WOMAN- STHREE-NAAREE- स्त्री, नारी

SUBHASHITHANI;185

पुष्पेषु  जाति . पुरुषेषु  विष्णु . नारीषु  रम्भा . नगरेषु  काञ्चि”

“Pushpeshu Jati. Purusheshu Vishnu. Nareeshu Rambha. Nagareshu Kanchi”

Jati ( A variety of Jasmine )   , Vishnu, Rambha, and Kanchi are the greatest flower, man, woman, and city respectively. (Baaravi).

यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवताः ।

यत्रैतास्तु न पूज्यन्ते सर्वास्तत्राफलाः क्रियाः ॥ Manu smruti

yatra nāryastu pūjyante ramante tatra devatāḥ |

yatraitāstu na pūjyante sarvāstatrāphalāḥ kriyāḥ ||3.56 ||

Where women are honoured, there the gods rejoice; where, on the other hand, they are not honoured, there all rites are fruitless.—(56)

पिता रक्षति कौमारे भर्ता रक्षति यौवने ।

रक्षन्ति स्थविरे पुत्रा न स्त्री स्वातन्त्र्यं अर्हति II Manu smruti

"Pitah Rakshathi Koumare Bhartaa Rakshathi Youvanne

Rakshanthi sthavire Puthraa  Na sthree swathanthram arhati"

In Manu's perception, a woman is, by her very nature, so divine and unique that she should never be left to fend for herself. It is the duty of society to protect and take good care of her — by her father during childhood, husband in her youth, and son in her old age. Interpretations stemming from inadequate or improper understanding of the original Sanskrit text often lead to distortions and generate hard feelings in a cosmopolitan society like ours.

न पिता नात्मजो नात्मा न माता न सखीजनः ।

इह प्रेत्य च नारीणां पतिरेको गतिः सदा ॥- रामायण, अयोध्या

na pitA na Atmajo na AtmA na mAtA na sakhIjanaH ।

iha pretya cha nArINAM patireko gatiH sadA ॥

Be it in this world or the afterlife, a lady can only depend on her husband  for anything - not father, not siblings, not herself, not mother and not her friends.

न गृहाणि न वस्त्राणि न प्राकारास्तिरस्क्रियाः ।

नेदृशा राजसत्काराः वृत्तमावरणं स्त्रियाः ॥रामायण, युद्ध

na gruhANi na vastrANi na prAkAraH astitraH kriyAH ।

na eedRushaa rAja satkAraaH vRuttam AvaraNam striyAH ॥

Houses, clothes, surrounding forts, veils and other royal protection can not protect a woman efficiently. It is the character of the woman that will protect her well.

சிறைகாக்கும் காப்பெவன் செய்யும் மகளிர்
நிறைகாக்கும் காப்பே தலை.-Kural-57

What avails the guard of a prison ? The chief guard of a woman is her chastity.

धर्मो जितो ह्यधर्मेण जितः सत्योऽनृतेन च ।

जिता भृत्यैस्तु राजानः स्त्रीभिश्च पुरुषा जिताः ॥- पराशर स्मृति

dharmo jito hi adharmeNa jitaH satyaH anRutena cha।

jitA bhRutyaiH tu rAjAnaH strIbhiH cha puruShA jitAH ॥

In the epoch of kali (the present age), Dharma will be overcome by immorality, Truth will be overshadowed by lies, servants will overthrow the kings and women will be in control of the men.

दुर्मंत्रिणं कमुपयान्ति न नीतिदोषाः

    संतापयन्ति कमपथ्यभुजं न रोगाः ।

कं श्रीर्न दर्पयति कं न निहन्ति मृत्युः

    कं स्त्रीकृता न विषयाः परितापयन्ति ॥

durmantriNaM kam upayAnti na nItidoShAH

    santApayanti kaM apathyabhujam na rogAH ।

kam shrIH na darpayati kam na nihanti mRutyuH

    kam strIkRutA na viShayAH paritApayanti ॥ Hitopadesha

Which bad minister is immune to the after effects of his ill advice? Who does not fall sick after eating bad food? Who does not become arrogant when he becomes rich? Who does death spare? Who does not get agitated  by the pleasure a woman can give.

जिह्वा दग्धा परान्नेन हस्तौ दग्धौ प्रतिग्रहात् ।

परस्त्रीभिर्मनो दग्धं कथं सिद्धिः कलौ युगे ॥

jihvA dagdhA parAnnena hastau dagdhau pratigrahAt ।

parastrIbhiH mano dagdham katham siddhiH kalau yuge ॥

In the Epoch of Kali (present times), the tongue gets burnt by eating food given by others. The hands get burnt by taking money belonging to others. The mind is burnt by thinking about other women. What is the path to achievement then?

जामातृसंपत्तिमचिंतयित्वा

   पित्रा तु दत्ता स्वमनोभिलाषात् ।

कुलद्वयं हन्ति मदेन नारी

    कूलद्वयं क्षुब्धजला नदीव ॥

jAmAtRu sampattim achintayitvA

    pitrA tu dattA svamanobhilAShAt ।

kuladvayam hanti madena nArI

     kUladvayam kShubdhajalA nadIva ॥

If the father does not weigh the qualities of the groom well and give her daughter away, then the bride will act arrogantly with her in-laws. This will ruin both the families. Just like a flooding rampant river will destroys both the banks.

नदीनां शस्त्र-पाणीनां नखिनां शृङ्गिणां तथा ।

 विश्वासः न एव कर्तव्यः स्त्रीषु राज-कुलेषु च ॥१.१९॥

Nadeenaam shastrapaaneenaam nakhinaam shrunginaam tathaa'

Vishvaaso naiva kartavyo streeshu raajakuleshu cha.

 One should always be cautious in dealing with the following: rivers, armed person, animals having sharp claws and horns, as also women and royal families .

अग्निरापः स्त्रियो मूर्खाः सर्पा राजकुलानि च ।

नित्यं यत्नेन सेव्यानि सद्यःप्राणहराणि षट् ।।६४।।

Agniraapah  striyo  moorkhaah  sarpo  raajakulaani  Cha.

Nityam  yatnena  sevyaani  sadyah  praanaharaani shat.

One should handle or deal with fire, water, women, foolish persons, snakes and Royal families with special care, because all these six are capable of instantly taking away or threatening life.

स्त्रीणां द्विगुण आहारो बुद्धिश्चापि चतुर्गुणा |

साहसं षट्गुणश्चैव कामोऽष्टगुण उच्यते ||

It is said that the wives consume twice the amount of food (compared to their husbands). Their intellect is four times that of their husbands. Their daring behaviour is six times. Their desire is eight times.

अतिथिर्बालकश्चैव स्त्रीजनो नृपतिस्तथा |

एते वित्तं न जानन्ति जामाता चैव पञ्चम: ||

The following five will  never understand financial difficulties: Guest, children, ladies, king, and the son-in-law. 

नश्यत्यनायकं कार्यं तथैव शिशुनायकम् |

स्त्रीनायकं तथोन्मत्तनायकं बहुनायकम् ||

The task without a leader will fail. Similarly, the tasks having a child or a woman or a mad-person will fail. The task having multiple heads will also certain to fail .

शाठ्येन मित्रं कपटेन धर्मं  परोपतापेन समृद्धभावं |

सुखेन विद्यां परुषेण नारीं  वाञ्छन्ति ये नूनमपण्डितास्ते ||

shaathyena mitram kapatena dharmam   paropataapena samrddhabhaavam |

sukhena vidyaam parushena naariim   vaanchanti ye nuunamapanditaaste ||

He is a fool who thinks he can get friends by tricking people, follow dharma by deceit, can get richer (happily) by troubling others, get education by lazing around, win a woman’s heart by force. A person with such beliefs is definitely fooling himself.   

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH