Sri Bharatamata

Ashtottaram 29

 

29) OṀ STRĪ GAURAVA BHŨMYAINAMAH:

OṀ (AUM) - STREE - GAU -RA - VA - BHOO-

                                          MYAI- NA--MA- HA

 

      (Strī: means- woman, female, lady; Gauravam: means- respect)

 

 

The only country which worships woman as a mother (mātrumurty, mātrudevata) and as goddess is India. Swami Vivekānanda said 'whatever form it may be, the woman occupies the highest pedestal, and the only country that worships the dirt also in a motherly form is my country, it puts a woman as a mother on the high pedestal and worships her.' If the estimate of the excellence of a civilization and culture depends upon the degree of excellence of its women, then, the women of the Vedic age and the epic period prove it beyond all doubt. Vedānta has declared in unequivocal terms that man and woman are two aspects of one and the same divinity. In the Ṛigveda itself about thirty women sages like Viśvavāra, Apāla, Ghosha Kākshivati have been mentioned as the seers of hymns. Gargi and Maitreyi were mentioned in the Upanishads as the seekers of Truth.

 

It is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that even during these dark middleages, many eminent women like Ketalādevi, Nāyakādevi, Ahalyābai Holkar, saints like Mīrābai appeared on the country's horizon keeping the ancient spirit of India alive. With the advent of political freedom and reform movements within Hinduism, the condition and status of women have improved a lot. Over the centuries, the position and status of women has seen several changes. Freedom during the Vedic and the epic ages, the insecurity brought about by the frequent foreign invasions by Muslims, Portuguese, Dutch, French and British, forced the Hindu society to subject women to many restrictions including pre-puberty marriages. Horrible practices like polygamy and self-immolation were abolished totally and monogamy has been enforced after Independence from British in 1947.

 

In our wedding ceremonies, the mantras indicate that the woman is the sāmrajṇi (queen). In the Śakuntala story of Mahābhārata- Sri Vedavyāsa said, the man who insults a woman even with one vulgar word stays eternally in hell. The widower loses the right to perform sacred-rites like Yajṇam, Homaṃ etc. He mentions many positions, titles and roles a woman plays in her husband's life and she is responsible for husband's respect in the society. He goes on and on about the special role a woman plays in a man's life and in essence, everything a man enjoys is due to a woman as a mother, wife, sister, friend, etc. Our Vedas say that for any difficulties a man faces, the only remedy is if his wife next to him. This shows how strong our marriage relationship is. In Ramāyaṇa and Mahābhārata, the role of women was portrayed as strong, brave, self- confident, wise, and loving.

 

The ancient and eternal ideal of the perfect wifehood and the perfect motherhood is still demonstrated in some Hindu women and by their role- play alone, they keep our land as 'Strī Gaurava Bhūmi.'