Women's Role In Hindu Religion

In many cultures, the roles of women vary reluctantly. While researching the many aspects of Buddhism, the religion is sometimes practiced differently and the roles of women differs. According to Experiencing World Religions, (Molloy, 127) Buddhism is one of the world's oldest yet most significant religions thus far. It has influenced many cultures, originating from India and making its way to migrate throughout the country of Asia, and women have been involved since the very first day. In today’s society, although men are predominantly inferior over women, women are granted the same opportunities. Just like many other societies in other countries or many other religions there are discriminations and prejucial acts against women. Although, woman are offered the second class citizenship in many Buddhist traditions, a woman's role is very important when helping maintain the religion resulting in mass population of worshipers , fulfilling the duties as caregivers and also wives to their husbands, and also providing any assistance if needed in the community. (Molloy, 127)

After we have been freed from the internal tyrants, as well as the external tyrants that prevent independence, then womankind will be totally emancipated. While a woman is not free from the internal tyrants, they act as a police on her behavior and attitudes, keeping her docile and subordinate to her oppressors.

In traditional Judaism the women's role are seen as the same importance to the men's and sometimes more important. Women are seen as separate but still equal to men. This begins at the beginning where judaism does not see their God as male or female but that God has masculine and feminine qualities. However, women are discouraged from pursuing their higher education and religious pursuits but it seems that this is because if the pursued these options they might oversee their primary duties as mothers and wives. Traditionally the role of the woman is to be a mother, wife and keeper of the household.

It is clear in Hinduism that a woman has the same religious and spiritual freedom as men. Like men, women can attain the same heights of spiritual awakening by taking the path of asceticism. The Sanskrit language possesses a female equivalent to the male renouncer: there is the sadhvı as well as the sadhu, the sannyasin as well as the sannyasıni. However, throughout time there have been many women ascetics in Hinduism who have been greatly respected.

Women are not given the position of power, such as a political leader or as Brahmins who are usually males a part of the priestly caste in India with the authority to learn and teach the hymn of Vedas that is the knowledge of revelation. As the Brahmins are at the apex of status, they were given the leadership role of the discussion of knowledge where the scripture gives them superiority, thus their viewpoint representing the establishment of the values and traditions of Hinduism. Hinduism has an underlining of masculine thinking where only men can renounce the world and attain moksha or liberation from rebirth, where a woman's life are divided into three main phases of maidenhood (kaumarya), marriage (vivaha) and should the husband pass away

Women in Islam are constantly viewed, from the Western standpoint, as a suppressed culture. Though this may be true to certain extents, such as not mixing in with the men at mosque, we can find that generally, the Islamic woman is well respected and held in high regard. “Women in Islam are; mothers, sisters, partners, workers, scholars and business owners and managers” (al-Hashimi 4). Within this research paper, we will review the role of a woman in Islam and their daily source of happiness.

Though women were suppressed from the ancient period, whenever there was a possibility they have raised their voice and asked their rights. The best example is that the conversation between Yama and Yami. Yami expressed her physical desire over her brother Yama however, he refused her opinion. It shows that women had freedom to express her feelings and opinion in the family. In Rigveda some of the Rishikas name mentioned are Aditi, Indramatalu, Indrani, Urvasi, Ghosa, Juhu, Bharadvaja, Ratri, Surya,Viswavara etc. Among those women, Viswavara and Ghosa were considered as historical characters. It gives an idea about that some of the Rishika were fighting for their place and identity in the society. Then also, the brahminical tradition repressed the voice of women.

“In the construction of womanhood in the Hindu tradition, the idea of the goddesses functions as a philosophical and social archetype.” Goddesses were perceived as a symbol of divine power and irresistible energy. Women were prescribed roles like the protector, wielder of power, wife, helper, daughter, mother and nurturer. It was in the dharmaśāstras, that women were prescribed rules to abide by in their day to day lives, towards the household and their position in society was described. Vedic literature contains texts which recorded prayers for the birth of sons in the family and not daughters because it was considered a misfortune for the father.

Indian women are conditioned to a blind dependence on men and in a sense the whole purpose of a woman’s life is to live for him and not following her own ambitions. She has to ensure the love of man for her existence. Women in a global basis can be seen suffering and submitted to patriarchal power. According to Simone de Beauvoir, a woman is ‘a womb, an ovary, she is a female- this word is

Over time, culture and society have embedded many gender constructs in a person’s mind. Yet, the roles of women have been changing over time, some societies now encourage freedom and entitlement for women. People follow these unsaid rules, as they seek acceptance in the society. A person’s need for approval is what gives these views a start. Gender roles vary from various cultures and religions,but it always remains a human construct. According to the gender roles of certain places in India, females are considered inferior to men. The human need to feel superior to someone, is the root of discrimination. Those women are expected just to be house-wives and the bearer of children. Whereas men are open to a

Women are shown to be highly “idealized” throughout Indian culture (Leonard). This statement exemplifies that they are an important aspect to Indian society because of everything that they put into their everyday life. It is absurd that women can be valued, yet treated so poorly by their own families. At the spiritual level she is found to be coequal meaning she is honored and viewed as a goddess (V. Bauer and J. Bauer). Consequently, in Indian culture women are not allowed to do anything on their own. A woman is only allowed to visit her natal home as a guest and under any circumstance; she will never be allowed to move into her natal home again. Some women are not even allowed to go to the market or socialize with their friends because their husbands say no and the women are forced to act as the husband commands. In any other society, if women were highly valued she would be able to do anything she wants and run her own life.

Although feminism has it’s bad parts, the feminist movement was a very liberating for women who had to stay home and where required to be married to own land. wives bore the

Using Lopamudra, women today can see how strong a women in a Vedic family could be and how society needed stronger women in a time when women were suppressed by a lack of property and were held to a high standard of honor. The hymn is found is found in the first Appendix of the RigVeda and includes Lopamudra, Agastya, and a poet who wrote it all down.

When we look at the Hindu mythology we see that women are supposed to be treated as Goddesses. One of the most popular festivals of Hindus is the ‘Navratra’ in which Hindus worship Goddess Durga (the worrier goddess), Goddess Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth and prosperity) and Goddess Saraswati (the goddess of Knowledge and Arts).

In India, past and present, the status and freedom that are held by women has and is in a constant decline due to both external and cultural factors that not only causes large panic, but defensive reactions that negatively affect and hinder the women in their culture.