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Question on women and the Vedas

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KESHAVA B. PRASAD • January 27, 2003 


Harihi Om

As long as Srivaishnavas accept Sri Lakshmi, the consort of Srimannarayana and Andal, one among the Alwars, as members of our lineage of Acharyas, common sense should dictate that there is no logical reason to prohibit women from chanting Vedas. The belief is perhaps, unfounded and purely prejudicial.

The only drawback if one wants to call it that,  is a personal observation of mine which is, women's vocal chords are not designed to generate the kind of tenre and deep sounds that experts say are needed in reciting Vedas. It is only men who are likely to have these vocal characteristics. My wife and I recite Suktas together sometimes and she feels humiliated and will not be able to continue if I start with a style that I have learned to recite the suktas. In deference to her, I have to subdue my own recitation style and believe me that I will not have the satisfaction of having recited the sukta well at the end of it. But that's life in 21st Century. Since sounds, syllables, punctuation, accentuation and pronunciation are big part of reciting Vedas, it will not be without reason to believe that recitation of Vedas became a forte of men and women were out of the competition!

This is only my humble opinion.

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan
Keshava Prasad

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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