Women Power

India is a country of rishi culture where the women are of great importance. The people revere the women as deity. That women lead  their life by becoming mother, sister, daughter, etc. They present ideal state in the society due to their special virtues like kindness, character, simplicity, affection, etc. The great women like Maitreyi, Lopamudra, Anusuya, Arundhati, Savitri, Sita, Dropadi, Kunti, Tara, Mandodari, etc had created history due to these virtues. Gargi debated with Maharshi Yagvlakya and provided due respect to the women in the human society. Abiding by husband religion, Padmavati gave true definition of self pride and moral. Modern women like Kalpana Chawla etc, gave the women an inspiration of flying in the sky by getting rid of ancient orthodoxy. Today, crores of women are contributing in the various fields like defence, health, education, culture, arts, science, literature, etc, to transform the country. They are defining the new form of the best lifestyle, physical development and democracy by getting active in management, technology and politics. The women are meant for beautiful. They are the unique creation of physical beauty and mental beauty. Highlighting the importance of study and enlightening the women with their kindness and nature, Bhrithari says—‘the study is like that glow which is capable for getting rid of distress of other-

Kanteva chabhiramatyapaniya khedam (Neetishatak)

Getting influenced with women’s virtue, great poet Jaishankar Prasad termed it reverence—

Nari tum keval shradha ho vishwas-rajat-nag pagatal mei I
Peeyush-shrot see baha karo jivan ke sunder samatal mei II (Kamayani)

In the Manusmriti, Manu has termed home without women is forest. He writes—

Na graham grihamityahurgrihini grihamuchyate I
Vina cha grihini gehamaranyasadrisham matam II (Manu)

Bhrithari’s shloka makes the importance of women’s life clear that there are two ways in the life—either of women or of cave. It means that either going to the worldly life after getting married to a woman or getting initiated into sanyas and do tapa by taking shelter in the cave-

Eka nari dari va grihi va (Nitish.Shlokansh)

The women are revered not only for the human being but also for the deities. The human being gets the God’s blessing by giving respect to them as it has been depicted in the following shlok-

Yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra devatah I
Yatraitastu na pujyante sarvastatraphalah kriyah II

In the case of offering no respect to the women, any action is called unsuccess. It means that any action gives result but whatever happiness it has, is not in that action. Therefore, to get satisfactorily bliss, the women need to be kept happy. The women have a great virtue—to do service which is a tedious work. The women indulging in serving others have to face great difficulty. They have to move on the path of Swami Jee while in tranquility even in the respect-disrespect, happiness- distress, etc. That’s why, Bhatrihari has termed service as the best duty—

Sevadharmah paramagahano yoginamapyagamayah I

Apart from it, he defined servant dedication of doing service seriously by terming it ‘maunanmukah’. Acharya Anandvardhan says that three types of people—mighty, wise and servant can enjoy in this world.

Suvarnapushpam prithivin chinvanti purushastrayah I
Shurashch kritavidyashcha yashcha janati sevitum II

It means that the women succeeded in attaining spiritualism while getting materialistic achievement. An episode of the Vishnupuran, it becomes clear when some rishis visited Vyasi Jee to get solution of their questions. But they saw Vyas Jee taking bath in the river. He says that ‘women, you are the great. Rishis asked about the greatness of women. Then he replied that the women have service religion which makes them great.
In the episode of Dilip indulging in cow service of Kalidas’ great Raghuvansh Mahakavya, service intention of Rani Sudakshina gives great satisfaction. For getting son, accompanying with husband, serving Guru Vashishth and his wife Arundhati, serving cow Savidh, providing facilities for the cow, etc, are the great examples of it. In the movement of getting son, she renounced her image as queen and served the cow as the servant. An episode has been defined as such—jayapratigrahigandhamalyam vanaya pitpratibaddhvatsam I It means that she worships the cows by sandal and garland before dispatching them to the forest. Sudakshina has not become mother but at the same time, she has motherly experience. That’s why, she feeds calf and ties them before the cows going to the forest. Then she sees off them.
Shakuntala written by great poet Kalidas depicts nature of women elaborately. Their affection for vine of trees gives satisfaction and peace, for example—

Patum na prathamam vyavasyati jalam yushmasvapiteshu ya,
Nadatte priyamandanapi bhavatam strehena ya pallavam I
Aadau vah kusum-prasutisamaye yasya bhavatyutsavah,
Seyam yati Shakuntala patigriham savainranugyayatam II

It seems that Kalidas has poured the affection for nature in this shlok. Shakuntala’s deep bhakti towards nature is so beautiful that she thinks about nature before fulfilling materialistic needs. Her affection for water, vine, flowers of trees, plucking no flowers, etc depicts are the finest example of it. It’s astonishing that she even brings up deer’s children. When they grow elder, they ask Shakuntala not to visit Hastinapur. Then Maharshi Kanv says that daughter it is the same deer whose mother had left her. You had brought up her. She used to get bound in her mouth while eating grass. You used to clean the bound and apply oil in it. You used to feed her. You had treated her as own son. This is the same deer. Shakuntala has great affection for nature and other wild animals. That’s why, the entire forest starts crying while her moving to Bhratrigrih. Kalidas has made it clear in this shlok—

Udgalitadarbhakavala mrigyastyaktanartana mayuryah I
Apasritapandupatra munchntyashruniva latah II

Shakuntala has virtues of friendship, motherly, duty, affection for all the animals. Her nature is beautiful. Great Poet Bhavabhuti has depicted Sita Jee in ‘Uttararamacharitam’. Describing nature of an ideal woman, great poet Bhavabhuti says that Sita has great affection for the nature. He says that Sita planted many saplings, watered them, served the trees, gave water to animals and birds, feed them, served the deer, etc, during her Panchvati sojourn. He also depicted a special Sita whose characters are similar to that of Kalidas. Sita brought up them by feeding them shallaki vine. Vasanti highlights Sita’s virtues after Shriramchandra’s visit to Panchvati. Commenting on the sacrifice of Sita, she says—Oh Ramchandra Jee! You have great love for reputation- that’s why you took such decision and left her alone in this forest where wild animals reside. Now let me know that what will happen to this queen having bright eye, for example—

Aayi kathor! Yashah kila te priyam kimayasho nanu ghormatah param I
Kimabhavad vipine harinidrishah kathaya natha katham bata manyase? II

Similarly, in ‘Swapravasavadatam’ too, Great Poet Kalidas has tried to present Vasavadatta as an ideal wife and Padmavati as an ideal sister. King Udayan gets enamoured of Vasvadatta and Aaruni snatched half of his kingdom. Therefore, his minister Yaugandharayan gets worried over it. He makes false statement of getting burned in the fire. She becomes ready for soon. It’s worth mentioning that Yaugandharayan mentions the astrologer saying that King Udayan will get solemnized with another girl. But having no concern of husband’s second wife, she prepares herself for welfare of husband. She has to face great difficulty in this movement. She continues to proceed with. This is great dedication of the women.
The women have been worshiped since time immemorial. They have presented as an ideal as mother, sister, daughter, wife, etc. They are an inherent part of the universe. When the Gods like Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh were unable to face demon Mahishasur, then Goddess Durga killed him. We worship Goddess Durga. Goddess Parvati is also revered. Due to their motherly virtue, they get respect and reverence everywhere. That’s why, the people should offer respect to them as mother, sister and daughter so that a peaceful, happy and ideal society can be built.