The Position of Women During the Pre-Buddhist Period

Abstract

The position of women in Ancient India history has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. According to studies, women enjoyed equal status and rights during the early Vedic period. From the evidence of the Ṛg Veda, the earliest literature of the Indo-Aryans, that woman held an honourable place in early Indian society. There were a few Ṛg Vedic hymns composed by women. Women had access to the highest knowledge and could participate in all religious ceremonies. In domestic life too she was respected and there was no suggestion of seclusion of women and child marriage. At a later stage, when the priestly Brāhmaṇas dominated the Indian society, religion lost its spontaneity and became a mass of ritual. From this time onwards, we observe a downward trend in the position accorded to women. The most relentless of the Brāhmaṇas law-givers was Manu whose Code of Laws is the most anti-feminist literature one could find. At the outset Manu deprived woman of her religious rights and spiritual life. Śūdras, slaves and women were prohibited from reading the Vedas. A woman could not attain heaven through any merit of her own. She could not worship or perform a sacrifice by herself. She could reach heaven only through implicit obedience to her husband, be he debauched or devoid of all virtues. Having thus denied her any kind of spiritual and intellectual nourishment, Manu elaborated the myth that all women were sinful and prone to evil. She should therefore be kept under constant vigilance. The best way to do this was to keep her occupied in the tasks of motherhood and domestic duties so that she has no time for mischief. Despite this denigration there was always in Indian thought an idealization of motherhood and a glorification of the feminine concept. But in actual practice, it could be said by and large, Manu'sreputed Code of Laws did influence social attitudes towards women, at least in the higher realms of the society.