Protection of women 1 страница

Good population in human society is the basic principle for peace, prosperity and spiritual progress in life. The varnasrama religion's principles were so designed that the good population would prevail in society for the general spiritual progress of state and community. Such population depends on the CHASTITY and faithfulness of its womanhood. As children are very prone to be misled, women are similarly very prone to degradation. Therefore, both children and women require protection by the elder members of the family. By being engaged in various religious practices, women will not be misled into adultery. According to Canakya Pandita, women are generally not very intelligent and therefore not trustworthy. So, the different family traditions of religious activities should always engage them, and thus their CHASTITY and devotion will give birth to a good population eligible for participating in the varnasrama system. On the failure of such varnasrama-dharma, naturally the women become free to act and mix with men, and thus adultery is indulged in at the risk of unwanted population. Irresponsible men also provoke adultery in society, and thus unwanted children flood the human race at the risk of war and pestilence.

(Bg 1.40 P Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra)

One must thus have firm conviction that Krsna as Paramatma will take care of a soul surrendered to Him. "I shall never be alone," one should think. "Even if I live in the darkest regions of a forest I shall be accompanied by Krsna, and He will give me all protection." That conviction is called abhayam, without fear. This state of mind is necessary for a person in the renounced order of life. Then he has to purify his existence. There are so many rules and regulations to be followed in the renounced order of life. Most important of all, a sannyasi is strictly forbidden to have any intimate relationship with a woman. He is even forbidden to talk with a woman in a secluded place. Lord Caitanya was an ideal sannyasi, and when He was at Puri His feminine devotees could not even come near to offer their respects. They were advised to bow down from a distant place. This is not a sign of hatred for women as a class, but it is a stricture imposed on the sannyasi not to have close connections with women. One has to follow the rules and regulations of a particular status of life in order to purify his existence. For a sannyasi, intimate relations with women and possession of wealth for sense gratification are strictly forbidden. The ideal sannyasi was Lord Caitanya Himself, and we can learn from His life that He was very strict in regards to women. Although He is considered to be the most liberal incarnation of Godhead, accepting the most fallen conditioned souls, He strictly followed the rules and regulations of the sannyasa order of life in connection with association with woman. One of His personal associates, namely Chota Haridasa,

Bg 16.1-3 P The Divine And Demoniac Natures

You are always the protector of the deserving living beings, such as brahmanas, children, cows, women and the diseased. Could you not give them protection when they approached you for shelter?

PURPORT

The brahmanas, who are always engaged in researching knowledge for the society's welfare work, both materially and spiritually, deserve the protection of the king in all respects. Similarly, the children of the state, the cow, the diseased person, the woman and the old man specifically require the protection of the state or a ksatriya king. If such living beings do not get protection by the ksatriya, or the royal order, or by the state, it is certainly shameful for the ksatriya or the state. If such things had actually happened to Arjuna, Maharaja Yudhisthira was anxious to know about these discrepancies.

(SB 1.14.41 The Disappearance of Lord Krsna)

In the age of Kali, the women and the children, along with brahmanas and cows, will be grossly neglected and left unprotected. In this age illicit connection with women will render many women and children uncared for. Circumstantially, the women will try to become independent of the protection of men, and marriage will be performed as a matter of formal agreement between man and woman. In most cases, the children will not be taken care of properly. The brahmanas are traditionally intelligent men, and thus they will be able to pick up modern education to the topmost rank, but as far as moral and religious principles are concerned, they shall be the most fallen. Education and bad character go ill together, but such things will run parallel. The administrative heads as a class will condemn the tenets of Vedic wisdom and will prefer to conduct a so-called secular state, and the so-called educated brahmanas will be purchased by such unscrupulous administrators. Even a philosopher and writer of many books on religious principles may also accept an exalted post in a government which denies all the moral codes of the sastras. The brahmanas are specifically restricted from accepting such service. But in this age they will not only accept service, but they will do so even if it is of the meanest quality. These are some of the symptoms of the Kali age which are harmful to the general welfare of human society.

(SB 1.16.21 P How Pariksit Received the Age of Kali)

The ideal husband-and-wife relationship is very nicely described in this statement. Kardama Muni gave Devahuti all sorts of comforts in his duty as a husband, but he was not at all attached to his wife. As soon as his son, Kapiladeva, was grown up, Kardama at once left all family connection. Similarly, Devahuti was the daughter of a great king, Svayambhuva Manu, and was qualified and beautiful, but she was completely dependent on the protection of her husband. According to Manu, women, the fair sex, should not have independence at any stage of life. In childhood a woman must be under the protection of the parents, in youth she must be under the protection of the husband, and in old age she must be under the protection of the grown children. Devahuti demonstrated all these statements of the Manu-samhita in her life: as a child she was dependent on her father, later she was dependent on her husband, in spite of her opulence, and she was later on dependent on her son, Kapiladeva.

(SB 3.33.19 P Activities of Kapila)

In the Manu-smrti it is stated that a woman should not be given independence, but should be given protection by her father, husband and elderly sons. In all circumstances a woman should remain dependent upon some guardian. Presently women are given full independence like men, but actually we can see that such independent women are no happier than those women who are placed under guardians. If people follow the injunctions given by the great sages, srutis and smrtis, they can actually be happy in both this life and the next. Unfortunately rascals are manufacturing so many ways and means to be happy. Everyone is inventing so many methods. Consequently human society has lost the standard ways of life, both materially and spiritually, and as a result people are bewildered, and there is no peace or happiness in the world. Although they are trying to solve the problems of human society in the United Nations, they are still baffled. Because they do not follow the liberated instructions of the Vedas, they are unhappy.

(SB 4.18.3 P Prthu Maharaja Milks the Earth Planet)

The acaryas specifically mention that in this verse the words matuh anugrahat ("by the mercy of their mother") refer to the breast milk of their mother. In India it is a common belief that if a baby is fed his mother's milk for at least six months, his body will be very strong. Besides that, it is mentioned herein that all the sons of Agnidhra were endowed with the nature of their mother. Bhagavad-gita (1.40) also declares, strisu dustasu varsneya jayate varna-sankarah: when women are polluted, varna-sankara, unqualified children, are generated, and when the varna-sankara population increases, the entire world becomes hellish. Therefore, according to Manu-samhita, a woman needs a great deal of protection in order to remain pure and CHASTE so that her children can be fully engaged for the benefit of human society.

(SB 5.2.21 P The Activities of Maharaja Agnidhra)

My dear Lord, You are certainly the fully independent master of all the senses. Therefore all women who worship You by strictly observing vows because they wish to acquire a husband to satisfy their senses are surely under illusion. They do not know that such a husband cannot actually give protection to them or their children. Nor can he protect their wealth or duration of life, for he himself is dependent on time, fruitive results and the modes of nature, which are all subordinate to You.

PURPORT

In this verse, Laksmidevi (Rama) shows compassion toward women who worship the Lord for the benediction of possessing a good husband. Although such women desire to be happy with children, wealth, a long duration of life and everything dear to them, they cannot possibly do so. In the material world, a so-called husband is dependent on the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many examples of a woman whose husband, being dependent on the result of his own fruitive actions, cannot maintain his wife, her children, her wealth or her duration of life. Therefore, factually the only real husband of all women is Krsna, the supreme husband. Because the gopis were liberated souls, they understood this fact. Therefore they rejected their material husbands and accepted Krsna as their real husband. Krsna is the real husband not only of the gopis, but of every living entity. Everyone should perfectly understand that Krsna is the real husband of all living entities, who are described in the Bhagavad-gita as prakrti (female), not purusa (male). In Bhagavad-gita (10.12), only Krsna is addressed as purusa:

SB 5.18.19 The Prayers Offered to the Lord by the Residents of Jambudvipa

The chanting of the holy name of Lord Visnu is the best process of atonement for a thief of gold or other valuables, for a drunkard, for one who betrays a friend or relative, for one who kills a brahmana, or for one who indulges in sex with the wife of his guru or another superior. It is also the best method of atonement for one who murders women, the king or his father, for one who slaughters cows, and for all other sinful men. Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Visnu, such sinful persons may attract the attention of the Supreme Lord, who therefore considers, "Because this man has chanted My holy name, My duty is to give him protection."

SB 6.2.9-10 Ajamila Delivered by the Visnudutas

It is wonderful that these elderly women do not have a higher sense of life than we do. Indeed, we are most fortunate, for although we are children and have been left to struggle in material life, unprotected by father and mother, and although we are very weak, we have not been vanquished or eaten by ferocious animals. Thus we have a firm belief that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has given us protection even in the womb of the mother, will protect us everywhere.

PURPORT

As stated in Bhagavad-gita (18.61), isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati: the Lord is present in the core of everyone's heart. Thus the Lord gives protection to everyone and gives the different types of bodies the living entity wants to enjoy. Everything is done by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one should not lament the birth and death of a living being

SB 7.2.38 Hiranyakasipu, King of the Demons

One should not remain in a secluded place with a woman, even one's mother, sister, or daughter. Nonetheless, although one is strictly prohibited from staying with a woman in a secluded place, Narada Muni gave shelter to Prahlada Maharaja's young mother, who rendered service to him with great devotion and faith. Does this mean that Narada Muni transgressed the Vedic injunctions? Certainly he did not. Such injunctions are intended for mundane creatures, but Narada Muni is transcendental to mundane categories. Narada Muni is a great saint and is transcendentally situated. Therefore, although he was a young man, he could give shelter to a young woman and accept her service. Haridasa Thakura also spoke with a young woman, a prostitute, in the dead of night, but the woman could not deviate his mind. Instead, she became a Vaisnavi, a pure devotee, by the benediction of Haridasa Thakura. Ordinary persons, however, should not imitate such highly elevated devotees. Ordinary persons must strictly observe the rules and regulations by staying aloof from the association of women. No one should imitate Narada Muni or Haridasa Thakura. It is said, vaisnavera kriya-mudra vijne na bujhaya. Even if a man is very advanced in learning, he cannot understand the behavior of a Vaisnava.

SB 7.7.14 P What Prahlada Learned in the Womb

Canakya Pandita, the great politician and moral instructor, said, visvaso naiva kartavyah strisu raja-kulesu ca: "Never put your faith in a woman or a politician." Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was pretending to be a woman, warned the demons against putting so much faith in Her, for She had appeared as an attractive woman ultimately to cheat them. Indirectly disclosing the purpose for which She had appeared before them, She said to the sons of Kasyapa, "How is this? You were all born of a great rsi, yet you are putting your faith in a woman who is loitering here and there like a prostitute, unprotected by father or husband. Women in general should not be trusted, and what to speak of a woman loitering like a prostitute?" The word kamini is significant in this connection. Women, especially beautiful young women, invoke the dormant lusty desires of a man. Therefore, according to Manu-samhita, every woman should be protected, either by her husband, by her father or by her grown sons. Without such protection, a woman will be exploited. Indeed, women like to be exploited by men. As soon as a woman is exploited by a man, she becomes a common prostitute. This is explained by Mohini-murti, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

(SB 8.9.9 P The Lord Incarnates as Mohini-Murti)

In this connection it is to be noted that although the inhabitants of Gokula were mostly cowherd men and cultivators, they knew how to defend themselves from danger and how to give protection to the women, the old men, the cows and the children, as well as to the brahminical purohitas

(SB 10.11.31-32 P The Childhood Pastimes of Krsna)

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu formerly went to South India, a brahmana named Kala Krsnadasa went with Him. It was Kala Krsnadasa who fell victim to a woman, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had to take the trouble to free him from the clutches of the gypsies. Therefore the Lord here says that He wants a new man who is peaceful in mind. One whose mind is not peaceful is agitated by certain drives, especially sex desire, even though he be in the company of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Such a man will become a victim of women and will fall down even in the company of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Maya is so strong that unless one is determined not to fall victim, even the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot give protection. The Supreme Lord and His representative always want to give protection, but a person must take advantage of their personal contact. If one thinks that the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative is an ordinary man, he will certainly fall down. Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not want a person like Kala Krsnadasa to accompany Him. He wanted someone who was determined, who had a peaceful mind and who was not agitated by ulterior motives.

(Madhya 17.14 The Lord Travels to Vrndavana)

According to the Manu-samhita, a woman should never be given freedom. When she is not under the protection of her husband, she must be under the protection of her sons. Women cannot properly utilize freedom, and it is better for them to remain dependent. A woman cannot be happy if she is independent. That is a fact. In Western countries we have seen many women very unhappy simply for the sake of independence. That independence is not recommended by the Vedic civilization or by the varnasrama-dharma. Consequently Devahuti was given to her grown son, Kapiladeva, and Kapiladeva was fully aware that He had to take care of His mother. It is the duty of the father to protect his daughter until she attains puberty and is married to a suitable young man. The husband then takes care of the wife. Generally a man should marry at around twenty-five years of age, and a girl should marry no later than sixteen. If this is the case, when the man is fifty years old, his eldest son should be around twenty-five, old enough to take charge of the mother. According to this calculation, Kapiladeva was about twenty-five years old and was quite able to take charge of His mother, Devahuti. He knew that because His father left His mother in His charge, He should take care of her and always please her. Matuh priya-cikirsaya. Kapiladeva was not irresponsible, but was always ready to please His mother. Kapiladeva was a brahmacari, and His mother took lessons from Him. That is the prerogative of the male. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (9.32)

(TLK Vs 5 Lord Kapila Takes Charge of His Mother, Devahuti)

He is thinking in terms of bodily conception of life. Syalah bandhuh pitarah pitamahah. Because somebody happens to be... Just like there are many thousands of women. One woman with whom I have got my bodily connection I take: "She is my wife. I have to give protection." This is all based on bodily connection. So long there was no bodily connection with that woman, you didn't care for her. But as soon as there is bodily connection, immediately the attachment is there. Tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh. Generally, everyone has got attraction for woman. Woman has got attraction for man. That is general. But when they are united by marriage, the attraction becomes very acute, hrdaya-granthim ahuh. Hrdaya-granthi means very hard knot. Hrdaya-granthim ahuh. So this is called family attraction.

730725BG.LON Lectures

sa-pratibhavitabhih. They are expansions of Krsna, Krsna's pleasure potency expansion. They are meant for Krsna's pleasure. They are not ordinary women. But superficially, just to teach us how to love Krsna at the risk of anything... Therefore gopis, when they were attracted by Krsna at midnight... Krsna was playing flute, and they became attracted and they left home. Some of them were locked up. They gave up their life even. They were so much attracted. Now this kind of behavior, if youngs girls... According to Vedic civilization, they cannot go out from the protection of father, husband or brother. No, they cannot go. Especially at midnight. So this was against Vedic principle. It is openly a kind of prostitution. But because it was done for Krsna,

730806BG.LON Lectures

There is no division. When the actual enjoyment is there, there is no division, the husband is enjoying more or the wife is enjoying less or like that. There is no such division when the enjoyment is there. This is a crude example, but still, there is division. The husband is called the enjoyer, and the wife is called the enjoyed. Husband is called the predominator, and the wife is called predominated. Of course, in our India, Hindu conception of life, that a woman, woman, according to our Manu-samhita scripture, woman is always protected. A woman is never given independence. She is protected during her childhood by the father, and she is protected in her youth by the husband, and she is protected in her old age by her sons. That is the conception. And the woman, the cow, the brahmana, the children--they are meant for absolute protection. That is the Vedic conception. They should always be given full protection. The children, the women, the brahmanas, and the cows, they have no fault. In the laws of the state, a woman, a child, a brahmana and cow has no fault. They have no, I mean to say, in the criminal court they are never prosecuted. That is the Hindu law. Now, therefore the whole idea is that the, we are, we, the living entities, we are not enjoyer; we are enjoyed. We...

(660325BG.NY Lectures)

Just like I'll give you another example. According to Manu-samhita, our Vedic literature, the Manu-samhita says, na striyam svatantratam arhati: "Women should not be given independence" or "Women are not independent." That is a truth, Vedic truth. Now, so far a girl is child, she is dependent on the father, and it is hoped... At least in India we have got this principle. When a girl is grown up, the father gives her in charity to a boy to protect her, protect her, give her protection. And similarly, when a woman is grown up, old enough, she becomes protected by the grown up boys, children. So this Vedic truth that a woman has no independence... She is always under the protection, either under the protection of the father or under the protection of the husband or under the protection of the grown-up sons. That is position. And woman becomes happy in that way. Those who are not following this principle, I think they are not happy. This Vedic principle is truth.

So as the woman or the child requires the protection of somebody, similarly, by nature we are under the protection of some leader. But that supreme leadership is vested in the Supreme Lord. And when we do not accept the leadership of the Supreme, then we have to accept somebody else, ABCD, as our leader and they will misguide us. Andha yathandhair upaniya... How they are misguiding, just try to understand. How our leaders are misguiding us, just try to understand.

(660727BG.NY Lectures)

Woman class and children class, they are taken in the same category. They require protection. They require protection. That is the Manu-samhita. Na striyam svatantratam arhati. Women should be under the protection. They should be given all protection. So the system of taking... Just like the Hindu system is... Just like a girl. Before attaining the age of puberty, she is handed over to a suitable boy to take charge before she gets youthful energy.

( 660729BG.NY Lecture)

So here Krsna says that jiva-bhuta: prakrti, not purusa. So how the prakrti can be enjoyer of this material world? That is not possible. That is superficial, artificial, crip-scrip(?). That is not fact. Therefore, our main disease is that we are to be enjoyed by Krsna and we are trying to be enjoyer. We are actually to be predominated by Krsna, but we are trying to be predominator. That is our fault. Don't try to be predominator. Try to be predominated by Krsna and you will be happy. Just like the woman. As soon as she is under protection of a big father, a nice husband, and nice elderly son, she is happy, very happy. And as soon as she is independent... I have seen practically in Europe and America, there are so many women declared independence. They are most unhappy. I have seen it. In old age they are very, very unhappy. Young age also. They do not get a right husband, and they are very unhappy. When one young girl sees that another young girl has husband, she becomes, "Oh, so this woman, this girl has got a husband." You see. That is the nature.

(710330BG.BOM Lecture)

The description of mukti is given in the Bhagavad..., Srimad-Bhagavatam: muktir hitva anyatha-rupam svarupena vyavasthitih. That is mukti. Mukti means if you give up the artificial endeavor to become predominator and become situated in your original position, being predominated. Artificially... Suppose a woman is trying to become man artificially, how long it will go on? How she can be happy? That is not possible. Actually, in the Western countries at least we see that the woman class, they want equal rights with men. And there is. There is no distinction. But it is my experience, the woman class, they are not happy in the Western countries. And still in our country, although we are so fallen, still our woman class remains satisfied. Being predominated, they are happy. They are happy. That is my practical experience. So I do not wish to discuss this point very much, but according to our Manu-samhita, it is said that women should not be free. Na stri svatantryam arhati: "Svatantryam is not allowed to the woman class." Actually, we have seen, and by experience, those who are under the domination of the father when they, still they are not married, they are happy. Those who are under the domination of the husband after being married, they're happy. And those who are under the domination of elderly children, they are happy. So this statement of Manu-samhita... Just like children should not be given freedom, similarly, woman should not be given freedom. They should be given all protection. That is our Vedic culture.

(721208BG.AHM Lectures)

So vama-svabhava. They are, women are very simple, soft-hearted. The whole idea is they should be given protection. No freedom. That is injunction of the Manu-samhita. Na stri svatantryam arhati. Women should not be given freedom. They must be protected. Not that if... Sometimes we receive the complaint in foreign countries, they say that "You keep your women like slaves." I replied, "We do not keep our women as slaves. They're very respectful at home. The sons offer their highest respect to the mother. The husband gives the topmost protection to the wife." This is the example. Just like Lord Ramacandra. Lord Ramacandra is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Ravana took Sita from His protection. Ramacandra could marry many millions of Sitas, or He could create many millions of Sita, but He's showing the example that it is the husband's duty to give protection to the wife at any cost. And He did it. For one woman He killed the whole Ravana's dynasty. This is husband's duty. So protection, not slave. It is protection. The husband should give to the wife the topmost protection, and the wife should be so faithful to the husband that... Sita-devi, she was king's daughter, Videha-raja. She was the daughter... She was not a poor man's daughter. And Dasaratha Maharaja did not ask her to go to the forest with her husband. She could easily say, "My dear husband, You are going to the forest. I am king's daughter. I cannot take so much trouble. Better You go. Let me go to my father's house." No. "I shall take all the troubles with my husband." This is faithfulness.

Similarly, Draupadi. Draupadi also went with the Pandavas in the forest when they were banished, and Kunti-devi also went with her sons in the forest. This is the system. Kunti-devi had nothing to do with the gambling of Pandavas and Duryodhana, but because the sons were to go to the forest, the mother also followed and the wife also followed. This is Vedic system. Vedic system... Caitanya Mahaprabhu also had very nice beautiful wife at home and very affectionate mother. Both personalities are very good asset in family. Canakya Pandita said that if one hasn't got mother at home and the wife is not very agreeable, or not very peaceful... He said,

mata yasya grhe nasti

bharya capriya-vadini

aranyam tena gantavyam

yatharanyam tatha grham

He advises, if one has no mother at home and wife is apriya-vadini, she talks very roughly, not very nicely, then that person immediately leave that home and go to the forest. Yatharanyam tatha grham. For him, either at home or in the forest, the same thing. Yatharanyam tatha grham. This is Vedic culture. Woman should be trained up from the very beginning how to become good wife and good mother. That is the duty. Vama-svabhava. So here is example, Kuntidevi is one example. Draupadi one example. We have got many examples how to train woman. They are very soft-hearted. They can be molded in any way. And Bhismadeva has advised... When Bhismadeva was in the bed of arrows, sara-sayya, so the Pandavas, the Kurus, they took many advices about politics, sociology. Many things--religion, king's duty, so many instruction was taken. In that instruction he also confirmed the Vedic injunction that woman should be always protected very carefully. There is one quality of shyness. If you break that shyness of woman, it will be very dangerous. It will be very dangerous. That is the one verb,(?) (word) to check.

So modern civilization is not strictly following the Vedic injunction. Therefore, especially I have seen in the Western countries, there is no home practically. There is no homely happiness, because women are allowed to mix freely and there is no protection. They are not married, there is no husband. The father also does not take care. As soon as the girl becomes fifteen, sixteen years, she goes away. Therefore I have practically seen there is no home, there is no peace in the Western countries. These are very important things, that soft-hearted woman, vama-svabhava, they should be given protection. They should be trained up how to become faithful wife, affectionate mother. Then the home will be very happy, and without happiness we cannot make any spiritual progress. We must be peaceful. This is the preliminary condition. Therefore, as far as possible, the Vedic injunction is there should be division in the society, varnasrama. Varnasramacaravata. Because the whole aim is to reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu. Visnur aradhyate pantha nanyat tat-tosa-karanam. Varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman visnur aradhyate. Our only aim should be how to approach Visnu.

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