“Om bhurbhuvah swah tatsaviturvarenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayat”
The moment I posted this on my facebook wall and tweeted it, I was bombarded with comments and private messages from my girl friends stating, “Hey don’t you know, girls are not supposed to chant gayatri mantra”!
I asked them, “Why shouldn’t girls chant Gayatri mantra”? You will be surprised to know that more than half of these people didn’t know the answer to this question. All they just know is “Girls cannot chant it”.
Being unsatisfied with their answers, over this taboo, the “curious” me started frantically rummaging Google for answers. I started typing all possible key strokes combination and finally, Google was courteous enough to throw me right answers.
Before proceeding further, lets understand this powerful mantra:
Om bhurbhuvah swah tatsaviturvarenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayat
Om! Brahma or Almighty God
Bhuh embodiment of vital spiritual energy (Pran)
bhuvah destroyer of sufferings
swah embodiment of happiness
tat that
savituh bright, luminous like the Sun
varenyam best, most exalted
bhargo destroyer of sins
devasya divine
dhimahi may imbibe
dhiyo intellect
yo who
nah our
prachodayat may inspire
In short, the literal meaning of “Gayatri Mantra” is:
“God! You are Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Almighty.
You are all Light. You are all Knowledge and Bliss.
You are Destroyer of fear; You are Creator of this Universe,
You are the Greatest of all. We bow and meditate upon your light.
You guide our intellect in the right direction”
This mantra is the most powerful mantra in Hinduism,which when chanted accurately, will bestow: strength, knowledge, bliss, right path,courage, success and glory upon the chanter.The chanter can also acquire high mental power,by chanting this mantra.
I chant Gayatri mantra while performing puja. Whenever I am in stress ,solitude,depression, or even before exams, I have chanted this mantra. I can feel the adrenaline rush of new energy, strength,courage and power, everytime I have chanted it. It also gives me mental strength and boosts my confidence. I see my worries fading away and new happiness and hope rushing in. I can feel all the negative energy within me fading away.
->Why women were not allowed to chant this mantra in olden days?
During the vedic age,in south India, men commanded the family. They chanted vedas, performed yagnas, rites and rituals; while women were confined to cooking,cleaning utensils, keeping the house clean,etc. Women were refrained from chanting vedas or perfoming/assisting in rituals.
Chanting this mantra bestows light, knowledge, power and strength on the bestower. Since women were the downtrodden lot in olden age, men didn’t allow women to chant this mantra, in the fear of being over powered with the fruits of chanting this mantra.
This mantra was also passed on to the younger men during their Upanayana(thread) ceremony. During this ceremony,the son sits on his father’s lap and his father whispers Gayatri mantra into the son’s ear. Men chant mantra in praise of Goddess Gayatri,who is a woman, to gain empowerment, and in turn prevent women from chanting it. Irony, isn’t it? 🙂 😉
On the contradictory, mother plays a significant role during upanaya, as she prepares her son to go to gurukula to receive the formal education; when she herself was the first teacher to the child after the birth. Therefore she has every right to know what the child is going to learn. How can you refrain women from knowing or chanting this mantra?
This mantra is supposedly for Nitya Karma for men: meaning, it should be performed daily,without fail,before sunrise and sunset by men.Since women undergo menstrual cycle every month, they were not allowed to chant this mantra.
But my question is: “Women also perform puja daily,of course,except the days of their menstrual period. So,will they be refrained from performing puja too,citing “menstrual” reasons?
Arya Samaj, Hindu Reforms movements and AWGP (All world Gayatri Pariwar) strongly advocates for women to chant Gayatri mantra, to enjoy the same fruits of success enjoyed by men. It only pleads for this mantra to be chanted and pronounced accurately and in extremely careful manner, to prevent getting harmed by, high levels of energy generated while chanting them.
According to AWGP, “A girl student named Kumari Kalyani wanted to seek admission to a course in which Vedas were taught in Banaras Hindu University. The authorities refused to grant admission according to the prevalent belief on the ground that a woman, according to Shastras, had no right to chant Ved-mantras. This controversy continued for quite a long time. A paper “Sarvadeshik” published several articles in support of the right of women to study Vedas while the other paper “Sidhanta” took an opposite view. A deputation of Arya Samajists met University authorities and there was prolonged discussion on the subject. Ultimately, the University appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya in which several Vedic scholars were included. The committee, after a thorough study of the shastras, gave a finding that women have the same right as men in respect of Vedas. Mahamana Malviyaji, who was considered as the standard bearer of Sanatan Dharma, announced this decision of the committee on 22nd August 1946. Kumari Kalyani was accordingly admitted to the course in which Vedas were taught and it was finally decided that henceforth women would have the right to study Vedas and there would be no discrimination on grounds of sex. What can be said about the wisdom of those persons who still persist in saying that women have no right to worship Gayatri when this controversy has been settled once for all by eminent persons like Malviyaji? The names of several learned women of the ancient times are still famous. References are found in Vedas about several women rishis being authors of several Ved-Mantras.”
Interestingly,Gayatri is the other name for Sun. Since Sun is the creator of every creature in this world, the same way, mother is the source of everybody in this world. So how can women be deprived of chanting “Gayatri” mantra?
References:
1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arya_Samaj
2) http://rewa.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/why-cant-we-chant-gayatri-mantra/
3) http://gayatri.awgp.org/ImportanceofGayatri/Womensrighttodogayatrisadhana/
4) http://scienceandgayatrimantra.blogspot.com/
5) http://www.kishore.org/2006/12/29/who-can-chant-gayatri-mantra/
6) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_reform_movements
7) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayatri_mantra
"Striking ARROW"!! 
May be in the old days, Women were barred from saying this mantra, but in today’s world, this is a myth. One of the most famous singers to sing the Gayatri Mantra was Anuradha Paudwal. The song is very soulful to hear.
Thanks Sugeeth 😉 true
its got to do something of vibrations.this mantra has power to invoke some super human capabilities that are locked by some chakra’s in body.. gayatri mantra has got got enormous powers and most of men and women are not able to withstand the energy generated by it…this energy comes from the Sun and cosmos.
this mantra is effective only when it is given to someone by his guru..its not as simple as we think.
only yogis and sadhus who have performed deep penance and practice are able to use it for good.
but we must remember another thing. every thing has got a good and bad side. if the mantra is exploited by evil people, then some major damage can by done. so this mantra is locked..and its true power is seen only when it is passed on to a deserving sadhak by his guru.
so, in short – dont recite it because you got an urge to break old laws or because you think its fashionable to recite mantras.
Women cannot withstand enormous power? Dude, do u know how much pain is caused during delivery? Even men cannot withstand it!! When women can withstand even delivery pain, they can withstand everything!
Also, this post is not due to urge to break old traditions or be fashionable! This post is to show how some taboos are blindly followed, explained and flawed!
Archer,
I don’t see anything mentioned by Harshad, which was specific to women.. his statements were generalized. You have a very good point in your blog and I completely agree with you, but you don’t need to show feministic attitude here, that only makes women look defensive and weak!!
thank you… even i didnt know it…and i didnt knw tht women were not allowed to chant .. bcoz my mom does it.. but thnks for the insight.. very well written.. keep it up..
Thanks a lot Umesh 😉
@Dronegal,
Good article! I completely agree there shd be no discrimination on the grounds of gender. Women must also have the opportunity to learn vedas and recite mantras as per their choice and liking. Indeed this mis-notion is prevelent in the Brahmin community today. Hope this goes away gradually.
Ravindranath,
Thanks. The issue here is “blind following” and “blind faith” without questioning…
It is honestly absurd to say that Women can not chant Gayathri Mantra.
It was an imposition that the ‘Brahmin’ dominance did to Hindus by and large for their sake of survival. The Brahmins could, would and never did any work at all. At some point in time in history, they were accorded the caretakership of temples and idols. This, over the years receded to a selfishly proclaimed dynastic profession where physical indulgence was not required. It was a culmination of sheer laziness camouflaged with divinity that kept the other masses from questioning them. The untouchability was a direct consequence of the Brahminic parochialism. What then was merely a practice soon eroded to form a social and cultural norm and over the years got rooted into our society such that though Kings ruled nations, the Brahmins controlled everything. No doubt they were an educated class in theology and instead of imparting its subtlety to others, they kept it to themselves. All intolerances you find in the Hindu system of living is a direct cascading of what was one left behind by the Brahmins of yesteryear’s.
World has changed over the years and there is no religious document as such that dictates women should not chant Gayathri Mantra. Yes, the monthly cycle is a curse for women especially when it comes to serving God where cleanliness is deemed predominant. Hence, a refrain to that effect is understandable. Women, for that matter, are not allowed to SabariMala too simply because of this reason. But that is the case with our very own Pooja Room too. Once during a month, the Lamp in the Pooja Room is not lit by the women in the house because of their curse. Therefore, apart from biological reasons, there is no logical explanations why Gayathri Mantra should not be chanted by women. And if it did exist at some point in time, it was purely because of Brahminic dominance.
A nice blog Swathi. Very interesting subject too.
Sir,
Brahmins were indeed the educated lot of the society. I disagreee that they did not impart their knowledge. They did impart the knowledge using Gurukuls. I strongly condemn depriving women of rights like performing yagnas,rituals,death ceremonies etc. WHY should women be disallowed at Sabarimala etc? WHY should they not allowed to chant Gayatri Mantra?
Regarding menstrual period, Its very sad that they thought that it is a sin to women. Its due to mentsrual period, women can give birth to babies. So,if they consider menstrual period as sin, so is even reproduction a sin?
Many theories are seriously flawed and need constant questioning..
WHY should women be disallowed at Sabarimala etc?
Unlike today, in Early times, the road from pampai to the temple used to be horrible. It used to be ridden with thorns and stones and also it used to be very slopy and difficult to walk , especially during the return trip downwards. I guess from there comes the sentence of the song – ” Kallum Mullum.. Kaalukku Methai..”
It was probably believed that during the menses times, the woman becomes physically weak and cannot undertake such a journey. ( I think this might have been the reason since small girls and old women are allowed in Sabarimalai.). The weight of the irumudi on the head also needs to be taken into consideration. I think now with improved travel conditions, this could be a debatable issue as to whether women can now be allowed in sabarimala. Interestingly though, women are allowed to participate in the patha yathirai to Palani.
Sugeeth,
Thanks for your insight. I agree that previously journey was tiresome,dangerous and pathetic. But now conditions have improved. Women should not be forbidden from certain things citing “menstrual reasons”. This is wrong
it is not actually that.As you might know, the viratham is for 48 continuous days which we women cannot do it cont. Every reason may not be related to gender difference. Just for your information, it is still believed by many 1000s of ayyapan bakthargal that the devi temple on the way to ayyapan (sorry i forgot the exact location) is still considered to have her menstrual cycle every month. it has been seen by people living there. the only reason why ladies(of certain age group) are not allowed coz ayyapan is a kanni swami( not married).
AFAICT you’ve covreed all the bases with this answer!
Dear Swati,
Good description and a fine discourse giving us all reference material of this powerful mantra, which I religiously chant 25 times a day everyday. I liked all that you said in terms of giving us the meaning.
Be that as it may, I feel that this topic is not relevant in today’s context when many learned vidwans have already said that Gayatri Mantra is for all. Elders in my family have never given us any such instruction or advice. In my home all of us chant Gayatri Mantra, my wife and D-I-L included. Nor have I seen this in any of the discourses I have attended. I have visited Pandit Shri Ram Sharma Acharya’s Shanti Kunj in Haridwar, where even ladies conduct Gayatri path conduct all vedic rituals.
That said, every devout home in India today plays Anuradha Paudwal’s Gayatri shloka’s cassettes. There are many other lady vocalists who have recorded Gayatri Mantra in their melodious voices. No one raised objections to these.
This debate therefore is misplaced. Gudiya, let’s keep our focus on issues that builds a strong unified nationalist Bharat.
Raghunath sir,
Thanks a lot. Glad to know that women in your family enjoyed this freedom of chanting gayatri mantra. But my post is to enlighten few blind believers the reality. If you check the comments above, many people still think that women shoudn’t chant it 🙂
Haha, shouldn’t you be charging for that kind of knwoldgee?!
Regarding our Vedic history , lot of Knowledge transfer did not happen between generations. and moreover many aggressions happened & lot of distortions were introduced to discourage people from hinduism.
Coming to your article.really well written. Even I was wondering why women should not read it, but got an explanation that it has something to do with the vibrations, and I strongly believe it because our mantras has lot of vibrations and it should be correctly spelt. that is the reason they say it should be transferred from a learned guru.
Another point I disagree is “During the vedic age, men commanded the family. They chanted vedas, performed yagnas, rites and rituals; while women were confined to cooking,cleaning utensils, keeping the house clean,etc. Women were refrained from chanting vedas or perfoming/assisting in rituals. ” —- there is no proper proof to conclusively prove that women were looked down & were not allowed to chant vedas.( especially in the vedic age). remember great sages/Pativratas like Ahalya,Sita, Draupadi,Gargi,Maitreyi, mandodari. They were extremely powerful. They did chant mantras.
You have great writing skills. There has been large scale exaggeration on the internet & elsewhere about Indian Women being ill treated, beaten,harassed etc. This being mainly done by Feminists of JNU with Commi agenda & they are the ones who are also acting as historians who have done large scale distortion in our text books. I do not say women are not ill treated at all but not to the extent which is projected or to the extent which you/anyone are made to believe.
My request to you is to write an article about great women in india, their greatness , how this land repects women.All the positives please, there are many funded writers to write the negatives about indian women.
Lakmansif,
Please read my post correctly. I have highlighted the fact that this mantra gives adverse effect if chanted in wrong manner. It applies to both men and women.
Regarding women deprived in vedic age, if not in north india, women were downtrodden in South India. Even today,in north India, women may perform rites,rituals or chant gayatri mantra, but it is still forbidden for women in South India.
Thanks for your comments on my style of writing.. will definitely write about greatness of women in my forthcoming posts..
Archer, you say
“During the vedic age, men commanded the family. They chanted vedas, performed yagnas, rites and rituals; while women were confined to cooking,cleaning utensils, keeping the house clean,etc. Women were refrained from chanting vedas or perfoming/assisting in rituals.”
This is totally wrong observation. In fact, the truth is exactly opposite. There are some yajnas which can be performed by men – married or not but some yajnas like Soma Yaagas cannot be perfomed unless the Yajaman (the one who conducts Yajna) is married. The consort of yajaman is called Pathni and she has a major role to play in many yajnas. Puthrakamesti, Ashwamedham etc cant be performed by anyone. Pathni is a must and she has a very important role to play in these. Recently concluded Athirathra Yajna in April is another example of Somayaagam where Pathni is necessary. You can read more via Google.
Now to the larger question of Gayatri Mantra and women. This question has been a very important point of fissure in Hindu Society itself. There is no doubt about brilliance, importance and necessity of Gayatri Mantra in a Hindu’s daily life. I have a question before I get to answering this point :
“Vratas like Varalakshmi Vratam are not to be performed by men. Can you tell me why?”
Mean while, I will go back to Gayatri Mantram question. There have been lot of scholars who answered this question with great diligence. In fact, there are several swamijis who provided solutions/workarounds to this. Today you will find a lot of women chanting Gayatri. It is not considered as a sin or as something wrong. Hinduism is beyond all such non-sense. Women are supposed to approach a swamiji to learn Gayatri Mantra properly. It has to be first internalised in Nithya anushtanam. Anushtanam itself is a forgotten word in Hindu lexicology today. Nithya Anushtanam defines daily duties of every Hindu. Anushtanam differs for men and women.
Howover, it is not advised in general. Mantras are mantras. They are supposed to be chanted only with specific conditions. Even Hindu men are not supposed to chant Gayatri Mantram just like that, be it in despair or frustration or otherwise. They are supposed to do early in the morning, at noon and evening. Stotrams on the other hand can be chanted anywhere, anytime. For example, Sri Rama Raksha Stotram. No conditions on chanting it any time any where! Sandhya Vandanam is one of the samskaras described for a Hindu in vedas. Under Sandhyavandanam for Men, gayatri mantram is to be chanted 108 or more times, thrice a day. This is a Hindu male’s Nithya anushtanam. Similarly, for women it is to light the deepam or diya (near family deity’s idol in the household) and ensure that it stays lit every day. Hindu Male is supposed to do Agnihotra twice a day, everyday without fail. Hindu female is supposed to do Gouri puja after engagement till the day of the wedding. In this procedure she worships Mata Gauri by chanting Sri Suktam. While bride is supposed to do this, groom is not supposed (or should I say allowed to) to do this. Why?
Some procedures are applicable to men, some are exclusive to women, some to both. So why this kind of adamant question on Gayatri Mantram only? Like I asked, please tell me why men are not supposed to do vratas like Varalaksmi Vratam or Gauri Puja. There are several that I can quote like Varalakshmi vratam but if my guess is right, I am going to face a lot of flak for what I wrote above. So I refrain.
KV SarmaJ,
Please read my post correctly. I have highlighted the fact that this mantra gives adverse effect if chanted in wrong manner. It applies to both men and women.
Regarding women deprived in vedic age, if not in north india, women were downtrodden in South India. Even today,in north India, women may perform rites,rituals or chant gayatri mantra, but it is still forbidden for women in South India.
Regarding why men are not allowed to perform Varamahalakshmi vrata, I ll do some research and get back to u, but is performing a vrata equivalent to chanting a mantra?
Archer, this South India – North India differentiation is at best laughable. It was created with only one intention – to keep us divided. A pujari in North East or North West or Central or for that matter in US also … reads Sankalpam in the same way as any other Hindu pujari. To rebuke your point on North Vs South … please do try to find out more on a Homam to be conducted in AP soon called Lakshmi Nrusimha Homam. It is being organized by a lady who did several such homams before. It is untrue that women are prohibited from vedic rituals even today. Did it happen some time in history? Some English Texts seem to say so. Does any Sanskrit or Pali texts say so? I dont know but chances are I dont think so for a simple reason that we dont see any one quoting a king’s inscription saying “Today we prohibited so and so lady from doing so and so vedic procedure”
Also, I forgot to mention. Did you ever hear about Gayatri Homam? In Gayatri Homam, hotan has to be accompanied by his wife. In fact, during swahakaram while chanting gayatri mantram, consort of the hotan will have to hold his right hand when he gives ahuti to agni. Did you know that achamanam, one of the fundamental anushtanam procedures, which involves 14 Vishnu nama mantras (kesavaya swaha, narayanaya swaha etc), also finds extension to wife after marriage. A Brahmachari does it himself by pouring water from panchapatra into his right hand. After marriage, gruhini takes water from panchapatra with right hand and pours it into right hand of the gruhasta. He is not supposed to do it all by himself in family pujas. Restricted to women? Think again. This is the reason why wife is called “Dharma Patni” in Hindu Culture. She is supposed to support him in Dharmacharana in all forms starting with his anushtanam to other samskaras. Rituals have been described exclusive for men, women and many for both to perform together. Thats the beauty of it all.
On ill effects of improper recitation. So, dont you think there must be a proper initiation into it. Thats what is called Anushtanam. You have to approach a vedic scholar to get initiated into it. Yes a vratam involves a puja process where mantras are recited. Ask your elders for more. In fact, the whole process of vara lakshmi vratam is exclusive to only women. There are several such. Also think about Gauri Puja. Why are men not allowed?
I have offered all that I learnt in time as evidence here. If you choose to disagree, well its your choice.
I have edited the post to mention South India now. Please ask your friends who are ladies from south India, if they are allowed to sing Gayatri Mantra or not, You will get the answer 🙂 You ll know the truth yourself!Even today,south indian women,dont chant this mantra.. You can laugh it out,but its the truth!
This is not a matter I would laugh at. It fills me with great regret and disappointment that you keep saying “South India”. Nonsense. The symmetricity of lifestyle in vedic period across the sub-continent is extra-ordinary. In fact, this symmetricity existed till medieval times. South Indian women do chant this mantra today. However, my point is there is no reason why restrictions are not correct, especially when traditions clearly articulates procedures exclusive to men, exclusive to women, and also to both. You choose to disregard every other point I make and stick to only this one adamant question “why not thismantra”. Well, so be it.
FYI,
Its not nonsense!! I am a south Indian, I know it better than u,from experience!! Also,if u have time and patience, go thru above and below comments.. some ppl are still saying that women shouldn’t chant it! Just becos I dont agree to your perspective, u cannot call my reasons “nonsense”!
Ohh and FYI … I am also South Indian. Thank you.
Hi,
I am a guest here. I couldn’t help but notice that it is mentioned over and over again that women from ‘South India’ are not supposed to chant Gayathri Manthra.
I am a South Indian, and my mom chants the manthra. And, please stop differentiating between south and north India.
I am a Bengali, my friend told me women can’t chant the Gayatri Mantra.
Haha. I woke up down today. Youve cehreed me up!
I completely disagree with the first part of this write-up. Actually vedic age is characterized by freedom in every form and was certainly not as you say. If women were to be considered something like you suggest, then there would be no worship of female deities. It would have led to some sort of pagan culture. Vedic period that dates back to Pre-ice age is not the one you imagine it to be. Indologists (specially native) are on agreement that vedic age was the golden era where all we know today originated.
The later part of vedic age that led to breakdown of civilizations (i.e Indus valley in particular) led to stringent caste systems. These paved way for gender bias and exclusivity by men. All these differences we see today and the core of the topic of this discussion is due to that exclusivity. Please search for more answers and if you want ask for literature regarding the vedic age which I or people like Sarma would be able to provide.
I have to admit that it is a good effort trying to answer some questions but I surely disagree with the hypothesis.
I have edited the post to mention South India now. Please ask your friends who are ladies from south India, if they are allowed to sing Gayatri Mantra or not, You will get the answer 🙂
Touchdown! That’s a rellay cool way of putting it!
It’s a miscommunication that Gayatri should not be uttered by Women. Women can chant Gayatri e.g: while presenting ‘Naivedyam’ to God and during their Nitya puja. The real power of Gayatri gets unleashed only upon wearing a Jandhyam after Upanayanam. Unfortunately, for a women such a ritual is not specified in Vedas.
Yes, they can chant it.. But women in vedic age from south india were forbidden to chant it. Hence this post. You can even ask your lady friends from south india,now, if they chant it.. they will not.. they will say its forbidden
No, it depends on each individual. but i still cant understand the reason behind women not allowed to enter temple during menstrual & what will happen if they enter?
Archer,
This my observation that our saints realized it a long back that if you tell people to perform certain activities they will not listen to you. So, they attached it to our living. For these reasons only, Swami Vivekananda called our Dharma as ‘a way of living’. Our Rishis knew that men will force women to work all the time because of their dominating nature, so they attached certain things to religion. e.g. some of them said that women are not supposed to do anything (religious activities,cooking food and other activities) during their menstrual period. As a result women are asked to take 5 days rest after 25 days of hard work.
on same line, during delivery, women were told not to work for 40 days and that is enough time to recover from delivery.
Rishis did this for everything. e.g. They attached Tulsi plant to religion and now you know the health benefits of Tulsi. They attached watering to Banyan tree (Peeple) to religion and advocated a Banyan tree in our neighbor hoods and now we know this tree gives us Oxygen for more than 20 hours in a day.
There are many similar examples.
I read all comments here including yours as well.
First of all, Most of us Indians don’t know the fundamental scientific difference between Man & Woman (diff in a Vedic science way)
(1) Our ultimate goal is to get out of this birth-death life cycle.
(2) To get out of the cycle, one needs to follow ‘Karma yog’, ‘Gyan Yog’ & ‘Bhakti Yog’
(3) In the last phase which is ‘Bhakti Yog’, one needs to dedicate his whole life behind purification of his soul through meditation, chanting, yog-pranayam & studies of vedas and other vedic science to liberate oneself.
(4) To properly liberate yourself, Your soul should travel upwards starting from ‘physical body’, ‘ethric body’, ‘microcosm body’, ‘reasoning body’, ‘ultimate reasoning body’, ‘awakened body’, & last ‘superhuman body’ also called ‘virat sarir’ as shown by Krishna in the battelfield of Mahabharata.
(5) Now only man is capable enough to execute above tasks and store that energy until they use it for the final purpose which is soul’s journey upward piercing through all bodies. we call them ‘gati’ or ‘journey’.
The reasons behind why only man is capable to do that and not woman :
(1) The reason is hidden in ‘Menstruation’.
(2) During ‘menstruation’, woman looses all her accumulated spiritual power and weakens the ‘strenghened 7 bodies’. Now, this occurs every month and with this regular process, it keeps breaking the ‘energy cover’.
(3) Now because man does not get menstruation, they are capable enough to execute above vedic exercises and store that accumulated energy for the final use.
(4) Now question arises that then how woman is supposed to liberate herself. That’s why we have very imp religious ceremony called “marriages”.
(5) After getting married, woman dedicates & submits herself to her husband and servers him like a god. Through her total dedication & service to her husband, she clings upon him and gets liberated. That’s why we have a saying ‘pati parmeshwar’.
Moral of the story :
==============
==> That is the reason, spiritual practises like Chanting of Gayatri Mantra and other things are not attached to women. lot of myths started floating around as the time passed on. Because our civilization is one of the oldest. And During the long period, lot of myths got mixed with the science.
==>Don’t look at Man and Woman like objects, but look at them as science. After all everything is science in the world which has been explained by our great sages.
Thanks
@Great_Gujarati
It is widely known that women must’nt chant the gayatri mantra.Actually according to the scriptures,the position of the woman is that she is a partner of man not only in material,but also in the spiritual life/journey,hence she is known as dharma patni(one who helps in practicing dharma)…the study of vedas and scriptures for women was prohibited because they had their duties of home,assisting husbands in rituals,preparing food,etc…..its very simple to understand,just think that life is a road,family is a truck,husband is the driver,wife is kinner(asst),and moksha is the destination to reach,,now even if driver drives the truck both driver and his asst will reach the destination….but a woman cannot follow the strict rules prescribed for performing rituals….hence our anscestors have given the woman a rightful place as a companion…but today’s generation is such that girls want to do and show the things not prescribed for them,they dub this as social injustice,and are filled with sometype of crusading attitude…….for example:some women in karnataka have undergone upanayana!!,some muslim women do namaz in mosque where it is prohibited for women to enter..when the authorities frisk them they use police protection……this is total sensationalism in the name of fighting gender inequality.
Returning to this one after some time. Today Jayasree Saranathan wrote a brilliant blog piece on what are women rights and what are not (in the sense of reciting vedas), with exact mantras and verses from Vedas. I hope you and your readers find it useful
http://jayasreesaranathan.blogspot.com/2011/08/should-women-not-chant-vedas-part-1.html
Like I mentioned in my previous comments, (refer to point 7 in the blog piece), for sama veda recitation, only a woman has right. LIkewise, some specific verses from Yajur too. Before getting to any kind of conclusions, we should first walk through what we know, ask those who are learned on whether the assumptions and conclusions match, whether assumptions are right, whether or not conclusions made from the information match up with reality. Hope that piece is put to good use.
Great article, thanks a lot.
Nice article, but I also want to share what I know about mantras. Mantras are said to be the sound form of the god/goddess itself, so repeated chanting of the mantra will make that form to appear, even though we may not be able to see they do appear. Those who have power can see those forms. For example Ramakrishna paramahamsa used to see the form just by chanting 108 times. This form is explained in the Dhyana mantra. Some of the mantras are very powerful in their effects hence people should be careful in chanting those, as they require lot of discipline, like you can’t chant at any time or any place or unless you have some basic requirements fulfilled. For example you need to have upanayam to chant gayatri. Also remember these powerful mantras can create adverse effects if those requirements need to chant the mantra are not fulfilled. Because of that mantras are not shared and should only taught by a guru because then he can also assess the status of the person and tell the rules to follow to chant the mantra.
I don’t know the exact reason why women can’t chant, but I have heard that women need not have to chant the mantra as they already have inherent powers, and i feel that is the reason our shatras take so much care on how to treat women. Also people dont have to go for those powerful mantras and invite trouble because there are chances of mistakes, instead there are number of mantras given by same rishis who have given those powerful mantras, that are easy no restrictions apply can be chanted any where by any one and best of all produce the same effect.
Great Article i didn’t know about it, I think that Gayatri Mantra is chany by men and women also. but Now know thanks for such great post its really Good for women..