"WOMEN AND THE IDEAL OF PURITY" : 1. In our Bharatavarsha, woman is given a very high position and is worshipped as a Goddess. 2. "Yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra devatah"—"where women are respected and worshipped, there the gods dwell". 3. She is the progenitor of the Universe. 4. She is the Sakti or Energy without which even Siva cannot create anything. 5. In Swami Sivananda’s words: "Woman is an embodiment of patience, gentleness, softness, sweetness, service and ahimsa. 6. The woman of BHARATHAM has preserved the spiritual character of our society. 7. She is not ‘abala’ (weak). 8. She is dynamic." 9. "BETI_ BACHAO - BETI_ PADHAO" : 10. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a campaign initiated by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to prevent gender-biased sex-selective elimination of girls, ensure their survival and the protection of girl child, to promote the education and participation of girls.
Opinion
28/06/2018
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"WOMEN AND THE IDEAL OF PURITY" : 1. In our Bharatavarsha, woman is given a very high position and is worshipped as a Goddess. 2. "Yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra devatah"—"where women are respected and worshipped, there the gods dwell". 3. She is the progenitor of the Universe. 4. She is the Sakti or Energy without which even Siva cannot create anything. 5. In Swami Sivananda’s words: "Woman is an embodiment of patience, gentleness, softness, sweetness, service and ahimsa. 6. The woman of BHARATHAM has preserved the spiritual character of our society. 7. She is not ‘abala’ (weak). 8. She is dynamic." 9. "BETI_ BACHAO - BETI_ PADHAO" : 10. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a campaign initiated by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to prevent gender-biased sex-selective elimination of girls, ensure their survival and the protection of girl child, to promote the education and participation of girls.
Ref :
I.
"WOMEN AND THE IDEAL OF PURITY"
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It was Revered President Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj’s wish to bring out a book on the ideals of purity of womanhood.
As a result a book in Hindi Naari Aur Pavitrata Ka Aadarsh was brought out by the Sivananda Matri Satsanga in 1997.
It was well received, as it was the first one of its kind.
With the present publication "Women and the Ideal of Purity" a similar book in English is to reach the larger public.
(DR. SITA NAMBIAR MATAJI).
II.. PREFACE :-
(SIVANANDA MATRI SATSANGAM)
Gurur Brahma gurur vishnur gurur devo maheshwarah
Gurur sakshat param Brahma tasmai sree guruve namah
III.DEDICATION
.......................................................................................
I.
To bring out some of these above mentioned characteristics, this book is divided into four chapters: (1) Maidenhood, (2) Wifehood, (3) Motherhood and (4) Selfhood. Love is the innate nature of a woman. And love is developed through all these stages.
As a maiden, she is tender, timid, but also courageous and spreads happiness in the family. In many parts of our country the maiden is addressed as Ma or Amma. She is seen as "Mother Goddess".
As a wife, through her love, she is expected not only to win over her husband but also his entire family. She is the "ardhangini" (wife, half of the body) of her husband. In all the religious functions she is supposed to be by the side of her husband.
As a mother she becomes a "complete woman". At this stage her love becomes selfless. She matures in so many ways, and she is prepared to do any amount of sacrifice for the sake of her children.
The fourth one, the spiritual stage of "Selfhood", having been nurtured and matured through the previous three stages of the woman’s life, reaches its pinnacle. The love which was developed in the earlier stages becomes Universal Love, which in turn helps her to find her "own self" and to become one with the Universal Self.
The articles by different mahatmas in each chapter give inspiration to women in all the stages. There are same articles by lay women, expressing the problems a woman has to face in the modern world and how to deal with them. These are followed by the lives and teachings of women saints, not only ancient but also of today.
The members of Sivananda Matri Satsanga, under the guidance of Swami Chidananda, have worked hard to bring out this book. It is hoped that it will be accepted with appreciation, not only by women but also by men.
II.
Taking the holy dust from the Lotus Feet of beloved and worshipful Gurudev, Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj and our beloved and worshipful Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj, seeking their blessings and trying to abide by their guidance, we the members of the Sivananda Matri Satsang have ventured to bring out this publication on the ideals of the purity of womanhood.
The Sivananda Matri Satsanga had been initiated by our Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj on the 8th May 1989. Its main aim consists in introspection, self-analysis and self-improvement, by a getting together of all lady ashramites and visitors in a harmonious way.
Vishnu patni namastubhyam pada sparsha kshamasva me
O Mother Earth, consort of Vishnu, please forgive that we place our feet on you!
Matri devo bhava, pitra devo bhava, aacharya devo bhava
Humble obeisance to the Worshipful Almighty Lord who came in the form of our mother, father, all our elders and our spiritual preceptors who kept the spirit of Indian culture and lovingly taught and guided us right from our very birth. They protected us from various pitfalls of the world, like a potter heating and moulding the mud-pots from outside with one hand and at the same time giving support from inside with the other.
From time immemorial saints, seers and sages have been hammering upon the human mind that the goal of life is God-realisation and that we are not this perishable body, this cage of flesh and bones, this restless mind filled with ego, ignorance and selfishness, this little finite intellect subject to confusion and imperfections. Our Holy Masters have been echoing this great teaching, that we are beyond these finite instruments. We have to find out the truth, our real identity which is the immortal soul. We have been sent to this earth plane for evolving, for the ascent unto Divinity, for steadily progressing towards the fulfillment of God’s plan.
These messengers of God have come to help each one of us in this inner journey of the spirit for fulfilling our destiny. They have been proclaiming that our life will move in the direction of God-realisation through the very living of our life in a righteous manner. There is no power in the universe that can deprive us of the goal when we make our life an embodiment of dharma.
A little child is like a flower covered with morning dew. A girl is close to being a "Goddess"—as she is considered in Hindu homes. It is easy for her to cultivate divine qualities at this stage. Endowed with the attributes of Godhood, a girl may choose to remain a celibate and attain God-realisation through devotion and selfless service of saints and holy people. Or she may dedicate her life to the cause of humanity in the fields of education, nursing, medicine or service towards parents and elders or any needy person.
In God’s lila (play) it has been ordained that the pure kanyakumaris (maidens, virgins) should be transformed into chaste grihalakshmis (married women) for the good of society. This gives a woman the opportunity to progress from Sri Gurudev’s BE GOOD stage to the DO GOOD stage. As she takes her place in society as an adult, she has to interact in a harmonious way with others, be helpful and unselfish. Her role, as a wife is to forget her limitations as an individual and contribute to the good of family and society.
Motherhood is not just the physical act of giving birth. It is a transformation. If her feelings for her child could at this stage be sublimated and expanded to include all creation, a mother could get self-realisation in a trice. She can truly practise the ideals of Gurudev Swami Sivananda during this period—SERVE, LOVE, GIVE.
After having played the roles of daughter, sister, wife and mother, a woman reaches the stage where she has to confront herself. Having done our duties, it is time for introspection and to ask the ultimate question "Who am I?" This is the stage of PURIFY, MEDITATE, REALISE. Some women reach this stage earlier, some later, but it comes to us all. This book is intended for the benefit of our sisters who wish to walk the path of righteousness and purity, while leading their life as students, working women, housewives, mothers as also for those who wish to remain unmarried.
The relevant portions of articles have been selected and edited from the profound teachings of Sri Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj, Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj, Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj, Sri Swami Venkatesanandaji Maharaj and other senior Swamijis of our Ashrams as well as other great saints and sages who have left their footprints for us to follow.
Sanskrit language words have been put in italics with the exception of a few words like Brahman, Atman, Yoga, Vedanta, Ashram which are commonly found in an English dictionary. Normally their meaning can be understood by the context or their English equivalent which follows within commas or parenthesis. Otherwise, the meaning can be found in the glossary.
We express our deep gratitude to all the writers who have given their articles and especially to Dr. Sita Nambiar Mataji (retired Principal of Daulatram College in Delhi who has been coming regularly to our Ashram for giving lectures to the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy students) for the Introduction given for this publication. We are also grateful to all those who have assisted us in various ways in bringing out this publication, especially our spiritual brothers in the Y.V.F.A. Printing Press.
This presentation has been brought out in a spirit of teamwork by our Matri Satsanga members utilising their talents and capacities in every respect. We lovingly offer this garland of 108 lotus flowers at the Holy Feet of the Almighty Lord and Sri Gurudev as our humble contribution in His divine mission.
III.
O Woman, Thou art
The mother of humanity,
Divinity manifest.
Strength, love, purity and magnanimity
Are thy limbs.
Spiritual India evolves
In thy lap, O Mother!
To thee, O adorable women
Of Bharatavarsha,
We offer
This flower of noble ideals.
—Sivananda Matri Satsangam
IV.
NOTE :-
1.Girls are nature’s precious gift.
2.Girls are someone’s mother, wife and sister then why you don’t need daughters.
3.Save the girl child and educate the girl child to develop India.
4.Girls are the origin of human race.
5.Daughters spread happiness and joy in the home.
6.A daughter is a daughter for life.
7.A daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts.
8.A girl child brings Joy. She is no less than a boy.
9.A female has the right to her body, even if she’s still in the womb.
10.Every man needs a mother, wife, sister then why not a daughter.
11.Don’t let their lives end before it even begins.
12.Girls are the origin of human race.
13.Daughters spread happiness and joy in the home.
14.Girls bring happiness to the home.
15.Daughters are angels of God on the earth.
16.If you rape a girl. Then where you get a virgin wife.
17.Where you get daughter-in-law if you kill the daughter of today.
18.Girls are hoping for tomorrow.
19.If there is a girl, there is a tomorrow.
20.Daughters are rays of hope in parent’s life.
21.A daughter is a mother of tomorrow so never kill her.
22.A girl is a powerful creation of god if she can make the world; can destroy.
23.If you kill a girl, you kill a mother of tomorrow.
24.Those who have daughters are the lucky ones chosen by God.
25.Let your daughter grow, be her friend not her foe.
26.Every man needs A mother, wife, sister then why not a daughter?
27.Don’t kill girl in womb when She might bring country to gloom
28.Girls are giggles with freckles all over them.
29.Girls are gold not to be sold.
30.Girls are great, don’t destroy their fate.
31.She makes the world bright but still struggles to see light.
32.Don’t kill a girl in mother’s womb, let her see the world.
33.If a father is a daughter’s first love, then why she is killed.
34.Educate a daughter to strengthen your country.
35.Let a girl live today as she will let you live forever.
36.A girl is nature’s beauty, saving her is our duty.
37.A healthy family and happy daughter make a country much brighter.
38.Educate a girl child to get a worth life.
39.Girls are brave but first, you serve.
40.Let your daughter grow and never make her throw.
41.Think how precious a girl is! But why she doesn’t get bliss.
V.
CONCLUSION :-
PM invites ideas on ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ on the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child : 11 Oct, 2014
On the occasion of International Day of Girl Child, Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has exhorted the people of India to pledge to create an atmosphere for equality for the girl child and to end gender-based discrimination in the country.
“On International Day of Girl Child we celebrate the achievements of our daughters. From the classroom to sports, they shine everywhere. Today let us pledge to create an atmosphere of equality for the girl child. There is no question of any discrimination based on gender,” the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister also called for eradication of the menace of female foeticide from the country and invited suggestions from the citizens on “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” on the MyGov portal.
“Female foeticide is a matter of deep shame and a cause of great concern. Lets work together to remove this menace from society. Share your ideas on ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ on this specially created MyGov group. http://mygov.in/group_info/beti-bachao-beti-padhao,” the Prime Minister said.
JAIHIND
VANDEMATHARAM
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