[Advaita-l] How do you reconcile?

[K Kathirasan]

Namaste

Shankara also considers Sulabha a brahmavadini in his Brahmasutra Bhashya (3.3.32). 

The role of women in vedic studies and vedantic studies have evolved over time. We see a strong correlation between urbanisation and the role of women in the shastras. In the Vedic times, women were deemed to be eligible for vedic study through the classification brahmavadini while the Sadyovadhu focused on domestic duties. As we moved into the common era, women’s duties were primary domesticated. With education, the role of women have changed yet again making them entitled to vedic study these days. So the role of women (and men) is part of vishesha dharma and hence will continue to evolve. Some acaryas are ready to negotiate with it while some are not ready. 

Kathirasan K




> On 11 Feb 2019, at 12:51 PM, Bhaskar YR via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> 
> praNAms Sri Sadananda prabhuji
> Hare Krishna
> 
> In the 9th Chapter of Vedanta Sangraha Ramaraya Kavi says – The study of Vedanta shastras by women are prohibited. On the other hand, we see in Brihadarnyaka Upanishad sage Gargi arguing with the sage Yagnavalkya. In Geeta also there is a sloka that says that women are prohibited. In the Kenopanishad, third chapter when Indra goes to inquire who is that Yaksha who appears to be more powerful than the Gods, Goddess Uma appears. Here Uma is equated to shastras. Of course, Goddess Saraswati is the very embodiment of knowledge itself. How do we reconcile these with the statement that women should not study Vedas – Does that apply to Vedanta also?
> 
>> shankara also clear in bruhadAraNyaka bhAshya that stree donot have vedAdhikAra.  However, for vedAnta paramArtha jnana they too eligible along with non-dvija-s.  The source of gaining that jnana for them is smruti and other texts.  However, in shankara's biography itself we have the ubhaya bhArati episode who was sitting on the jury who is right between maNdana and shankara 😊 when she herself not eligible to study veda-s how can she be the judge to give judgement on pUrva & Uttara mImAmsa??  And vedAnta means Shruti / Upanishads which is part and parcel of veda-s, so according to tradition she is not at all eligible to sit on the jury do decide these matters or else we can assume that for stree-s though vedAnta study is not possible in traditional style (learning the veda mantra-s with intonations / swara-s), they can understand / realize the tattva in vedAnta by reading it as a text or the source of information on brahma jnana to give any credentials to uma bhArati episode in bhagavatpAda vruttAnta.  Anyway this is an issue still open for debate and nothing is clear when we look at the current scenario at institutions where women freely learning veda-s, initiating into sannyasa and teaching vedAnta as well.  
> 
> Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
> bhaskar
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