28 Aug 2024
[Smt. Chhanda asked: Swami, today is the day of Rakshaa Bandhan. Please explain its significance.]
Swami replied:- While doing any ritual, the first step is to follow the Rakshaa Bandhanam, which is binding a yellow or red thread with a leaf or flower around the wrist. The significance of this step is that God protects the devoted soul since God is omnipotent. This concept is extended to a brother through the same Rakshaa Bandhanam expecting the brother to protect the sister. Even though the brother is not omnipotent, the brother can protect his sister to some extent because males have strong physical personality than females. Based on this concept only, the Manu Smruti says that a female soul shall not go outside independently leaving the house. It further says that a female shall be protected by the father in the childhood, by the husband in the youth and by the son in the old age (Bālye pitṛvaśā kanyā…na strī svātantrya marhati). This is misunderstood by females that Manu was objecting the independence to females, which means that females should always be locked in the house without education, etc. This is a total misinterpretation. The advice against the independence here means that she should not go alone after leaving the house because the female in every stage of her age is decorated with gold. If she goes alone, some thieves may steal the gold by force or some rowdies may attack on her character.
All these good sides are suppressed and only wrong sides are projected to defame Hindu scriptures. Dharma or justice depends on the place and time. The justice present in one Yuga may change to another Yuga. The justice in the same time changes from one place to another place. It is said that God is an item and has no change, whereas justice is practice and hence, changes (Kriyāyāṃ vikalpaḥ na tu vastuni). Today, even females are learning martial fights and are employed in the police force and other armed forces. Thus, the above verse of Manu Smruti need not apply in the present time. But, not all females are coming under this present context. Hence, the females having inherent weak physical constitution shall follow the verse presented by the Manu Smruti.
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