There are many people who claim that Ramayan is a highly patriarchal text and oppressive of women. These claims come from pseudo feminists and leftists who have nothing better to do than spread false propagandas.
So I thought why not analyse some of the key roles women have played in Ramayan. Although there are many great and not so great women in this history we will be focusing on only a few, namely - Kaushalya, Kaikeyi, Anusuiya, Tara, Mandodari and Mata Sita.
We are discussing only these 6 women, because through them we can understand the role of women in the history of Ramayan and in Vedic era.
We will be taking some shlokas from Valmiki Ramayan as our references.
1) KAUSHALYA
Most of us who are in our right minds, revere Shri Ram as an ideal son, a loving husband, a caring brother, a reliable friend, an extremely powerful warrior and the most righteous king.
The strength of the tree lies in its roots, which help it stand tall and strong in every weather conditions, good or bad.
And the root of Raghava is Kaushalya, the mother of the lord who always taught him to follow the path of Dharma and Satya.
Even while Shri Ram was going to the forest, Kaushalya says this -
यम् पालयसि धर्मम् त्वम् धृत्या च नियमेन च।
सवै राघवशार्दुला धर्मस्त्वामभिरक्षतु ॥
"Rama! Let the Dharma, which you are fostering with courage and discipline, protect you".
- Ayodhya Kanda 25.3
Kaushalya is the ideal mother of the ideal son. It is because of her nurturing that Shri Ram became Mariyada Purushottam.
In the text, he is also referred to as Kaushalyasupraja-rama and Dasharathadharma. So you see a son is being addressed by both the names of his parents. This shows the significance of a mother not just in the life of a person.
Is this not equality ?
2) KAIKEYI
It is a well known fact that Kaikeyi was a great warrior queen. And impressed by her valor and quick thinking that saved his life, Dashrath gave her two boons.
स्मर राज्ज् पुरा वृत्तं तस्मिन् दैवासुरे रणे ।
तत्र चाच्यावयच्छत्रुस्तव जीवतमन्तरा ||
तत्र चापि मया देव यत्त्वं समभिरक्षितः |
जाग्रत्या यतमानायास्ततो मे प्राददा वरौ ॥
"Oh, King! Remember what happened in the battle between Devas & Asuras. The enemy destroyed almost every thing except your life.
I fought this battle along with you & saved your life."
- Ayodhya Kanda 11.18 & 19.
This shows that women were trained to be warriors and could accompany men in the war, plus their accomplishments were recognised and rewarded.
Is this oppression of women ?
3) MAHASATI ANUSUIYA
During their vanvas, Shri Ram, Mata Sita and Lakshman ji reach the ashram of Rishi Atri, where he proudly introduces them to his wife Mahasati Anusuiya.
दश वर्षाण्य् अनावृष्ट्या दग्धे लोके निरन्तरम् ||
यया मूल फले सृष्टे जाहनवी च प्रवर्तिता |
उग्रेण तपसा युक्ता नियमैः च अप्य् अलम्कृता ||
दश वर्ष सहस्राणि यया तप्तम् महत् तपः ।
अनसूया व्रतैः तात प्रत्यूहाः च निबर्हिताः ||
देव कार्य निमित्तम् च यया सत्वरमाणया ।
दश रात्रम् कृत्वा रात्रिः सा इयम् माता इव ते अनघ ॥
-Ayodhya Kanda 117.9 to 11
"Rama ! When this place was doomed with draught for 10 years, this virtuous woman, my wife Anasuya with her tapasya, produced fruits & food, made the River Jahnavi to flow through here. She fed all the living beings here & stood as a mother. She is also like a mother to you, Rama."
Here, she is depicted as a spiritual master, with great power due to her Satitva. Her spiritual powers most probably exceeded that of Rishi Atri himself, but he is not ashamed of it.
The husband taking so much pride in introducing his wife, shows how much he himself revered her.
OH MY GOD ! WHERE IS THE BRAHMINICAL PATRIARCHY !? WHAT WILL THE PSEUDO FEMINISTS SMASH !?
*coughs* Ramayan ki baat ho rahi hai... Apna dimag gutter se nikalo nirlajjo !
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A/N
The chapter was getting long, hence we will look into the remaining three great ladies in the next chapter.
I got these new information from the YouTube channel PROJECT SHIVOHAM, check it out it's very informative.
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عشوائيA book of our glorious history, facts and myths. What we have been told vs what actually happened.
