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Re: HSC's role on Women?!
> Shankara did not write Lalita Sahasranamam.
Sorry about the mistake. Point is it contains 1008 names of
the godess (feminine attributes of the paramatma). I would
appreciate it if you could give me the name of the author.
> The hindu religion may hold the women in high esteem {and say it
is not being practiced today etc}, but women are not allowed to recite
vedas, or learn vedas. Nor do the major sampradayas (atleast the Shankara)
accept them as sanyas.
Here I do not agree. Here is why
Who is not allowing them to do these things.
1) A distinction has to be made as to what the
religion as in its books (Chatur Veda , Gita etc..) say and as to what
people do.
2) Do these scriptures in anyplace say that women should not do those things.
If there is a decree from the Lord that women cannot say these things then
the religion can be blamed (as far as my knowledge goes there is not such
decree or statement).
3) If women are not allowed to do these things then that
reflects the biggoted views of the men/women not the views of God and hence
the religion itself.
4) As far as Shankaracharya goes did he not have such
immense respect for his mother that he came back from sanyasa when she
was dying. Does Shankara anywhere say that women should not recite the vedas
or take up sanyasa?
5) To say that the religion does not allow women to recite is plain false.
This is like the statement "Christianity endorses slavery" or
"Islam endorses terrorism".
i) There have been christians who enslaved black people and practised slavery.
In fact the baptist church in america recently apologized for it. Does this
mean Jesus Christ endorses slavery ?
ii) There are militant fundamentalist muslims (Hamas or the Hizbolah) that
have been responsible for a lot of killing. Does this mean that Allah endorses
terrorism and killing.
6) Where does the very notion of respect for women come from. It comes
from religion. Hinduism: Matha Pitha Guru Theivam, Christianity:
Honour thy father and thy mother. This very concept comes from religion.
It is true that a lot of improvement can be made in regards to women's rights
but is grossly unjustifiable to scapegoat these problems and blame the
Hindu religion for all our own doings.
