मुर्धसि राड् ध्रुवासि धरुणा धत्रर्यसि धरणी |
आयुषे त्वा वर्चसे त्वा क्रीषये त्वा क्षेमाय त्वा || YV 14.21
Murdhasi rad dhruvasi dharuna dhartryasi Dharni,
Aayushe tva varchase tva kriashyai tva kshemaya tva. YV 14.21
Meaning: Noble woman of knowledge and virtue, you are
brilliant on top and firm, the support, sustenance and
foundation of life like the earth. I accept and honor
you for the sake of life and health, light and luster, food and farming, and protection and presence of the home
Women are highly respected in Vedas. As a daughter she is precious. As a wife she is queen of the family. As a true devotee to God she is even better than a man who is not a devotee. As a partner she is equal to men. Women are depicted in the following Veda mantras:
Bride is Queen
यथा सिन्धुर्नदिनां साम्राज्यं सुषुवेवरीष्ठ वृषा |
एवा त्वं सम्राग्य्येधि पत्युरस्तं परेत्य || AV 14.1.43
Ythaa sindhurndinaam saamraajym sushuvevreeshth vreeshaa,
Evaa tvm samraagyyedhi patyuraastm pretya. AV 14.1.43
Meaning: Just as the abundant sea in space and on earth orders and runs the water systems of the rivers, so, O bride, having joined the husband’s home, manage the affairs of the family as the queen of a new order.
सम्राग्य्येधि श्वशुरेषु संराज्ञ्युत देवृषु |
ननान्दुः सम्राग्य्येधि संराज्ञ्युत श्वश्र्वाः || AV 14.1.44
Samragyyedhi shvshureshu smragyyut devreeshu, Nanaanduh samraagyyedhi saraagyyut shrvashrvaah. AV 14.1.44
Meaning: Be the queen of love and affection among your in-laws, the father-in-law and his peers, be the queen of love and respect among your husband’s brothers and cousins, be the darling queen of the heart of your sister-in-law, and the ruling love of your mother-in-law.
Chant Veda Mantras and Be Blissful
ब्रह्मापरं युज्यतां ब्रह्म पूर्व ब्र्ह्मान्ततो मध्यतो ब्रह्म सर्वतः |
अनाव्याधां देवपुरां प्रपद्य शिवा स्योना पतिलोके वि राज || AV 14.1.64
Brhmaaparam yujyataam brhm purva brhmaantato madhyato brhmaa sarvatah, anaavyaadhaan devpuraam prpady shiva syonaa patiloke vi raaj. AV 14.1.64
Meaning: Let Veda mantras be chanted and resound in the
front, at the back, at the end, in the middle, in fact all around the
house. O bride, having reached the holy, auspicious divine home free from obstacles and inhibitions, beautiful and blissful, shine as a queen in the house of the husband.
Vedas place woman at very high place. She is considered source of enlightenment and hope. She is the first teacher of the child as a mother.
Woman is compared to Usha (dawn or sunrise) in the Vedas. As morning sun brings, freshness, purity, activity, liveliness; woman, in the form of mother, brings light in any newborn’s life. In fact there is a mother in every woman showcased by her care, tenderness, affection, patience and selflessness. That is why Vedas regard every woman regardless of age and relation as mother. Society that respects women is bound to be prosperous and happy. Society or culture that degrades women is bound to suffer misery. Considering women as mother is the only way she must be respected.
Here are a few chosen Mantras from Rigveda that humbly bow to the motherly Usha:
आवहन्त्यरुनीर्ज्योतिशागान्मही चित्रा रश्मिभिश्चेकिताना | प्रबोधयन्ती सुविताय देव्युषा ईयते सुयुजा रथेन || RV 4.14.3
Avahantyaruneerjyotishaagaanmahee chitra rashmibhish-
Chekitaanaa. Prabodhayantee suvitaaya devyushaa iyate
suyujaa rathena. RV 4.14.3
Meaning: O glorious woman! You are full of brilliance and you come in form of enlightening dawn to illuminate the society away from ignorance.
एता उ त्याः प्रत्यद्रीश्र्न्पुरस्ताज्ज्योतिर्यच्छन्तीरुषसो विभातीः | अजीजनन्त्सुर्य यज्ञमग्निमपाचीनं तमो अगादजुष्ट्म || RV 7.78.3
Eta u tyaah prtyadreeshrnpurastaajjyotir-ychchhnteerushaso vibhaatih. Ajeejanantsµurya yajyamgnimapaacheenam tamo agaadajushtaam.RV 7.78.3
Meaning: We can see brilliant women enlightening the society with their noble qualities right in front of us. They have given birth to the sun of knowledge and fire of noble actions. Due to their glory, darkness of ignorance, sins and negativity is destroyed.
एषा दिवो दुहिता प्रत्यदषि ज्योतिर्वसाना समना पुरस्तात | रीतस्य पन्थामन्वेति साधु प्रजानतीव न दिशो मिनाति || RV 1.124.3
Eshaa divee duhitaa prtyadshi jyotirvasaanaa samanaa
Purastaata. Reetasya panthaamanveti saadhu prajaanateeva na disho minaati RV 1.124.3
Meaning: We can see the glorious woman who wears a dress of noble virtues. She is the daughter of brilliance and synonym of mental faculties. She follows perfectly the path of truth and virtues alone. She knows her goal and never breaches her discipline.
विश्वमस्या नानाम चक्षसे जगज्ज्योतिष्क्रीनोति सूनरी | अप द्वेषो मघोनी दुहिता दिव उषा उच्छदप स्त्रिधः || RV 1.48.8
Vishvamasyaa naanaama chakshse jagajjyotishkreenoti suunree. Apa dvesho maghonee duhitaa diva usha uchchhtapa stridhah. RV 1.48.8
Meaning: The entire world of noble people bows to the glory of the glorious woman so that she enlightens us with knowledge and foresight. She is the leader of society and provides knowledge to everyone. She is symbol of prosperity and daughter of brilliance. May we respect her so that she destroys the tendencies of evil and hatred from the society.
प्रत्यर्ची रुशदस्या अदर्शि वि तिष्ठते बाधते कृष्णमभ्वाम स्वरुं न पेशो विदथेष्वञ्जञ्चित्रं दिवो दुहिता भानुमश्रेत || RV 1.92.5
Prtyarchee rushadasyaa adarshi vi tishthe baadhte
krishnamabhvam. Svarun na pesho vidatheshvanjan
chitram divo duhitaa bhaanumashreta. RV 1.92.5
Meaning: May the entire society respect and praise the glorious woman. She is the epitome of truthfulness, noble virtues, selflessness, enlightenment and worthy actions. She can destroy the strongest obstacles of hatred, violence, evil and ignorance with her shining light.
जिह्म्श्ये३ चरितवे मघोन्याभोगय इष्टये राय उ त्वम् | दभ्रं पश्यद्भय उर्विया विचक्ष् उषा अजीगर्भुवनानि विश्वा || RV 1.113.5
Jihamshye3 charitave maghonyaaabhogaya ishtaye raaya
utvam. Dabhram pashyadbhya urviyaa vichaksha ushaa
ajeegarbhuvanaani vishvaa. RV 1.113.5
Meaning: The glorious woman destroys the greatest of darkness of ignorance, hatred, violence and evil with her radiating brilliance. She is the firm pillar that supports all noble deeds. She is the daughter of light that ignites the sun of goodness and knowledge in the society.
यावयद द्वेषा रीतेजः सुम्नावरी सून्रीता ईरयन्ती | सुमङ्ग्लीर्बिभ्रती देववीतिमिहाद्योषः श्रेष्ठतमा व्युच्छ || RV 1.113.12
Yaavayada dveshaa reetejah sumnaavree suunreetaaa irayantee, Sumangaleerbibhratee devaveetimihaadyoshah shreshthatamaa vyuchchha. RV 1.113.12
Meaning: The glorious woman is symbol of prosperity. She has permeated the entire society with her brilliance to inspire us all to reject laziness, get dynamic, conduct noble actions, become philanthropic and provide us with wealth and happiness.
ऋतस्य रशिममनुयच्छमाना भद्रंभद्रं क्रतुमस्मासु धेहि | उषो नो अद्य सुहवा व्युछास्मासु रायो मघवत्सु च् स्युः || RV 1.123.13
Ritasya rashimamanuyachchhamaanaa bhadrambhadram krtumasmaasu dhehi, Usho no adya suhavaa
vyuchhaasmaasu raayo maghavatsu cha syuh. RV 1.123.13
Meaning: O glorious woman, you firmly hold the ray of truthfulness and virtues. May you bless us all with inspiration of noble thoughts, words and actions. May you remove our ignorance by nurturing us so that we obtain the bliss of material and spiritual wealth.
Man and Women are Equal
सनत्साशव्यं पशुमुत् गव्यं शतावयम |
श्यावाश्वस्तुताय् या दोर्वीरायोपबर्ब्रीहत || RV 5.61.5
Sanatsaashvyam pashumuta gavyam shataavayama,
Shyaavaashvstutaaya ya dorveeraayopabrbreehata. RV 5.61.5
Meaning: The woman who opens her arms with love and joins her brave and dynamic husband shoulder to shoulder in work and household jointly achieves a hundred fold wealth of land and cattle, plenty of food and energy, and movable and immovable acquisitions.
In real Vedic culture it is taught that every man should view and respect every woman, as his mother, and every girl with the same concern and care as his own daughter. Wife is equal partner.
But the point is that women and men must work cooperatively like the twin wings of a bird; that is the only way to raise the family and the society.
Widow Remarriage
उदीर्ष्व नार्यभि जीवलोकं गतासुमीतमुप शेष एहिं !
हस्तग्राभस्यं दिधिषोस्तवेदं पत्युर्जं नत्वमभि सं बभूव !! RV10.8.8, AV18.3.2
Udeershva naaryabhi jeevalokam gataasumeetamupa shesh ehin, hastagraabhasyam didhishostavedam patyunja natvamabhi sn babhuv. RV10.8.8, AV18.3.2
Meaning: O lady, get up and leave this (husband) who is in deep slumber of death. From among the living persons find one for your new husband to look after you and have children through you. Let look after you and your existing children in the same manner as your previous husband.
