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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00002 Apr 2003

 
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Women and the Vedas.

Dear Bhagavatars
According to the Sarvanukramanika there as many as 20 women seers among the
authors or seers of the Rig Veda. Some of these may have been mythical
characters but internal evidence reveals the following women seers and their
compositions ? Lopamudraa RV 1:179, Vishvaavaraa RV 5:28, Kurusutee ­ RV
8:65 Apaalaa RV 8:80, Tiraschee RV 8:84, Sikataa Nivaavari RV 9:81 11-20 and
Ghoshaa RV.10:39 & 40. Vatsapree RV 10:45 Vasukra¹s Wife ­ RV 10:28,
Indrani RV 10:145, Sraddhaa RV 10:151, Yamee RV 10:154, Shachi Paulomi RV
10:159, Rakshohaa RV 10:162, Vivrhaa RV 10:163, Sarpa-rajnee RV 10:189

The question arises that if women can be Rishis and compose suktas, why can
they not also chant the suktas? Krishnamachari the great Vadagalai scholar
and Yoga teacher who is responsible for the popularity of Yoga throughout
the world through his two disciples Pattabhi Jois and BKS Ayengar, himself
has encouraged the chanting of the Vedas by all ? irrespective of caste or
gender. 

Anyone who has the ardent desire to learn should be taught, any objections
raised can all be refuted. The shastras are not "comands" but "suggestions"
­ they are there to be give guidance, they are not etched in concrete. All
the Shastras need to be interpreted according to the rules of Mimamsa and
Logic and applied to time, place and circumstances. Blind following of
rulings made 2500 years by some law-givers in this day and age is simply
achronistic and reactionary.

Sri Rama Ramanuja Acharya

{Moderator's note: The last sentence seems to be the opinion of shrI
rAmA rAmAnuja AchArya. I am not sure whether any of our teachers would
classify following the sAstrAs as "reactionary". }




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