3.56. The society that provides respect and dignity to women flourishes
with nobility and prosperity. And a society that does not put women on
such a high pedestal has to face miseries and failures regardless of how
so much noble deeds they perform otherwise.
3.55. A father, brother, husband or brother-in-law should keep their daughter, sister, wife or sister-in-law happy
and pleased through gentle words, respectful behavior, gifts etc. Those
who desire prosperity should ensure that women in their family are
always happy and do not face miseries.
3.57. A family where women
remain unhappy due to misdeeds of their men is bound to be destroyed.
And a family where women are always happy is bound to prosper forever.
3.58. A family- where women feel insulted or discriminated against and
curse their menfolk- is destroyed in same manner as poison kills all
those who eat it.
3.59. One desiring glory should ensure that he
keeps women in the family by giving them respect and pleasing them with
good ornaments, dresses, food. Women should always be revered under all
circumstances.
3.62. A person who does not keep her wife happy
causes misery for entire family. And if wife is happy, entire family
appears as happiness incarnate.
9.26. Women give birth to next
generation. They enlighten the home. They bring fortune and bliss. Hence
women are synonymous to Prosperity.
This shloka forms the basis of women being called Ghar ki Laxmi or ‘Goddess of Fortune in Home‘ in India even till today.
9.28. Woman is the source of all kinds of happiness in all generations –
be it from children, or from noble benevolent deeds or through conjugal
bliss or through service of elders.
In other words, woman is the
primary source of bliss in many forms – sometimes as mother, sometimes
as daughter, sometimes as wife and sometimes as a partner in spiritual
deeds. It also means that participation of women is necessary for
conduct of any religious or spiritual activity.
9.96. Man and Woman
are incomplete without each other. Hence the most ordinary religious
duty would demand participation of both.
Thus, those who deny Vedas or Vedic rituals to women are anti-Hindu and anti-Humanity.
4.180. A wise man should not indulge in fights and arguments with his family members including mother, daughter and wife.
9.4. A father who does not marry his daughter to a deserving groom
deserves condemnation. A husband who does not fulfill just demands of
her wife deserves condemnation. A son who does not take care of her
widow mother deserves condemnation.
Polygamy is a sin
9.101. Husband and Wife should remain together till death. They should
not approach any other partner, nor commit adultery. This, in summary,
is the Dharma or religion of all human beings.
Thus those societies
which justify polygamy or sex-slavery or temporary marriage are bound to
suffer miseries because they neglect the core tenet of Dharma.
Autonomy of Women
9.11. Women should be provided autonomy and leadership in managing the
finances, maintaining hygiene, spiritual and religious activities,
nutrition and overall management of home.
The shloka clearly puts
aside false claims that women do not have right to conduct religious
rituals of Vedas. On contrary, women should lead such rituals. Thus all
those people who suggest that women do not have right to study or
practice Vedas are against Manu and Vedas. Such bigoted people are the
cause for misery of the nation. We should simply not tolerate such
mindsets that demean women.
9.12. A woman who is kept constrained in
a home by noble men (husband, father, son) is still insecure. Thus it
is futile to restrict women. Security of women would come only through
her own capabilities and mindset.
This shloka explains the futility
to attempting to restrict a woman to home in name of providing her
security. On contrary, to secure her, she should be given the right
training so that she can defend herself and avoid getting misled by bad
company. The prevailing notion of cornering women within a small home is
against Manu’s ideology.
Protection of Women
9.6. Even a weak husband should attempt to protect his wife.
9.5 Women should keep themselves away from vices. Because when women lose character, the entire society is destroyed.
5.149. A woman should always ensure that she is protected. It is duty of father, husband and son to protect her.
Please note that this protection does not imply restriction as clear
from verse 9.12 cited in previous section. But a society that does not
protect its womenfolk from attacks of perverts writes its own destiny of
doom.
It is because of this inspiration that many a brave warriors
laid their lives to protect the dignity of their women when butchers
from West and Central Asia invaded our nation. The sacrifices of
Alha-Udal and valor of Maharana Pratap brings a gush of glory in our
blood.
Its a shame that despite such a chivalrous foundation of our
culture, we have women either oppressed in backyard of homes or
commoditized as sensual-items instigating lust. When we ourselves have
turned invaders instead of protectors of dignity of women, who can help
us!
Marriage of Women
9.89. It is better to keep the daughter unmarried than force her to marry an undeserving person.
9.90-91. A woman can choose her own husband after attaining maturity.
If her parents are unable to choose a deserving groom, she can herself
choose her husband.
Thus the concept of parents deciding the groom
for their daughter is against Manu. A mature daughter has full rights to
choose her husband. Parents act as facilitators for the marriage and
not final decision makers, as wrongly practiced in many societies.
Property Rights of Women
9.130. A daughter is equivalent to a son. In her presence, how can any one snatch away her right over the property.
9.131. A daughter alone has the right over personal property of her mother.
Thus, as per Manu, while daughter has equal share as her brothers over
property of her father, she has exclusive rights over property of her
mother. The reason for this special treatment of women is to ensure that
women are never at mercy of anyone. After all happy dignified women
form the foundation of a happy society!
9.212-213. If a person has
no kins or wife, then his wealth be distributed equally among his
brothers and sisters. If the elder brother refuses to give due share to
other brothers and sisters, he is punishable by law.
To further
ensure safety of women, Manu recommended harsh punishments for those who
rob away wealth of a woman, even if they are her relatives.
8.28-29. If a woman is alone because she has no children, or no men to
provide for her security in her family, or is widow, or whose husband
has gone abroad, or who is unwell, then it is duty of the government to
ensure her safety and security. If her wealth is robbed by her relatives
or friends, then the government should provide strict punishment to the
culprits and have her wealth returned back.
Prohibition of Dowry
3.52. Those relatives who rob away or thrive on wealth, property,
vehicles or dresses of a woman or her family are wiliest of people.
Thus any kind of dowry is a strict NO NO as per Manu Smriti. No one should dare attempt to take away the property of a woman.
The next shloka takes this concept further and states that even
slightest exchange of tangible items amounts to sale/purchase and hence
against principles of noble marriage. In fact Manu Smriti suggests that a
marriage along with dowry is marriage of ‘Devils’ or Asuri Vivah.
Strict Punishment for harming Women
8.323. Those who abduct women should be given death sentence.
9.232. Those who kill women, children or scholarly virtuous people should be given strictest punishment.
8.352. Those who rape or molest women or incite them into adultery
should be given harshest punishment that creates fear among others to
even think of such a crime.
Interestingly, a judge of sessions court
suggested today that castration seems the best punishment to prevent
alarming increase in rape cases. Refer We are in agreement with such a
law.
8. 275. One should be punished if he puts false allegations or demeans mother, wife or daughter.
8.389. Those who abandon their mother, father, wife or children without any reasonable reason should face severe punishments.
Ladies First
The concept of Ladies First seems to originate from Manu Smriti.
2.138. A man in a vehicle should give way to the following – aged
person, diseased person, one carrying burden, groom, king, student and a
woman.
3.114. One should feed the following even before feeding the guests – newly married women, girls, and pregnant women.
May we all work together to implement this true Manuvaad by showering
respect and ensuring dignity of the motherly force. How else can
prosperity be restored in the society, nation and world?
References: Works of Dr Surendra Kumar, Pt Gangaprasad Updhyaya, and Swami Dayanand Saraswati
