by Malviyaji
There has been considerable discussion amongst the scholars of Kashi on the controversy whether women have a right to chant Ved-Mantras.
A girl student named Kumari Kalyani wanted to seek admission to a course in which Vedas were taught in Banaras Hindu University. The authorities refused to grant admission according to the prevalent belief on the ground that a woman, according to Shastras, had no right to chant Ved-mantras.
This controversy continued for quite a long time. A paper “Sarvadeshik” published several articles in support of the right of women to study Vedas while the other paper “Sidhanta” took an opposite view. A deputation of Arya Samajists met University authorities and there was prolonged discussion on the subject.
Ultimately, the University appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya in which several Vedic scholars were included. The committee, after a thorough study of the shastras, gave a finding that women have the same right as men in respect of Vedas. Mahamana Malviyaji, who was considered as the standard bearer of Sanatan Dharma, announced this decision of the committee on 22nd August 1946. Kumari Kalyani was accordingly admitted to the course in which Vedas were taught and it was finally decided that henceforth women would have the right to study Vedas and there would be no discrimination on grounds of sex.
Nobody can say that Mahamana Malviyaji and his learned colleagues could be hostile to the tenets of Sanatan Dharma. Their devotion to religion is well-known. What can be said about the wisdom of those persons who still persist in saying that women have no right to worship Gayatri when this controversy has been settled once for all by eminent persons like Malviyaji?
The names of several learned women of the ancient times are still famous. References are found in Vedas about several women rishis being authors of several Ved-Mantras. It is, therefore, the duty of all social reformers to follow in this respect the decision given by Malviyaji who has been a rishi of the present age.
