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Re: Question regarding Chanting of Vedas by women

From the Bhakti List Archives

M.K. Krishnaswamy • January 28, 2003 


Dear Bhaktas,

In this correspondence so far, there has beeen no direct quote from Vedas itself that lays down an injunction against ladies chanting the Vedas. What we know definitely is only that in the past, our ancestors were following the practice of ladies being Saha-dharmini's only, assisting their husbands in performing the vedic rituals.

There could be any number of reasons for the origin of this injunction against ladies. What we have to consider however, is whether there is any reason now to continue this past practice without reducing the sanctity of the Vedas. Our Dharma follows the healthy principle indicated long afterwards in the following lines of Tennyson in Morte d'Arthur:

Old order changeth, yielding place to new;
And God fulfills himself in many ways -
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.

Unlike other religions, Sanatana Dharma is a constantly evolving Dharma, much like the perennial and purifying river Ganga, renewing itself constantly and thereby continuing to remain fresh, current and pure. (It is still pure in the upper reaches in the Himalayas, as those who undertake the yatra to Badri will confirm!).

In the past, the custom might have been necessary and good, keeping in view the living conditions which prevailed in those days.  So much has changed since then and in such radical ways too. By opting for continuing this old good custom, we might be denying the healthy development of interest in the Vedas and the spreading of vedic teachings in the present times.  Many ladies who have excelled in academic persuits and engaged in public service are competent to study Vedic scriptures and contribute their profound thinking on various issues. Why deny the Vedas that we revere the active and dynamic support of 51% of the population and restrict it to Males only many of whom, perhaps, fulfill only the qualification based on gender. We need many more individuals of the caliber of Gargi, Maitreyi and Andal to propogate Vedic teachings in this materialistic-value-centered age and times.

Let us thank our ancestors for not prescribing a rigid, unchangeable constitution in the Vedas and barring the ladies for all times.  For, if they had done so, our religion could not be the unique sanatana dharma that it is today -- with strenth and vitality that comes only through the medium of change, enabling more of us to choose and travel on the path to the changeless One.

Dasan,
Krishnaswamy M.K.  




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