[Advaita-l] Maha Pativrataas

[Raghav Kumar Dwivedula]

Namaste

Was just wondering what the smRtis etc., say about a wife's conduct towards
husbands who are abusive and blatantly adharmic in their conduct.

In one specific area at least, the dharma shAstras and the Indian
constitution are convergent, it would seem.

Please see

https://www.vskills.in/certification/blog/conversion-as-a-ground-for-divorce-under-the-hindu-act/


 *Conversion as a Ground for Divorce*

Conversion of one of the spouses to any other religion affords a ground to
the other spouse certain matrimonial reliefs. In this context, conversion
means that the person has voluntarily relinquished his or her religion and
adopted another religion after going through some formal ceremony. If a
Hindu embraces a totally different religion, such as Christianity or Islam,
he or she may be stated to be a convert.

The party who ceases to be a Hindu by conversion cannot file a petition for
divorce under this section. This ground can be claimed only by the other
party[1]
<https://www-vskills-in.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.vskills.in/certification/blog/conversion-as-a-ground-for-divorce-under-the-hindu-act/amp/?amp_js_v=0.1&usqp=mq331AQGCAEoATgB#_ftn1>

In Durga Prasad Rao v Sudarshan Swammi[2]
<https://www-vskills-in.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.vskills.in/certification/blog/conversion-as-a-ground-for-divorce-under-the-hindu-act/amp/?amp_js_v=0.1&usqp=mq331AQGCAEoATgB#_ftn2>,
it was observed that in every case of conversion or reconversion to
Hinduism, formal renunciation of religion or performance of expiatory
ceremony is not essential. Therefore whether the conversion or reconversion
took place is a question of fact.

The Hindu marriage act has proposed two conditions when conversion as a
ground for divorce can be invoked, these are

   - That the respondent has ceased to follow the faith of Hinduism, that
   is he is no longer a Hindu
   - That the respondent has converted to another religion that is a
   non-Hindu faith.

This ground for divorce has been included in the Hindu Marriage Act only
for the purpose of circumventing the provision of S.494 of Indian Penal
Code, 1860.[3]
<https://www-vskills-in.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.vskills.in/certification/blog/conversion-as-a-ground-for-divorce-under-the-hindu-act/amp/?amp_js_v=0.1&usqp=mq331AQGCAEoATgB#_ftn3>
Conversion
to Islam by a Hindu spouse per se does not lead to divorce, but it only
give a right to the other spouse to file a petition for divorce under
S.13(1)(ii)


Om



On Mon 9 Jul, 2018, 7:06 AM Divya Meedin via Advaita-l, <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Thanks for your invaluable inputs, Subrahmanian-ji, Aditya-ji, and
> Sadananda-ji.
>
> Namaste
>
> On Sun, Jul 8, 2018 at 8:29 PM, kuntimaddi sadananda via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > PraNAms
> > The essential idea in all these is the love of the spouse is not based on
> > the external physical aspects at the body and sense level. They are tuned
> > to the intellectual and emotional and perhaps to the spiritual aspects of
> > their spouses. vrata is austerity and pati - vraata is austerity with the
> > mind fully tuned towards a single goal - in this case for bhaarya who
> > depends on bhartha - the goal for her is set in her mind. The other
> > physical or comforts in terms of wealth etc are impertinent here. Those
> > whose minds are tuned in that way can attain the highest is the essential
> > theme since their minds are not dissipated by the physical aspects which
> > are perishable and other possessions that God may be endowed. The lady in
> > question is able to look though beyond the external to see inner beauty
> and
> > hence she could identify her husband. The same story is there in Nala
> > Damayanti also. It is easier for a wife to see and recognize Iswara in
> the
> > heart of her husband than in other beings as her mind withdraws from
> > external sense appeal.   The inner vision or seeing the inner beauty
> > becomes essential steps towards evolution. Satyakaama story that involves
> > his mother is also what was implied.
> > This is how I look at it.
> > Hari Om!Sadananda
> >
> >
> >    On Sunday, July 8, 2018, 10:38:15 AM EDT, Aditya Kumar via Advaita-l <
> > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >
> >  Namaste,
> > This is quite interesting because this is all about devotion. I used to
> > wonder why men or women would be devoted to their spouses. I even felt
> that
> > it is impossible to have such mental and physical devotion/fidelity to
> > their partners. As I was one day flipping through the great Mahabharatha
> of
> > Vyasa, I stumbled upon the story of Chyavan and Sukanya. Sukanya hails
> from
> > a royal lineage whereas Chyavana from a Brahman lineage. Due to some
> > strange circumstances (you may refer Mahabharatha for details) they get
> > married.
> > One day the Ashwini devatas behold the beauty of Sukanya and express
> their
> > interest in her. Chyavan was old and frail, due to his age and
> austerities.
> > The gods reason with Sukanya - Behold us, the handsome gods and your
> > husband is an old person! In spite of it, Sukanya refuses to give in.
> > Whether is it because of the fear of dharma/adharma or anything is
> unknown.
> > Could not make out from the narrative. But it seems like some people are
> > naturally more devoted than others. Of purified mind, of good lineage,
> > people tend to be more devoted. Others may be a bit lower, that is they
> may
> > give in when circumstances change. The lowest of them are by nature not
> > devoted and always indulge in promiscuity. The gods make another offer to
> > her, that they will make her husband equal to them. She has to choose
> > someone blindly, whomsoever she chooses, she has to be their wife. But
> > Sukanya recognizes her husband in spite of it and chooses Chyavana!
> >     On Sunday, 8 July, 2018, 10:16:55 AM IST, Divya Meedin via Advaita-l
> <
> > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >
> > Namaste
> >
> > In Sundara Kaand of Vaalmiki Ramayana Sarga 24, Lokamaathaa Sita says,
> >
> > दीनो वा राज्यहीनो वा
> > यो मे भर्ता स मे गुरुः ।
> > तं नित्यमनुरक्ताऽस्मि
> > यथा सूर्यं सुवर्चला ॥
> >
> > Regardless of whether he is miserable or has lost his kingdom, he, my
> > husband, is my lord. I am always in love with him and only him, as
> > Suvarcala is with the sun.
> >
> >
> > यथा शची महाभागा
> > शक्रं समुपतिष्ठति ।
> > अरुन्धती वसिष्ठं च
> > रोहिणी शशिनं यथा ।
> > लोपामुद्रा यथाऽगस्त्यम्
> > सुकन्या च्यवनं यथा ।
> > सावित्री सत्यवन्तं च
> > कपिलं श्रीमती यथा ।
> > सौदासं मदयन्तीव
> > केशिनी सगरं यथा ।
> > नैषधं दमयन्तीव
> > भैमी पतिमनुव्रता ।
> > तथाऽहमिक्ष्वाकुवरम्
> > रामं पतिमनुव्रता ॥
> > Just as the blessed Ṡaci stayed bound to Ṡakra, Arundhati to Vasishṭha,
> > Rōhiṇee to the moon, Lōpāmudrā to Agastya, Sukanyā to Cyavana, Sāvitri to
> > Satyavanta, Ṡreematee to Kapila, Madayantee to Saudāsa, Kēṡinee to
> Sagara,
> > and
> > just as Damayanti, the daughter of Bheema, religiously followed
> Naishadha,
> > I
> > follow my husband Rāma, the foremost of Ikshwākus.
> >
> >
> > I require some help in learning more about the stories of these great
> > *Pativrataas.*
> >
> > I have already come across the Sukanyā-Cyavana Upaakhyaanam, and the
> > Sāvitri-Satyavanta
> > Upaakhyaanaam in Srimad Devi Bhaagavatam.
> >
> > Could the esteemed members point me to resources containing the stories
> of
> > (1)  Ṡaci-Ṡakra
> > (2)  Arundhati-Vasishṭha
> > (3)  Rōhiṇee-Chandra
> > (4)  Lōpāmudrā-Agastya
> > (5)  Ṡreematee-Kapila
> > (6)  Madayantee-Saudāsa
> > (7)  Kēṡinee-Sagara
> > (8)  Damayanti-Naishadha
> > (9)  Suvarchala-Surya
> >
> > Would be grateful for any guidance.
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