Girl Child in Vedas

Vedas On girl child
यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवता: !
यत्रेतास्तु न पूज्यन्ते सर्वास्तत्राफला: क्रिया: !! मनु:
Prosperity reigns supreme where women are held in high esteem. All their actions fail to bring wellbeing, where women are held in disrespect.
This has been a uniquely Indian tradition from Vedic times, and is not found in any other world civilization.
Modern world society seeks to draw attention to important issues, by assigning a DAY to each issue. Not inappropriately, we have a ‘Girl Child’ day also. This day should also help us to do a little introspection on the state of our society.
Our elitist educated class in imitating the west is seeking for women in the Indian society an equal opportunity statute.
Swami Vivekand was asked by an American in 1890, if women enjoyed status equal to men in India. Eloquent Swami ji is reported to have dumb founded Indians in his audience by saying ‘NO’, and then after a pause, 'The women India are accorded a higher status than men.'
In the above quote from Manu it is stated that all efforts of a society to achieve well fare for its people bear no fruit, if the women in that society are not treated with respect.
Reflecting on the state of our Indian society today, we witness even our elected leaders, surrounded by high security, constantly living under fear of violent attacks by members of our own society. Daily violent attacks on innocent people, miseries and crimes against society fill the front page space in our media. We are witnessing hunger, poverty, social, educational inequalities. Worsening food security and food safety are of great concern. Adverse climate changes seem to be beyond our control. With all the advances of sciences and technology in the modern world, with the best of intentions, think tanks, task forces, missions and commissions, we find all our efforts slipping, in addressing these problems. Has the mankind ‘really’ made real progress?
It may come as a surprise that description of such a society is found verbatim in Vedas.
“Where the truth speaking learned men and honest citizens do not enjoy, free speech; Where there is no audience to hear sane voices of reason; Where members of its society are maltreated because they are poor, meek and soft; Where girl child and women are left uncared, unkempt, unsafe, and exploited; Where learning, education, knowledge and scholarship are not given due importance and Where the unborn fetuses are aborted."
There the king and his bejeweled consort, even under best of security feel threatened and spend sleepless nights in their chambers. High remunerations paid to the employees in administration, services and defense forces fail to ensure expected good performances.
Where prosperity earned out of honest living is not adulated, Health from good milk giving cows, good food from fertile fields and bulls and lotus bearing ponds are missed, Strong horses are not yoked to the chariots, People plunder, exploit and shed blood of each other, Brothers cheat and kill each other, Calamities rain on the society, like thunder bolts from the sky, or rain of blazing hot lava rocks.”
Vedas point out that this situation is brought about by not understanding the role of women in inculcating right values in the society and by the unmindful neglect of the female of the species.
Girl child starting from her birth, growing through infancy, adolescence, puberty and marriage, performs the role of continuing the human society by giving birth to new generations.
Mother is the first teacher to cultivate sense for aesthetics to avoid ugliness in life and cultivate the right value system for the human society by proper family upbringing of the young ones. Vedas attribute this most important role assigned by nature to the female of the species.
Rig Veda and Atharva Veda mention the deliberation of the divine forces on this subject, when female of the species was created. Role of females in society, duties of the society in development of the full potential of female talents, and finally the consequences of abrogation and neglect by the society of its duties towards the welfare of female, are the topics covered very exhaustively in Vedas. It is left to the learned audience to judge as to how relevant and erudite are these ideas, even in the light of modern sociology.
It may be considered inappropriate but the truth of the matter is that this present state of our Indian society is that of a 'TALIBANISED' society. Is it not the hall mark of most Islamic nations in which girl child and female of the species is not accorded due respect and protection, and treated as very inferior? It may not be out of place to mention that according to Christian and Islamic scriptures females did not have a soul.
From Vedas वेदों से
On the conceived Role of Female in building Human Society
1-.तेS वदन् प्रथमा ब्रह्मकिल्विषे S कूपार: सलिलो मातरिश्वा ! वीडुहरास्तप उग्रं मयोभूरापो देवी: प्रथमजा: ऋतस्य !! ऋ10/109/1, अथर्व 5/17/1
“In the beginning three devataas viz. akoopaar, salilo and matarishwa, (Solar energy, the primordial soup and the moving winds laden with microbes) - that had taken part in creation of the physical humans, te awadan- deliberated among themselves. To brahmkilvishe - plan for preventing degradation of human society by Veeduharaastapugram - defeating the fires of strong dominating commandeering forces, of ugliness, violence, gross selfishness and over confidence uncivilized behavior, by mayobhoorapo dousing these fire with cool waters. For this prathamaaja devee first born female was conceived by ritasya – by God almighty’s wisdom.
(Invincible Samson was cooled off by Delilah in bible) Vedas are in fact giving the same allegorical interpretation, but in a more comprehensive and scientific form, as follows.
2- सोमो राजा प्रथमो ब्रह्मजायां पुनः प्रायच्छदहृणीयमानः ।
अन्वर्तिता वरुणो मित्र आसीदग्निर्होता हस्तगृह्या निनाय॥ ऋ10-109-2, अथर्व 5-17-2
सोमस्य जाया प्रथमं गन्धर्वस्तेऽपरः पतिः।
तृतीयो अग्निष्टे पतिस्तुरीयस्ते मनुष्यजाः॥ अथर्व 14-1-3, ऋ 10-85-40
सोमो ददद्‌ गन्धर्वाय गन्धर्वो ददग्नये।
रयिं च पुत्रश्चादादग्निर्मह्यमथो इमाम्‌॥ अथर्व14-2-4, ऋ10-85-41
These three Ved mantras also occurring in different places explain the same three stages in the development of the female temperament.
In the beginning is what modern science refers to the age before formation of 'the blood brain barrier' in the children i.e. up to about 4 years age. According to our Shastras the girl child is under the guardianship of Soma.
Vedas elaborate on Soma as god of intellect and poetically describe Soma being the first husband of the females during their infancy.
(Modern science tells us that that DHA (Decosa Hexaenoic Acid) and EPA (Ecosa Pentaenoic Acid) are the two fatty acids that power the human brain in all its activities related to human faculties. DHA is particularly associated with eyesight. Both DHA and EPA are made in the human body from ALA the Omega 3 fatty acids.
In young females capacity for conversion of dietary Omega 3 to DHA is nearly 20 higher and EPA is nearly three times higher than males. Thus it is the female of the species that has been given the extra responsibility to ensure good brains, eye sight, the intellectual strength for the human progeny.
Nature has thus provided the females with a far superior role in building a human society than men, because to start with only sharp and farsighted brains ensure a sustainable happy society.
This fact is borne out by the observation that in modern society not only in India but even in the Ivy league colleges in USA, girls are regularly obtaining the academic laurels far ahead of boys. This is no different from Indian experience. Girls are seen to be snatching the top scholastic positions in all examinations in India.
This is the scientific basis of the unique Vedic Culture that addresses the girl child as an object of veneration and the females to be accorded high position and treated with respect in society.
In the second stage till the age of puberty around 12/13 years, during adolescence the girl child is possessed by Gandharvas.
Gandharwas represents aesthetics, all that is beautiful, delicate, sensitive, empathic and virtuous in this world. In visuals the talent for appreciation of beauty, in nature, arts, physical forms, and ability to replicate the same in paintings/sculptures and such visual art forms. In audiovisual areas gandharwas, would represent good sounds, music, dance forms and drama, good vocal abilities, creative writings. Sensitivity for harmonious relations and peace loving attitudes, delicacy, creativity are the gifts to humanity of the Gandhrwas. A girl child through her teens remains preoccupied with these artistic pursuits. These natural traits of females must be given full opportunities to develop. Females thus become the embodiment of these qualities for the human race. Poetically Vedas describe the Gandhrwas as the second husbands of the females.)
In the third stage, with development of physical body functions, in Vedic language female body is as if afire with – the flesh gets stronger - by कामाग्नि.
Female becomes ready for taking on her role of a wife by being married to a human being. And thus bring forth good progeny for progress and continuation of human society.
3-हस्तेनैव ग्राह्यआधिरस्या ब्रह्मजायेयमिति चेदवोचन्‌ ।
न दूताय प्रह्ये तस्थ एषा तथा राष्ट्रं गुपितं क्षत्रियस्य॥ ऋ 10-109-3अथर्व 5-17-3
But it is also said that at this age to prevent the young females from being led astray, they require protective hand holding, just like a nation whose safety and security is ensured by the Kshatriyas.
4-यामाहुस्तारकैषा विकेशीति दुच्छनां ग्राममवपद्यमानाम्‌ ।
जाया वि दुनोति राष्ट्रं यत्र प्रापादि शश उल्कुषीमान्‌ ॥ अथर्व-5-17-4
(It is at this stage here that this first Veda mantra is added by Atharwa Veda as a further elucidation of the subject.)
Symbolized like unkempt hair of neglected deprived women, are the grown up undisciplined-unprincipled and ignorant females. When they bear children they propagate ignorance and lack of wise counsel to their young offspring. This brings to bear upon the society as a great scourge, like the destructive thunder bolts falling from the sky.
5-ब्रह्मचारी चरति वेविषद्विषः स-देवानां भवत्येकमङ्‌गम्‌ ।
तेन जायामन्वविदद्‌बृहस्पतिः सोमेन नीतां जुह्वं ने देवाः ॥
ऋ 10-109-5 अथर्व 5-17-5
Brahmcharis the young well educated learned youth have ability to take even the fallen women and bring them to flower, their hidden potential to bear good progeny for intellectual progress of the human race as originally the Gods had desired.
6-देवा वा एतस्यामवदन्त पूर्वे सप्तऋषयस्तपसे ये निषेदुः ।
भीमा जाया ब्राह्मणस्योपनीता दुर्धां दधाति परमे व्योमन्‌ ॥
On this subject, based on the observation and experience of the elders through Saptrishis –The seven observers.
(SevenRishis are named Kashyap,Atri,Bharadwaj, Jamadagni, Gautam. The seven sensory organs two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and mouth are also described as representing these Seven Rishis) i.e. basically what could be called 'media reports', it was expressed that women who are led astray by kidnapping or enticing, bring to bear upon the society very heavy social calamities, and it is the duty of the media to highlight such issues.
7- ये गर्भा अवपद्यन्ते जगद्‌ यच्चापलुप्यते।
वीरा ये तृह्यन्ते मिथो ब्रह्मजाया हिनस्ति तान्‌॥ अथर्व 5-17-7
Even female fetuses that are destroyed bring forth in the society an atmosphere of rampant violence where chivalrous, strong men start violence and fights among themselves. This is seen as the curse of female fetuses destroyed.
8-उत यत्‌ पतयो दश स्त्रियाः पूर्वे अब्राह्मणाः।
ब्रह्मा चे द्वस्तमग्रहीत्‌ स एव पतिरेकधा ॥ अथर्व-5-17-8
But a fallen woman even if she has been exploited by tens of men, finally gets accepted in a proper marriage to a good virtuous man, she is rehabilitated as being married to one man.
9-ब्राह्मण एव पतिर्न राजन्यो3 न वैश्यः।
तत्‌ सूर्यः प्रब्रुवन्नेति पञ्चभ्यो मानवेभ्यः ॥ अथर्व 5-17-9
Like the illuminating light of the sun on the entire earth, this fact should also be very well known in the world that all people must develop their intellect. Merely on the strength of acquiring a higher status of a ruler over men, or a big warrior or a big moneyed person in life, no body acquires the qualification to be a good parent to father a progeny by taking a wife.
10-पुनर्वै देवा अददुः पुनर्मनुष्या उत । राजानः सत्यं कृण्वाना ब्रह्म जायां पुनर्ददुः ॥ ऋ 10-109-6 अथर्व 5-17-10
In case of any female if kidnapped or exploited, it becomes the duty of the state to rescue her and rehabilitate her in the society with due respect.
11-पुनर्दाय ब्रह्मजाया कृत्वी देवैर्निल्बिषम्‌ ।
ऊर्जं पृथिव्या भक्तवायो रुगायमुपासते ॥ ऋ 10-109-7 अथर्व 5-17-11
Such women are considered innocent of any crime, and if need arises their rehabilitation should be at state expense.
12-नास्य जाया शतवाही कल्याणी तल्पमा शये ।
यस्मिन राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्या ॥ अथर्व 5-17-12
Even the ruler protected/surrounded by hundreds of security force does not feel secure enough, to have a sound sleep in his chamber, in a Nation where females are commandeered/forced upon against their free will.
13-न विकर्णः पृथुशिरास्तस्मिन्वेश्मनि जायते ।
यस्मिन्‌ राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्या ॥ अथर्व 5-17-13
That nation/society becomes deaf/ignorant to the voice of the people and no intellectual scholars grow, where females are commandeered/forced upon against their free will.
14-नास्य क्षत्ता निष्कग्रीवः सूनानामेत्यग्रतः ।
यस्मिन्‌ राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्या ॥ अथर्व 5-17-14
Chivalrous strong men do not show up in nations, where females are commandeered /forced upon against their free will.
15-नास्य श्वेतः कृष्णकर्णो धुरि युक्तो महीयते ।
यस्मिन्‌ राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्या ॥ अथर्व 5-17-15
By not being able to mount the horses in their chariots - to perform Aswamedh yagna - That nation/state loses face and influence in the world, where females are commandeered/forced upon against their free will.
16-नास्य क्षेत्रे पुष्करिणी नाण्डीकं जायते बिसम्‌ ।
यस्मिन्‌ राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्या ॥ अथर्व 5-17-16
Water bodies do not sport lotus flowers and the lotus flowers do not bear seeds to propagate themselves, - The environment suffers, where females are commandeered/forced upon against their free will.
17-नास्मै पृश्नि वे दुहन्ति ये ऽस्या दोहमुपासते ।
यस्मिन्‌ राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्या ॥ अथर्व 5-17-17
Cows are no longer able to provide good quantities of milk, where females are commandeered /forced upon against their free will.
18-नास्य धेनुः कल्याणी नानड्‌वान्त्सहते धुरम्‌ ।
विजानिर्यत्र ब्राह्मणो रात्रिं वसति पापया ॥ अथर्व-5-17-18
Neither the cows bring welfare to society nor oxen get yoked, and without active participation of the women in the society, men are given to crime in night life.